Maalum Zanzibar Cave Review: Hidden Natural Swimming Hole

While this post may earn me a small commission as a creator,

it is an honest review of a 100% self-funded, authentic experience.

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​I changed up the title format starting from Part 10 haha :)

Leaving the all-inclusive luxury of Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort a bit early, we set off to find

Zanzibar's best-kept secret: a hidden natural cave!

Before Heading to the Natural Cave

But first, a quick detour!

We had so many places we wanted to visit,

but with nowhere to store our luggage until the evening, we came up with a brilliant plan.

"A Taxi Tour"

When we searched online, there didn't seem to be anyone crazy enough to do a custom taxi tour in Zanzibar,

but it felt like our very own spontaneous travel show adventure—and we absolutely loved the idea!

So, we messaged Abraham right away.

Zanzibar Taxi Driver, Abraham

WhatsApp +225 777 472 323

(He'll be super happy if you tell him you found him through this blog and heard his rates are incredibly reasonable!)

✔️ Zanzibar Taxi Rates

Stone Town - Nungwi $25–$30

Nungwi - Paje $40–$45

Paje - Stone Town $25–$30

We asked him to accompany us for about 11 hours from morning to night, covering Nungwi to Paje, then to Stone Town, and finally to the airport. We agreed on a deal of $70.

Honestly, we probably could have negotiated a lower price, but since he was carrying our heavy luggage the entire day,

we decided not to haggle, treating the extra amount as a tip.

⬆️ If you don't know who Abraham is yet, check out this post first!

Maalum

MAALUM

Maalum (MAALUM)

Location: Paje, Zanzibar

Contact: +255 772 628 924

Admission: Adults $20 / Children $10

Reservations mandatory / 1 hour 30 mins limit per session

No sunscreen allowed / Aqua shoes, tubes, life jackets, snorkeling gear, and locker rental included

Reservations

Maalum is a unique natural cave pool. To protect the delicate eco-system and prevent pollution,

you can only visit with a prior reservation.

You can enjoy the cave for exactly 1 hour and 30 minutes during your booked slot.

The fee is $20 per adult, and $15 per child (ages 5 to 13).

Once you book on their website, the reservation request is automatically sent over to WhatsApp.

Afterward, they'll message you back on WhatsApp to confirm your booking.

They will show you a spa/massage menu, but it was quite expensive.

We thought, do we really need to get a massage all the way here in Africa?

So, we decided to pass on the massage.

The Entrance

After driving for about an hour from Nungwi Beach to Paje, we finally arrived at Maalum!

Since you have to turn down a small alleyway, look out for this modest little sign on the roadside.

As you go further in, you'll see a parking area,

guarded, as always, by local Maasai warriors.

Inside Maalum

Once you step inside, the staff will verify your reservation and guide you in.

They kindly remind you that smoking is strictly prohibited to protect the local environment.

Interestingly, the opening hours posted on-site were slightly different from what was on the website, though we didn't notice it at the time.

As long as you aren't booking an extremely early or late slot, you probably don't need to worry about it too much! 😅

Following the staff down a lush forest path,

you can spot charming little paintings scattered along the way.

This is the outdoor massage area.

I was amazed by how incredibly eco-friendly and integrated with nature it was.

No one was actually getting a massage; instead, most people were just sitting around,

enjoying the fresh, crisp forest air.

If you take the other path, you'll spot a restaurant—the perfect spot to grab a bite if you get hungry after your swim!

Since the prices were on the higher side, we didn't even dare to go near it.

The facilities shown above can be enjoyed outside of your 1.5-hour reserved swimming slot,

so you can take your time and enjoy them to your heart's content after you're done swimming.

The Natural Pool

The front desk staff's tour ends at the pool changing rooms,

where there is a dedicated staff member stationed.

The staff member hands over the locker key and will even keep it safe for you while you swim.

The lockers aren't quite big enough to fit a suitcase, but they are slightly larger than the small lockers you find at subway stations.

Behind the wooden wall with "Marlum" written in bold letters lies the changing area.

There are two changing stalls, and while they're built of wood with tiny gaps here and there, it's nothing to worry about.

Once you change, you need to rinse off under the shower right next to them.

They warn you beforehand that you absolutely cannot use soap or wear sunscreen here.

Since it's a natural cave, they clearly take its preservation very seriously.

Apparently, the reservation system is in place to prevent overcrowding and protect the ecosystem.

(But honestly, it is so expensive;;;)

Once you're done showering, they get you set up with your gear.

They provide life jackets, tubes, and water shoes.

You can also rent snorkeling gear if you need it,

but most of them are pretty worn out, so I highly recommend bringing your own!!!

After grabbing your gear, head down to face the pool!

Even on a cloudy day, the vibrant turquoise water was absolutely gorgeous.

Monkeys swung through the surrounding trees while wild birds sang.

Seriously, this has to be what paradise looks like T_T

‼️ The wooden deck and underwater rocks are extremely slippery, so please be careful not to get hurt!

⛔️ No shouting or loud noises allowed.

Right next to it is a deck designed for diving!

It was so beautiful, and you could actually see fish swimming inside.

But looking down at this unfamiliar natural pool felt a tiny bit intimidating, so I couldn't bring myself to dive in T_T

(I just couldn't gauge how deep it was!)

Instead, I sat on the edge and took some photos.

If the sky had been clear, these would have easily been legendary, once-in-a-lifetime shots.

Aside from us, there were only two other groups there.

A guy in one of the groups was such an incredible swimmer; he was a total natural, like a seal in the water.

The green-tinted rocks you see right at the bottom of the photo are extremely slippery, so you must watch your step!

If a friendly traveler who was already there hadn't warned us to watch our footing, I would have totally wiped out!

There were fish of all sizes swimming around in the water.

It was so much fun, it was worth every single cent of the $20 entry fee.

The photos really don't do it justice,

but there was a submerged log bench where you could sit and relax in the water,

a rope swing to unleash your inner Tarzan,

and since the water was deep, we even took off our life jackets to do some free diving!

I seriously wonder if I'll ever get to swim in a place this gorgeous again in my entire life!!

After wrapping up our cave swim,

we contacted Abraham to come pick us up.

And now, we're off to Zanzibar's most famous historic town...

Stone Town!

Just a quick tip: inside the Paradise Bungalows in Paje, there's a spot run by a Japanese owner serving cold kimchi noodles.

But since we visited during the off-season, Paradise Bungalows wasn't open.

When we asked around, they said they close down to prep during the low season and reopen in June.

(We visited in May!)

If you want to check out other amazing tours in Zanzibar,

5 Hours Nungwi and Turtle Sanctuary Guided Tour from Zanzibar - Klook3ha.in

Grab a reliable eSIM that works perfectly in Tanzania here!