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Chake Chake
ℹ️Practical info — Chake Chake
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- This is the best base for planning a trip to Misali Island.
- Visit the Kidike sanctuary to see the endemic flying foxes.
- Enjoy the view over the bay from the hospital hill.
- The town center is compact and easy to explore on foot.
🍽 Food
A popular street snack prepared fresh in the evenings.
Fresh coconut water straight from the nut, available at roadside stalls.
A festive rice dish made with local fish or prawns.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
A maze of alleys selling clothes, household goods, and spices.
Buy high-quality vanilla and cloves here.
A quiet area where you can observe the giant bats in the trees.
A peaceful spot for sunset with a view of the ocean.
Water temperature…
Chake Chake is the unofficial capital and commercial heart of Pemba Island in the Zanzibar Archipelago. Perched centrally on a hill overlooking a deep, mangrove-lined bay on the western coast, the town has expansive views across the island's interior. Due to its strategic central location, it hosts the island's only airport and serves as the primary hub for passenger transport and logistics. Historically, the area surrounding Chake Chake is highly significant; the nearby Pujini ruins represent a fortified 15th-century settlement of the Shirazi era. The town itself is a labyrinth of narrow streets where modern storefronts coexist with traditional Swahili architecture. As an economic powerhouse, Chake Chake attracts traders and visitors to its animated spice markets and local craft stalls. Despite ongoing modernization, the town has successfully preserved its authentic island character and remains the handy base for exploring Pemba. Its administrative and economic density makes Chake Chake the most dynamic urban environment on the island.
- Location: Tanzania
- Nearby: Pemba Island (4 km)
- Population: ~52.047 (2026)
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Jul–Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
| Rain mm | 31 | 23 | 73 | 173 | 213 | 50 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 70 | 81 | 64 |
Geography
Facts
- Regarded as the primary administrative and economic hub of Pemba.
- Home to the only operational airport on Pemba Island.
- Built on a prominent hill overlooking the scenic Chake Chake Bay.
- The 15th-century Pujini ruins are located in the town's vicinity.
- Functions as the main hub for the island's public bus network (Dala-dalas).
- The local harbor is restricted to small vessels due to tides and mangroves.
Explore nearby
Notable places around
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
Sights in the town Chake Chake (1)
Frequently asked questions
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