About Shooting Star Lodge
Shooting Star Lodge was built by an engaging and welcoming Tanzanian couple and stands on top of a coral ...
... cliff, with stunning views of the powdery-white Kiwengwa Beach. It attracts a real mix of characters, who usually come together around the bar area during the day and in the evening, resulting in a lovely social atmosphere.
With only 17 rooms, Shooting Star is a small and personal lodge with a great atmosphere, helped by the friendly team who run it. It's a firm favourite with our travellers. The two resident dogs who live at the lodge are also very sociable creatures, so don't be surprised if you find them relaxing on your veranda.
Our view
With only 17 rooms, Shooting Star is a small and personal lodge with a great atmosphere, helped by the friendly team who run it. It's a firm favourite with our travellers. The two resident dogs who live at the lodge are also very sociable creatures, so don't be surprised if you find them relaxing on your veranda.
Zanzibar expert
Accommodation
17 rooms
Children
Fine for all ages.
Open
1 June to Easter
Activities
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Kayaking
Scuba-diving
Snorkelling
Watersports
Traveller reviews of Shooting Star Lodge
31 real, un-edited reviews from Expert Africa's travellers.
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View galleryShooting Star Lodge: Our full report
Shooting Star Lodge was built by an engaging and welcoming Tanzanian couple and stands on top of a coral ...
... cliff, with stunning views of the powdery-white Kiwengwa Beach. It attracts a real mix of characters, who usually come together around the bar area during the day and in the evening, resulting in a lovely social atmosphere.
The central lounge bar is the main hub area, with lots of brightly coloured cushion-covered booths to sit in on either side of a walk-way which leads to the pool. The bar is behind this area and people tend to congregate around here before and after dinner for a few drinks. Next to this is the dining area and further outdoor seating area with furniture constructed from coconut palm. You might want to challenge someone to the traditional Zanzibari game of bao on one of the lodge's boards. On one occasion, we ate out on the decking in the open air overlooking the pool, while others chose to sit under the thatch. The food was tasty, and the service was friendly.
In front of the dining area at Shooting Star Lodge is the beautiful horseshoe-shaped infinity pool. It can be difficult to get a spot on one of the loungers around here at busy times. However, there are plenty of loungers down on the white sandy beach itself if you prefer a slightly more private spot. When the tide is in it's lovely to swim in the ocean from here, and when it's out, the exposed reef is an interesting walk. There is also a small beach bar, the Starfish Bar, where you can get some drinks or enjoy a lunch. The beach at Shooting Star is located below a coral cliff, and can be accessed by a winding path leading down from the dining area - about a 5 minute walk from the rooms.
Shooting Star Lodge can arrange diving and snorkeling trips with the nearby PADI centre at Bluebay Beach Resort. On a previous visit we were collected from Shooting Star and dropped back in time for lunch after doing a double dive on the beautiful Mnemba atoll. Shooting Star can also offer a range of other activities, such a sunset dhow cruise around the coastline. Other resorts along the beach can offer catamaran and windsurfing hire and fishing trips (usually on a catch and release basis).
The rooms at the Shooting Star are nestled amidst the tropical trees and flowering plants, and are split in to four different categories:
- Five Garden Suites are the most simple and basic room type. They are fairly small, and feel quite dark, however are clean and comfortable and dotted with colourful cushions and paintings which brightens up the room.
- The Six Sea View Cottages being a bit more spacious and each has a shaded veranda with a pair of sun loungers.
- The Four Family Sea View Cottages are similar in style to the normal Sea View Cottages, however they are located on the seafront cliff and have two bedrooms which happily accommodate up to four people.
- There are also two private suites - the Kusi and Kaskazi Suites - these are quite special. Shooting Star also has two day rooms which are available for use free of charge.
Geographics
- Location
- East Coast Zanzibar, Zanzibar
- Ideal length of stay
- We recommend spending 4 nights or longer to relax and enjoy Zanzibar’s east coast.
- Directions
- It takes around 35 minutes to fly to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam, and then it's a further one hour by car to Shooting Star Lodge.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Half Board
- Food quality
- We did not eat here on our last visit in 2019, but have enjoyed the food on previous visits. Breakfast at Shooting Star is served from 7:00 - 10am (although this is slightly flexible if you are going diving early). It consists of a variety of fresh fruit as well as toast and eggs cooked how you like them.
Lunch is served between 12:30 and 15:00, there is an a la carte menu consisting of a variety of international cuisine, featuring meals such as fresh fish dishes, pizzas and pasta. We enjoyed a meal of roast chicken with home cooked chips and a seasonal salad.
Dinner is a 3-course meal, with a number of choices being offered for the starter and main. On one stay we started with crab soup, this was followed by either tuna steak served with vegetable rice, or a vegetarian option of roast peppers; for desert we enjoyed a platter of fresh tropical fruit. The food was good, although don’t expect haute cuisine. Generally the feedback we get from our travellers has been very positive – mentioning fresh produce, great afternoon tea and cakes, and excellent seafood. - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Yes – though there are no phones in the rooms. Any room service will therefore need to be arranged in advance.
- Drinks included
- Drinks are not included. Soft drinks are about $2.50, beer around $3.50 and a bottle wine averages $25 - $30.
Special interests
- Honeymoons
- Shooting Star’s suites are ideal for a good-value Zanzibar honeymoon. With a private swimming pool, a rooftop bath and rooftop bed perfect for stargazing, it couldn’t be more romantic. The staff will make a great effort to make your stay special.
- See ideas for Honeymoons in Zanzibar
- Wellbeing
- The beach-side spa at Shooting Star Lodge offers a variety of pampering treatments, with massages from $25, to full seaweed body wraps at $60. Pedicures, manicures and waxing treatments are also on offer, resulting in a very relaxing stay.
- See ideas for Wellbeing in Zanzibar
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Shooting Star welcomes children
- Property’s age restrictions
- There are no age restrictions at Shooting Star
- Special activities & services
- They will happily organise baby-sitting. Parents should simply tip the nanny, who is arranged through the housekeeping team. Shooting Star can create a child friendly menu on request.
- Equipment
- Cots and highchairs can be provided at Shooting Star
- Generally recommended for children
- Yes
- Notes
- Shooting Star is a very friendly and welcoming place, which will happily cater to children. There is a lovely pool and stretch of beach for playing, though there are no special facilities or activities for children.
Communications
- Power supply notes
- There are two backup generators.
- Communications
- Free Wi-fi is available in the public areas, and reaches some of the garden rooms.
- TV & radio
- There is no TV or radio at Shooting Star
- Water supply
- Mains
- Water supply notes
- The 24-hour hot water supply is a bit brackish. The lodge remarked to us on our last visit in 2016 that the expensive desalination plants used at some lodges are effective but pump highly saline water back into the sea, which can damage the coral. Limited bottled water is supplied to guests (a half litre at breakfast and a half litre in the room).
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- There is an on-site first aid kit, and there is usually a doctor on call nearby (in one of the larger lodges) that Shooting Star Lodge can access in the case of a medical emergency. There is also a European pharmacy in a nearby village.
- Dangerous animals
- Low Risk
- Security measures
- 24-hour security guards are present on the beach and around the hotel. There is a lockable Zanzibari chest in each room, and valuables can be left in the safe at reception. 24 hour security guards
- Fire safety
- There are fire-extinguishers dotted around Shooting Star Lodge and smoke alarms in the rooms.
Activities
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Kayaking
Scuba-diving
Snorkelling
Watersports
Extras
- Disabled access
- Not Possible
- Laundry facilities
- A fuull machine-washed laundry service is offered at an extra charge.
- Money
- Shooting Star cannot offer a currency exchange. There are lockable chests in the rooms, and also a safe in the office.
- Accepted payment on location
- The preferred form of payment at Shooting Star is cash, however you can also pay for any extra costs Visa, Mastercard or American Express. However there is a 5% charge for any card use.
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Shooting Star Lodge's location
Look closer at the environment and surroundings of Shooting Star Lodge.
Excursions from Shooting Star Lodge
Optional extra day-trips and excursions possible whilst you're staying at Shooting Star Lodge. Talk to us: these are usually best arranged before you go.
Jambiani Village Tour
Half-day - mornings
Tear yourself away from the soft white sands of Zanzibar to get under the skin of the history and culture of Jambiani village. Join a knowledgeable local guide to discover the intricacies of day-to-day life in this traditional coastal village, with much of the profits being ploughed back into the community.
More about Village Tour
Jozani Forest Tour
Half-day or combine with other tours
For nature lovers, Jozani Forest is a must. One of the last sanctuaries of the red colobus monkey, it features a diverse range of habitats, from mangrove forests to salt marshes. Keep your eyes peeled for other forest residents, including Sykes’ monkey, bushbabies, duikers and more than 40 species of bird.
More about Jozani ForestOther lodges in East Coast Zanzibar
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Pongwe Beach Hotel
Pongwe Beach Hotel is comfortable, good-value, family-friendly beach lodge, with a lovely pool, secluded beach and good food.
Mnemba Island Lodge
Mnemba is a private island resort with 11 chalets, fringed by some of the best coral reefs in the Zanzibar area.
Sunshine Marine Lodge
Sunshine Marine (sister of Sunshine Hotel) is located in a secluded part of the east coast, with a first-rate, in-house dive centre.
Zoi Hotel
Located right on the beach, with bright rooms and a colourful garden, the Zoi Boutique Hotel has a lively, relaxed atmosphere.
Zanzibar Pearl
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Melia Zanzibar
Melia Zanzibar is a very large resort hotel on Zanzibar’s east coast and is well equipped for business and leisure trips.
Tulia Zanzibar
Tulia Zanzibar Beach Resort is a 16-room boutique beach hotel that opened in 2016 on Zanzibar's east coast.
When to go to East Coast Zanzibar
Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Shooting Star Lodge in East Coast Zanzibar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Zanzibar in January
As on the Tanzanian mainland, January typically marks the start of the short dry season in Zanzibar. Conditions are likely to be hot and mostly dry, with temperatures exceeding 30ºC, although it is not uncommon to get a tropical shower in the afternoons. January can feel very humid at times, and this is particularly noticeable in Stone Town, although this can be tempered by the cooling sea breeze.
New Year is one of the most popular times to visit Zanzibar, with many hotels being fully booked over the festive period. The island generally becomes much quieter after 10th January, and prices drop too.
- Mostly hot with the occasional shower.
- High humidity, which can be relieved by the refreshing breeze.
- Very busy over New Year, with high prices and long minimum stays often
- Quieter and better value later in the month.
- Wind from the northeast, and so the southwest coast is more sheltered.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in January
Zanzibar in February
The weather in February is fairly similar to January, with days typically being hot and sunny although expect the occasional rainy spell. The humidity remains high, however the coastal areas often have a refreshing breeze. Zanzibar is fairly quiet in February, and with comparatively low prices it can be excellent value for money.
At this time the wind blows from the northeast, and so the southwest coast is often more sheltered and there can be good diving in the Menai Bay. The northeast winds can also lead to good conditions for kite surfing, with many kite surfers heading to the southeast coast and Michamvi Peninsula. For music lovers, Stone Town hosts an annual African music festival ‘Sauti za Busara’ each February. The festival's dates change each year; ask us for details.
- Variable: mostly hot and humid with some cloud and rainy spells.
- Fewer tourists and comparatively low prices.
- Popular time for kite surfing, especially around the southeast coast.
- North easterly wind, better diving in the south west of the island.
- ‘Sauti za Busara’ music festival in early February.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in February
Zanzibar in March
March sees the start of the ‘long rains’ in Zanzibar, although the exact start date varies every year. The weather can be unpredictable, with a combination of hot sunny days, rain showers, and the occasional tropical storm. The arrival of the rains lowers the humidity, and it can also lead to some beautiful sunsets – most obviously on the west coast where you can watch the sunset over the ocean. Prices remain low during March, and the island is likely to be relatively quiet.
Diving is generally not recommended during the rainy season, as variable conditions can lead to reduced visibility from rainfall runoff, and choppy water.
- Hot and humid, leading to heavy rains later in the month.
- Low prices, and the island is comparatively quiet.
- Variable weather leads to poor conditions for diving.
- The start of the rains can lead to beautiful sunsets.
Our view
This is not a great time to visit
Weather in March
Zanzibar in April
April is typically the wettest month of the year in Zanzibar, and the long rains are in full force. The average rainfall is more than 250mm during this month, and tropical storms are common. Flooding regularly occurs, which can impact the quality of the roads, and consequently cause difficult, slow journeys across the island. Many of the hotels and beach lodges close at this time, so accommodation options can be limited. Having said this, prices are at their lowest, and if you don’t mind the risk of bad weather you can get some real bargains.
Despite the poor conditions, Easter weekend is often popular, and advance booking is recommended. Due to the strong likelihood of rain and poor conditions diving is inadvisable at this time.
- Heavy rain and tropical storms expected throughout the month.
- Areas of flooding leading to poor travel conditions.
- Many hotels close for refurbishment at this time.
- Low prices and few other tourists.
- Diving inadvisable due to heavy rain and reduced visibility.
Our view
A time to avoid if possible
Weather in April
Zanzibar in May
The long rains continue into May, and as with April you can expect thunderstorms and heavy showers, although these typically ease up towards the end of the month. Parts of the island can experience flooding, causing damage to roads and impacting travel times. The temperature typically drops a little in May, with a daytime average of around 25ºC. The rains lead to a lower humidity too, and mornings and evenings can feel a bit cooler.
Many of the hotels and lodges are still closed, however a handful stay open and prices remain low. While diving is possible, the rain and storms mean that diving conditions are not at their best.
- Continuation of the long rains, with thunderstorms and lightning.
- Flooding common, but conditions becoming drier as the month progresses
- Drop in temperatures, with cooler mornings and evenings.
- Prices low, and many hotels remain closed.
Our view
A time to avoid if possible
Weather in May
Zanzibar in June
June marks the start of the long dry season in Zanzibar. While the island still gets rainfall, especially early in the month, it’s becomes less likely as the month progresses. Temperatures remain steady, with daytime highs averaging 25ºC, and it likely to be mostly dry. Any rain you do experience is likely to be in shorter bursts rather than heavy storms and hours of continuous rain, although conditions vary from year to year.
The wind direction switches to blow from the southeast, and the northeast coast is likely to be more sheltered at this time. Diving conditions can be variable, and while they are generally good there can be some rough days.
- Variable weather: mostly hot and dry, with some rainy showers.
- Wind from the southwest, and more sheltered in the north east.
- Diving conditions variable, dependent on the wind and rain.
- Lower prices and generally good weather can lead to great value.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in June
Zanzibar in July
July is a very popular time to go to Zanzibar, and this coincides with the long dry season. July and August are the school holidays throughout much of Europe, and Zanzibar can often be busy with families. Weather conditions are generally hot and dry and pretty ideal for a beach holiday, however there is still a chance of an occasional short shower. Conditions for diving are typically pretty good, however this will be dependent on recent weather conditions.
The Zanzibar International Film Festival takes place in July, with lots of people flocking to Stone Town to soak up the atmosphere. The dates for the festival change every year, so chat to Expert Africa for details.
- Typically hot and dry with clear skies, although showers are possible.
- Can become very busy, with many families traveling during holidays.
- Zanzibar International Film Festival takes place in Stone Town.
- Great beach weather result in high prices.
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in July
Zanzibar in August
August is one of the most popular times of year to visit Zanzibar, and with good reason; this is one of the driest months and it is typically hot with clear skies – ideal for relaxing on the beach. Many families choose to visit during August, and the island can be busy, and this is particularly noticeable in Stone Town and around the more popular snorkelling sites.
High demand can mean that many of the more popular hotels and beach lodges can be booked up more than 6 months ahead, so advance booking is crucial. Due to the popularity and great beach weather prices are high.
- Hot and sunny, generally ideal for relaxing on the beach.
- Popular time for families and the island can be busy.
- High demand leads to higher prices, and advance booking is essential.
- With little rain falling and causing soil run-off, the sea is clear.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in August
Zanzibar in September
September is an excellent time of year to visit Zanzibar. Weather conditions are typically very good, with clear skies and temperatures ranging from 20¬–30ºC. September is also one of the driest months, averaging 50mm of rain during the month, however rain showers are still possible. Due to the great beach conditions prices remain high, however with fewer families travelling in September the island can be a little quieter at this time.
September to December are often some of the calmest months at sea, which can result in superb conditions for diving. The wind typically blows from the southeast, and the northeast coast can often be a little more sheltered. You can find some beautiful snorkelling and diving spots around Mnemba Island.
- Warm temperatures and clear skies, with the off-chance of rain.
- Fewer families travelling, and the island can be a little quieter.
- Great beach weather means that prices remain high.
- Relatively calm seas result in good conditions for diving.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in September
Zanzibar in October
October is the tail end of the dry season and you can generally expect hot, dry conditions. The short rains typically start in early November, and so this does mean that there is an increased likelihood of rainy spells as the month progresses. October remains a popular month to travel, particularly so during the European half-term school holidays, and advance booking is advised.
With high demand and great weather prices remain high, however there are some long-stay special offers to be found. South-easterly winds mean that the northeast coast can be more sheltered and conditions for diving can be good.
- End of the dry season, generally good beach weather.
- Increased chance of rain, particularly near the end of the month.
- Popular with families during the half-term school holiday.
- High demand means prices remain high.
- Northeast coast generally more sheltered.
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in October
Zanzibar in November
The short rains start during November, however their exact start varies year on year. You are likely to experience a mixture of hot, dry days with the occasional tropical shower, however we find that short showers can actually be quite refreshing. With the start of the rains the humidity can shoot up and while the coastal properties tend to receive a pleasant cooling breeze Stone Town and the island interior can feel quite hot and clammy.
Prices drop in November and there are some real bargains to be found. This time of year can be great value for money, especially near the start of the month when the weather conditions are very comparable to late October. The demand is generally lower, and the island starts to feel much quieter.
- Variable weather: mostly hot and dry but with some clouds and rain.
- Hot temperatures, with humidity on the rise.
- Less busy than October, and with lower prices it can be great value.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in November
Zanzibar in December
December falls in to the short rainy season, and the weather can be variable. Days are likely to be hot and humid, with the occasional patch of rain, although showers can be a blessing in disguise as they help to lower the temperature. Early December is fairly quiet and prices are low, however this changes dramatically over Christmas and New Year.
The festive season, from around 20th December to 5th January, is arguably the most popular time to visit Zanzibar. Prices are at their highest, and long minimum stays are imposed. Due to the very high demand booking early is essential, especially if you’re a group or a large family. Book six months to a year in advance, or even more, if possible.
- Variable weather, with a mix of hot, sunny days and tropical showers.
- High humidity, which may be mitigated by the cool ocean breeze.
- Quiet with lower prices earlier in the month.
- Busy and exceptionally popular over Christmas and New Year.
- Advance booking over Christmas and New Year is essential.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in December
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