Paje is Zanzibar's east coast in its most concentrated form — a long stretch of white sand backed by palms, with a wide, shallow lagoon at low tide that turns the water jade-green. The consistent trade winds blowing off the Indian Ocean between June and October have made Paje the undisputed kite-surfing capital of East Africa. Schools line the beach offering beginner lessons and equipment rental, and on a good afternoon the sky above the lagoon is full of kites.
The tidal range on this coast is dramatic — at low tide you can walk 300 metres out on wet sand and the water is ankle-deep. At high tide the same spot is a swimming pool. Plan your beach time accordingly: most people swim in the two hours either side of high tide and use the low-tide hours for walking or snorkelling in the deeper pools. The reef is just visible as a dark line offshore.
Beyond kite-surfing, Paje has a cluster of barefoot guesthouses and beach bars that give it a relaxed, social atmosphere quite different from the resort strip to the north. Several Italian-run restaurants serve excellent seafood, and the sundowners at the beach bars draw the whole village. It is one of the most affordable places to stay on the island.