Some people only come to Zanzibar for the beaches.

It's a shame to miss the other interesting stuff on this truly exotic island, but life by the sea is so mellow, it's tempting not to go anywhere else once your bare feet hit the sand. We all know by now that the sand is soft and white, and there are palm trees aplenty, sunshine from dawn till dusk and on a fine fishing day, the blue, blue ocean view is littered with dhow sails.

The pattern of daily beach life if you want to do more than get up, loll about, eat, er… go to bed (not such a bad way to spend a day) is dictated by the tides. The Zanzibar coastline is fringed by a wide reef which protects the beaches from most of the ocean swell, so waves are usually gentle. This makes the inshore waters great for children, learner windsurfers and fair weather kayakers; they're not so great for thrill-seekers, who can go further offshore to where the reef drops off to get their kicks.

When the tide is in, the inner reef is covered and craft can navigate their way out of the bays. When it's out, the reef is exposed, and boats can't leave, or get into the beach. Except in the places where the reef is narrow (most of the west coast) or there is a gap in the reef (Kendwa ) diving, fishing and other deep sea expeditions are timed by the tides -or involve a schlepp across the coral flats to/from the boat (not funny, or safe, if you don't have foot protection). Some of the larger resort hotels get round this by cutting long concrete pathways through the coral reef, or extending jetties, but it can still be a long walk in the midday sun, and they're an eyesore. One of Zanzibar's greatest assets is its intense natural beauty, so better, we think, to surrender to the rhythm of the tides, and enjoy the enforced relaxation when you have to. For the more low impact resorts, try Matemwe Bungalows, Fumba Beach Lodge

When the reef is exposed at low tide, it is a wide (about a kilometre at the most) shelf of shallow pools, jagged old coral rocks, large patches of silty sand and seaweed. This means swimming is not really possible, although you may find the odd sandy bottomed lagoon to wallow in. Simply poddling around in the warm water with a big hat and some reef shoes can be diverting - examining star fish, live sea urchins, tiny rock eels and small fry. Watch out as you go for seaweed farms - small patches of shallows which the local women plant and harvest - like all farmers, they don't like having their fields trampled.

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Zanzibar Beach Life

Some people only come to Zanzibar for the beaches.