Stone Town Sunset Dhow Cruise Review: Is it worth it?

If you’re checking out Zanzibar, and especially if you happen to find yourself kicking around Stone Town, chances are you have seen listings for a sunset dhow cruise. The thought of floating along the clear water, as the sun gets lower while listening to island tunes and sipping on something cool sounds pretty attractive, it seems like. But the question is: does the experience actually live up to the hype? I figured I could share thoughts from when I went.

Setting Sail from Stone Town: What to Expect

So, these dhow cruises often take off from the beach that’s near the heart of Stone Town, which is nice and convenient. After all, no one wants to spend their vacation stuck on some bus. Typically, that part of the day happens near the late afternoon, maybe around 4 or 5 pm, because you want to actually be out there when the sun starts heading down, you know?

You’ll more than likely find some different tour groups are all meeting up around the same area, but there tends to be people around who make it clear enough as to where exactly you need to go. The boats themselves are these kind of old, wooden dhows. Some are in pretty good shape, and others seem, maybe, a bit more ‘well-loved’. After people begin boarding, you find a spot and before you realize, you’re being pushed off the beach and into the Indian Ocean. That, it appears, is when your time begins.

The Ambiance: Music, Views, and the Setting Sun

Once you’re actually on your way, what’s the vibe even like? Usually, you might expect a playlist filled with pretty standard tunes that play at all the tourist spots; maybe a little bit of Bob Marley thrown in. As the boat glides outwards, you have the chance to check out Stone Town from an entirely different angle. You will also pass some small islands as you are sailing around. The real attraction is very clearly when the sun begins to get lower on the horizon. Assuming that it’s a day without a ton of clouds, you could see all these shades of orange and red spreading across the sky, and it makes for some great photographs, honestly.

Depending on what you booked and who you are doing the tour with, they generally have some sort of snacks, plus water or soda. They often also serve things like beer. So it’s almost something similar to a floating social gathering while looking out at the nice scenery around you. Is that part worth it? I believe so.

Snacks, Drinks and Island Tunes: What’s on Offer?

The spread usually has a mix of a little something for anyone. You might see things like small sandwiches, or maybe some little samosas, as it were. Fruit is very common, too it’s almost like someone grabbed whatever looked pretty great that day at the local market – mangoes, pineapple, bananas and whatever happens to actually be in season are usually options, right? As for what there is to drink, again, it just depends on the tour people you picked to go with.

It’s entirely possible to wind up on one of these cruises where it’s only soda and water available, which is fine, too, especially when the weather is very warm. Lots of tour options are providing beers at no charge; for most of the cruises, hard alcohol costs extra, apparently. One suggestion would be to confirm what’s up for grabs with your operator way before you leave, just so that you aren’t expecting one thing but receive another, seemingly.

The Cultural Element: More Than Just a Pretty Sunset?

Okay, so aside from the killer views and relaxing time on the ocean, does this tour have more depth, perhaps? That is up for discussion, frankly. For many, it’s definitely a peaceful way to end the day and get some time on the water. It isn’t often that the cruise guides actually talk a lot about Stone Town’s background, or give lots of interesting facts of Zanzibar, typically. With this being stated, you’re free to just chat with the crew that you find yourself around; ask anything you want to, of course.

What I did find valuable and interesting was just seeing Stone Town from the sea. Observing the architecture and sort of piecing together a better picture of the layout of the area and a small sense of how everything connects does give one more perspective on it, to be honest. Is this an educational tour primarily? Probably not. But I’d say there still is cultural worth by virtue of simply seeing things in a slightly different way.

Is the Stone Town Sunset Dhow Cruise Worth It?

So, at the end of all of this, is it actually something that should be considered doing? Personally, I’m of the opinion that it’s worthwhile if the weather is actually on your side and it’s clear out. For what these experiences normally go for, you’re getting a good deal of bang for your buck: some drinks and snacks, beautiful views and a little bit of local charm that is definitely enough, arguably.

Now, is that the type of tour that is necessarily going to blow someone’s mind or give a complete shift to one’s whole perspective? Probably not. Still, that’s not always what everybody’s searching for when they are doing travelling, actually. At times it is wonderful to enjoy time on the water to see things from there with the opportunity to take incredible photos and unwind for an afternoon.