Trying Remote Work in Zanzibar: What We Found in Nungwi and Stone Town

Zanzibar is renowned worldwide as a destination for honeymooners and luxury vacations. But it is slowly becoming known as a place for budget-friendly travel and even remote work in Zanzibar, though the scene is still developing. The island, roughly the size of Los Angeles, has been modernizing over the past decade, and slowly, stable power and high-speed internet are arriving. 

We traveled there this past spring as an experiment, knowing that we would likely be pushing the limits of our ability to cowork. Although we were a bit cautious about this issue when booking our tickets to visit, we decided to give it a shot anyway. 

Visitors to the island tend to flock to a handful of towns. The capital, Stone Town, serves as the administrative center and the main entry point for tourists arriving by air or ferry. Stone Town is also the cultural heart of Zanzibar, filled with winding alleys, spice markets, and restored heritage buildings, making it the natural base for exploring the island.

Another popular area is the far northern tip of Nungwi. This is one of the most popular spots for luxury getaways and beach adventure trips. We chose to start out visit here as it is well-located next to several top scuba diving destinations which was our main reason for visiting Zanzibar.

After a few days in Nungwi, we returned to Stone Town for a change of scenery. Here is our take on the few places we tried in both of these areas:

Remote working cafes in Nungwi

ZaVa Restaurant

ZaVa Restaurant

★★★½ 3.5/5

• Type Restaurant
• Wifi 8.0 ↓ / 4.6 ↑ Mbps
• Outlets Few
• Noise Moderate
• Price $$
• AirCon No
• Seating Cushioned chairs, barstools, tables

View on Google Maps

Our accommodation Pole Pole House, did not have stable internet, so we went in search of somewhere to work from in the general Nungwi area. We discovered this relaxed two-story restaurant on the west side of the main beach, and we ended up working here for two consecutive days.

The staff was a bit surprised to see us pull out two laptops, but they were cool with it. It is pretty unusual to see vacationers working while on the island. We recommend you work from their second floor, one for the quieter vibe and two so you are not on street level, showing off you have a computer (aka a target for thieves).

We wouldn’t recommend it for video calls, but it should be fine for getting work done – and they are open until 10pm! Make sure your computer is charged. The place is not targeted to remote workers, so most tables do not have outlets.

Badolina Secret Garden Restaurant 

Badolina Secret Garden

★★★★ 4/5

• Type Restaurant
• Wifi 17 ↓ / 11 ↑ Mbps
• Outlets Few
• Noise Moderate
• Price $$$
• AirCon No
• Seating Pool loungers, restaurant tables with chairs

View on Google Maps

Badolina is located right in front of Zava. We really enjoyed the ambiance, but the music can be loud if you are there to work. It’s attached to the Bandolina Bungalows and shares a pool with the rooms. The internet was the fastest we found during our time trying to remote work in Zanzibar. However, we personally didn’t feel comfortable working there for very long, as it’s a very open area and located on a busy street, where you are visibly a target for theft once you have your computer out.

If this seems to be a recurring theme, it’s because the area felt very economically depressed just outside of these swanky restaurants. Much of what you see online of Zanzibar is a social media-curated view of the pretty side of Zanzibar. That economic disparity is something remote workers should be mindful of, as polished beach restaurants often sit side by side with struggling neighborhoods.

All that said, Badolina itself is a top spot to eat – the food is great, but please note that it is a bit on the pricey side compared to the other spots on this list.

Remote working cafes in Stone Town

Karafuu Coffee House

Karafuu Coffee House

★★★★ 4/5

• Type Cafe
• Outlets Excellent
• Noise Quiet
• Price $$
• AirCon No
• Seating Tables with chairs and couches

View on Google Maps

When selecting a cafe to work from, we usually try and balance ambience, work space options, location, food & drink menus, and pricing. At Karafuu, the ambience and location win top marks. It is located in the middle of old Stone Town.

The ambience was giving mediterannean vibes with a variety of seating options including tables with chairs or sofas, and low lounger style chairs around coffee tables. Of the few snacks on their menu none jumped out at us as they were fairly unappealing visually. The drinks, however, were good and the perfect excuse have a relaxed few hours using their internet for calls.

Another plus is the cafe has great internet speeds and long hours (they close at 10 PM). If you visit Stone Town, it is by far your best option for remote work!

Heads-Up: Keep in mind the cafe is located on the second floor up a long steep stairwell in case you have limited mobility. 

The Train House Restaurant & Coworking

The Train House used to be the island’s first and only coworking space. My friends had previously rented desk space here a couple years ago, but sadly the coworking space is now nonexistent. Nevertheless, we popped in to see if the restaurant is still worth recommending and we’d say it is fifty fifty.

If you are on the east side of Stone Town we would recommend passing by, but we wouldn’t deliberately come here. While we heard the wifi was good (which it was decent) the vibe just didn’t make the cut. While it’s not that far off the tourist route, it may seem insecure at night as it’s on top of a local market. We came during the day and left at night and could see the difference. They do have food options, but our simple sandwich order did get bungled.

Is Remote Work in Zanzibar Worth It?

We were only a few days on the island, so it didn’t give us much more time to check out more places and, as you know, once you find your place, why insist on trying other places, especially when it’s somewhat a rare commodity to find fast & steady internet. 

For digital nomads considering remote work in Zanzibar, the island is improving but requires flexibility and backup plans. We recommend having a solid data plan for when you have important calls. We usually either have a local sim card or use an eSIM from Airalo. 

Zanzibar isn’t yet a remote worker paradise, but it is improving. Nungwi has a few workable cafes, Stone Town offers slightly better infrastructure, and with a SIM card backup, you can get by for a short stay. For long-term digital nomads, the island still lags behind other East African hubs like Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.

Have you tried remote work in Zanzibar? Share your favorite cafes or coworking spots in the comments — we’d love to hear them.