Change Location

Select your country below for local telephone numbers and guide prices

Book with confidence. Find out more

The Tides

  • LAIDBACK LODGE ON USHONGO BEACH, EAST TANZANIA
  • SEVEN BEACH COTTAGES, TWO FAMILY HOUSES, AND ONE GARDEN-VIEW LOFT UNIT
  • BEACHFRONT BAR AND RESTAURANT, GARDENS, SWIMMING POOL
  • BEACH TIME, WATERSPORTS, BOAT TRIPS, FISHING, EXCURSIONS TO LOCAL VILLAGES AND FARTHER AFIELD
When To Visit Best Beaches on Mainland Tanzania:
When To Visit Best Beaches on Mainland Tanzania:
left arrow image right arrow image
“A wonderful little property in a sleepy part of the mainland coast that’s famous for being the secret beach gem of Tanzania! The place to stay for good value on the mainland coast.”

Overview:

Perfect for a laidback beach break, The Tides offers a good range of accommodation and high-quality service! An exciting variety of activities is available too.

The Tides is an excellent option if you’re hoping to take a very relaxing beach holiday! We also recommend the property to travelers who are interested in chilling out on the beach following a safari in any of Tanzania’s national parks and game reserves, as the coast of East Tanzania combines well with most of the country’s safari areas to provide the possibility of a brilliant bush-and-beach adventure. The Tides is sister property to Mawimbi Villa, an exclusive-use option for up to 12 travelers. Accommodation is booked on a full-board basis and the lodge is open all year apart from May.

Access & location: 

The Tides is located on East Tanzania’s Ushongo Beach, within the country’s Pangani and Tanga region. The property may be accessed via flight from Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, or Zanzibar to the private airstrip Mashado, which is just 10 minutes’ drive away. Private flights are also available.

Accommodation & facilities at the Tides:

Guest accommodation at The Tides consists of seven beach cottages, two-family houses, and one garden-view loft unit. Every beach cottage is made of timber, stone, and thatch, and set along the beach. Each is numbered in Swahili! Inside, there’s a king-size bed or twin beds, a freestanding fan, and a spacious en-suite shower room with solar-heated hot water. The cottages also benefit from a covered veranda and a beach bed. Families could consider either of the two houses, known as Hibiscus House and Embedodo House. Both are positioned on the beachfront. Hibiscus offers two bedrooms, a shared bathroom, a lounge area, a dining table for private dining, and a private veranda and beach area, while Embedodo benefits from two en-suite bedrooms, a lounge, a kitchenette, a private veranda, and a private beach and garden space. Finally, the loft unit, Upepo Suite, is ideal for guests requiring a little extra privacy, as it’s set apart from the other accommodation. Also constructed from timber, stone, and thatch, it features a king-size bed, a spacious en-suite shower room, a private lounge, and a balcony with beautiful views! For more information on any of these options, please speak with a member of the YZ team.

The communal lodge at The Tides is situated at the center of the site, surrounded by well-maintained lawns, colorful flowers, and tall palm trees. It’s a timber-and-thatch structure, with amazing ocean views – guests can tuck into a delicious meal, tasty snack, or cool cocktail while admiring the scenery. The chef and kitchen staff pride themselves on rustling up super-fresh food, such as fish, lobster, crabs, prawns, and numerous other specialties from the sea, in addition to fruits and vegetables from the staff’s own gardens! A short distance inland, there’s a spacious swimming pool with sun loungers alongside. Swim, splash about, or sit and read a book… this is a very relaxing place to spend time.

Activities at the Tides: 

From this very comfortable beach base camp, guests enjoy a thrilling mix of activities, as follows:

  • Beach time

    - The white sands of Ushongo Beach are fantastic for sunbathing and building sandcastles, while the sparkling waters offer safe swimming in a gorgeously scenic location.
  • Watersports

    - If you’d like to try something more active, all sorts of watersports are possible. For example, there’s scuba diving, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and snorkeling off a very accessible sand atoll that has a treasure trove of reefs to explore. Both kayak use and stand-up paddleboard use are included in the price of your stay.
  • Boat trips

    - Set sail on a traditional dhow, and you’ll have a lot of fun checking out other beaches around the coast. You could even visit Maziwe Marine Reserve and tuck into a hearty picnic – and, depending on the time of your stay at The Tides, you might witness baby turtles hatching on Ushongo’s shores!
  • Excursions to local villages

    - This activity, also included in the price, is a great add-on for travelers who like to soak up a little culture on holiday. You can interact with the locals and find out all about their daily lives. School tours are offered too.

Best Beaches on Mainland Tanzania

Unfortunately, there are no results for this search. Please use a different filter combination or contact our experts to start planning your tailor-made safari.

Why Trust Yellow Zebra with your African Safari?

"Yellow Zebra are genuine specialists; they know the African bush like the back of their hand."

Brian Jackman, safari expert for The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Condé Nast, and the BBC

'Europe's Leading Safari Tour Operator' at the World Travel Awards

9 years in a row, since 2015

Receive news & offers from Yellow Zebra