Almost every safari we sell can finish on the Indian Ocean, and most travellers are very glad when theirs does. After a week of dawn starts and long drives, Zanzibar is the decompression: a short flight from the Serengeti or Arusha, and then sand.
The island's coasts are quite different from one another. The north (Nungwi, Kendwa) has swimmable water at all tides and the liveliest evenings. The east (Paje, Jambiani) has extraordinary turquoise water, huge tidal swings and the kitesurfing. The south-east is quiet and low-key. Stone Town, the old Omani trading capital, is worth a night at the start or end for the spice markets, the carved doors and the sunset dhows.
Beyond Zanzibar there is Pemba for diving, Mafia Island for whale sharks between October and March, and the mainland beaches near Dar es Salaam and Pangani for a shorter add-on.