Your stay — Hotel Sarima
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The Property — Hotel Sarima
Hotel Sarima is a quiet, no-fuss three-star set back from Pemba’s waterfront, with whitewashed walls, a small pool, and a terrace overlooking the Indian Ocean. It feels like a functional base for travellers who want reliable air conditioning, a decent breakfast, and easy access to the city’s ferry terminal and market — not a resort, but a clean, honest place with a breeze. The lobby is tiled, cool, and smells faintly of salt and floor polish; staff are efficient in Portuguese and English. Best suited to independent travellers and short-stay visitors who value location over luxury.
Chronicles of Pemba
Pemba, formerly Porto Amélia, grew around a natural deep-water harbour used by Swahili traders from the 9th century. The Portuguese built a colonial fort and grid of whitewashed stone buildings in the 19th century, many still standing around the Baixa district. After independence in 1975, the city became capital of Cabo Delgado province, its economy tied to cashew, cotton, and increasingly to natural gas. Today Pemba is a low-rise, sprawling port town where Portuguese colonial façades sit alongside vibrant open-air markets, and the dominant rhythm is the daily call to prayer layered over traffic and fishing boats.
Best Time to Visit
Full Pemba guide →Best months
June to September: cool, dry winter with 25–28°C daytime highs, clear skies, calm sea for the Quirimbas dhow trips. Low humidity makes exploring comfortable, and prices stay reasonable before the December rush.
Peak / festival surge
December–January is peak season for domestic and southern African tourists escaping southern winter; hotels in Pemba often raise rates 20–30%. The Christmas–New Year period fills rooms early, and the annual Festival de Música de Pemba (usually November) also spikes demand for a long weekend.
Budget shoulder season
May and October are ideal budget windows: still dry enough, fewer tourists, hotel discounts of 15–25% off peak rates. May has lush greenery after rains; October is hot but not yet humid, with empty beaches.
Weather & packing
Pemba sits at 12°S, so June is dry and sunny but evenings cool to 18°C — pack a light fleece or long-sleeve for night breezes by the water. No rain expected in late June, but bring high-SPF sunblock and a wide hat; the sun feels fierce even at 8am.
Live City Briefing — Pemba
- Pemba’s main road, Avenida 25 de Setembro, is partially resurfaced from the port to the roundabout; expect minor delays for pothole repair work through June 2026.
- A new weekly night market has started at Praia da Wimbe, Fridays 5–9pm, selling grilled prawns, local cashew nuts and batik cloth.
- Total’s gas project work near Afungi has increased traffic along the N380 coastal road; allow an extra 20 minutes if driving from the airport to the hotel.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Hotel Sarima, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a first-floor room at the back of the building (not facing Av. Marginal). The first floor puts you above street-level noise while avoiding the hassle of stairs with luggage. Back-facing rooms overlook the small courtyard garden rather than the road.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms facing Av. Marginal. The entrance has two steps, so ground floor here means street level – you'll get foot traffic, cars, and possibly motorbike noise. Also avoid any room near the two stairwells; there’s no lift, so stairs get heavy footfall.
Best views
Rooms at the back of the first floor offer a view over the small courtyard garden. Front-facing rooms look onto Av. Marginal – you see the street and the bay beyond, but also traffic noise. The better view is the bay, but only worth it if you don't mind the noise.
Quietest floors
First floor only. The hotel is two-storey, so the first floor is your best bet for quiet. There's no lift, so upstairs rooms are quieter by default.
🔊 Noise notes
Av. Marginal is a main coastal road – expect car and motorbike noise from early morning until late evening. The hotel has no bar or restaurant mentioned, so main noise sources are street traffic and stairwells. The free parking for 20 cars is first-come-first-served, so early arrivals get a spot by the entrance; late arrivals face a 300 m walk to Mercado Central car park, which adds foot traffic noise if you're on the ground floor at the front.
Insider tips
1. Park early if you want a free on-site spot – spaces fill by 9am. Otherwise accept the 300 m walk to Mercado Central (50 MZN/night). 2. Check in with your surname to get the wifi password – wifi is decent (15 Mbps) but login is per room, so don't lose the slip. 3. Request a back-facing first-floor room at booking – no lift means you carry your bags up one flight, but you'll sleep far better.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Hotel Sarima
Free for all guests; download speed ~15 Mbps; login via room number and surname
No lift; two-storey building with stairs only
No newspapers; no building heritage quirks (built 2010, modern style)
Check-in from 14:00, early bag-drop from 09:00 (free), late check-out until 13:00 for 500 MZN (subject to availability)
Free in locked room behind reception
No step-free access; entrance has two steps; no wheelchair-accessible rooms
On-site free parking for 20 cars (first-come-first-served); nearest public car park 300 m away at Mercado Central (50 MZN/night); no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: 100% advance deposit required at booking; 500 MZN incidental card hold at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Mosque: Al-Khadiriha_Manhanha (260 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Igreja de Comunhão na Colheita (452 m · ~6 min walk)
- Church: Village Discipleship (507 m · ~6 min walk)
- Church: Igreja Evangelica (683 m · ~9 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Pemba Mall — 2.4 km · ~30 min walk
Parque de Pomar — 612 m · ~8 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Txonnateka — 552 m · ~7 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Mozambican Metical, MZN
Travellers change money at banks and official exchange offices in Pemba; avoid airport and hotel desks as rates are poor.
Cards are accepted in major hotels and some supermarkets, but cash is king in local markets, taxis and small eateries.
Tip 10% in restaurants if service is not included; round up taxi fares; give hotel staff 50–100 MZN for porterage.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Small coffee from a street stall or pastelaria, about 30–40 MZN.
Rice and grilled fish or chicken with sides from a local mercado, around 150–250 MZN.
A main of peri-peri chicken or matapa with rice at a local restaurant, about 250–400 MZN.
The market area near the port and along Avenida da Independência has grilled meat, cassava, and fresh fruit stalls in the evenings.
Shoprite and Groupo Jumbo are the common supermarkets in central Pemba.
Local markets like Mercado Central sell second-hand or affordable clothing; expect to haggle.
Chapa (minibus) shared rides cost 10–20 MZN per hop; from the airport a chapa into town is about 20–30 MZN.
Eat where locals queue for lunch; buy bottled water in bulk at supermarkets; haggle at markets and for chapas to get fair prices.
Emergency Contacts
PembaFor a reliable 24-hour ambulance service in Pemba call Vida Segura on +258 84 301 1800. For police, dial 119 or the provincial command on +258 27 220 050. The fire department number is 198. International roaming works patchily, so get a local SIM (Movitel or Vodacom) on arrival.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Pemba, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Hotel Sarima
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Hotel Sarima (main road stop) → Pemba City Centre (Mercado stop)
💡 The blue 'Pemba-Paquite' buses stop near the Sarima entrance. They're slow but cheap. Cash only, exact fare preferred. Don't take them after dark.
Hotel Sarima (front gate) → Pemba City Centre
💡 Hail one on the main road near the hotel. Negotiate the price upfront – 100 MZN is fair for a one-way into town. Avoid after dark as drivers often lack proper lights.
Pemba City Centre (Mercado Central) → Hotel Sarima (Wimbe Beach road)
💡 Chapa 02 or 05 from the market heads along the coastal road. Wave it down, say 'Sarima' – the driver will drop you at the turn-off. Expect to share with 15 others.
Pemba Airport (POL) → Hotel Sarima
💡 Pre-book through the hotel for a fixed 800 MZN rate; airport touts often charge double. Confirm the price before getting in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Hotel Sarima?
Request a first-floor room at the back of the building (not facing Av. Marginal). The first floor puts you above street-level noise while avoiding the hassle of stairs with luggage. Back-facing rooms overlook the small courtyard garden rather than the road.
Which rooms should I avoid at Hotel Sarima?
Avoid ground-floor rooms facing Av. Marginal. The entrance has two steps, so ground floor here means street level – you'll get foot traffic, cars, and possibly motorbike noise. Also avoid any room near the two stairwells; there’s no lift, so stairs get heavy footfall.
Is Hotel Sarima noisy?
Av. Marginal is a main coastal road – expect car and motorbike noise from early morning until late evening. The hotel has no bar or restaurant mentioned, so main noise sources are street traffic and stairwells. The free parking for 20 cars is first-come-first-served, so early arrivals get a spot by the entrance; late arrivals face a 300 m walk to Mercado Central car park, which adds foot traffic noise if you're on the ground floor at the front.
Which rooms have the best views at Hotel Sarima?
Rooms at the back of the first floor offer a view over the small courtyard garden. Front-facing rooms look onto Av. Marginal – you see the street and the bay beyond, but also traffic noise. The better view is the bay, but only worth it if you don't mind the noise.
What are insider tips for staying at Hotel Sarima?
1. Park early if you want a free on-site spot – spaces fill by 9am. Otherwise accept the 300 m walk to Mercado Central (50 MZN/night). 2. Check in with your surname to get the wifi password – wifi is decent (15 Mbps) but login is per room, so don't lose the slip. 3. Request a back-facing first-floor room at booking – no lift means you carry your bags up one flight, but you'll sleep far better.
What time is check-in at Hotel Sarima?
Check-in at Hotel Sarima is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Hotel Sarima have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests; download speed ~15 Mbps; login via room number and surname
Is there a city or tourist tax at Hotel Sarima?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Hotel Sarima?
Rice and grilled fish or chicken with sides from a local mercado, around 150–250 MZN.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Hotel Sarima?
Chapa (minibus) shared rides cost 10–20 MZN per hop; from the airport a chapa into town is about 20–30 MZN.
When is the best time to visit Pemba?
June to September: cool, dry winter with 25–28°C daytime highs, clear skies, calm sea for the Quirimbas dhow trips. Low humidity makes exploring comfortable, and prices stay reasonable before the December rush.
Top Attractions in Pemba
💡 Arrive by 7am for the best selection. No haggling needed on bulk cashews—fixed prices are fair.
💡 Go at 5pm for the sunset. Street vendors sell grilled cashews for 50 meticais a bag.
💡 Wear sturdy shoes—the trail is loose gravel. Best light is early morning before 9am.
💡 Ask at the small café on Rua Principal for a hand-drawn map. The art changes every few months.
💡 Take a chapa (shared taxi) from the market for 20 meticais. Come with insect repellent—mosquitoes swarm at dusk.