Greek singer Apostolia Zoi encountered unexpected difficulties during a photoshoot in Zanzibar when extreme low tide emptied the ocean at the coastal village of Paje.
The performer had traveled to the Tanzanian archipelago to capture content for her personal Instagram account, aiming for classic pictures stepping barefoot into turquoise sea waters.
Instead of ocean waves, Zoi found herself stranded on exposed seabed as the receding waters altered the landscape of the popular resort destination.
Low tide photoshoot struggles in Paje
In a social media update shared with her followers, Zoi explained that she felt as though she was participating in a magazine editorial despite the endless low tide. She recounted walking two kilometers across open sand while trying to locate where the sea had gone.
Zoi noted that the low tide in Paje was not merely a natural phenomenon but a daily workout that nobody asked for. She joked that the ocean water disappeared faster than monthly salaries at the beginning of the month.
Following her experience on the beach, the singer provided recommendations and practical tips for future travelers planning to visit the location during their trips to East Africa.
Zanzibar geography and tidal swings
Paje is a coastal village situated on the eastern shore of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago in Tanzania. The region along the Indian Ocean is renowned for its vast coral lagoons and dramatic tidal shifts, where shallow coastal waters recede by up to two kilometers twice every day, exposing expansive sandbanks.
Earlier highlights of the East Africa trip
The photoshoot in Paje is part of an extended journey across Zanzibar for the Greek artist. On August 26, 2026, Zoi debuted a new hairstyle featuring dreadlocks for her journey, remarking at the time that she felt like a jungle queen.
Three days later, on August 29, 2026, she visited a famous sandbank island off the coast of Zanzibar that completely submerges under high tide. During that excursion, Zoi spent time interacting with local guides and learned how to express love in Swahili, the primary national language of Tanzania.
Zoi continues to document her travels across Zanzibar, sharing video clips and photos with her online audience as her African tour progresses.
