10 Top Things to Do in Zanzibar

Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the historic centre of Zanzibar - a maze of narrow alleys between coral-stone buildings built during the 19th-century Omani sultanate trading peak. The town was the most important slave-trading and spice-trading port on the East African coast until the 1873 abolition. Mixed Swahili, Arab, Indian, and European architecture creates one of the most distinctive urban environments on the Indian Ocean.

Standout sights: the House of Wonders (Beit-el-Ajaib, 1883 sultan's palace under restoration), the Old Fort (a 17th-century Omani fortress now hosting nightly cultural performances), the carved Zanzibar doors (200+ surviving, each unique), Freddie Mercury's birthplace (the Queen frontman was born here in 1946), and the Forodhani Gardens evening food market on the seafront. Free to wander; allow 4 hours for a slow Stone Town walk.

Pro Tip: Visit the Forodhani Gardens evening food market from 17:00 for grilled seafood (octopus, lobster, fish kebabs) and Zanzibar pizza (a local crepe-omelette specialty) - 5-15 USD per dish. The carved-door walk from Freddie Mercury House through Hurumzi is the photogenic Stone Town walking route.

Nungwi Beach at the northern tip of Unguja island is Zanzibar's premier beach destination - a 1.5 km curving white-sand crescent backed by palms and lined with beach resorts ranging from backpacker bungalows to luxury hotels. Unlike the eastern beaches, Nungwi has very minor tidal variation, meaning swimming is possible at all hours rather than only twice daily. The northern position gives both sunrise and sunset views.

Activities centred on Nungwi: dhow sunset cruises (25-45 USD with dinner), snorkelling trips to Mnemba Atoll (75 USD), scuba diving courses (300 USD for 3-day PADI certification), and traditional dhow building visits at the Nungwi Boat Yard. The famous Mnarani Aquarium nearby cares for rescued sea turtles. Beach is public; sun loungers 5-10 USD/day. The eastern Kendwa Beach (5 km south) is even quieter and has weekly Full Moon parties.

Pro Tip: The Cholo Bar at Nungwi is the cheap evening drinks spot (Kilimanjaro beer 4 USD). For the best sunset photos, walk to the southern end of Nungwi Beach by the Z Hotel - the dhow boats anchored offshore create the iconic Zanzibar silhouettes.

Prison Island (Changuu) is a small island 5 km north-west of Stone Town with a 19th-century stone prison building that was never actually used as a prison - it was built in 1893 to house rebellious slaves but converted to a quarantine station instead. The island's main draw today is the resident colony of 200+ Aldabra giant tortoises descended from 4 tortoises gifted by the Seychelles government in 1919 - some current residents are over 130 years old.

Day trips from Stone Town 25-40 USD per person via traditional dhow boat (30 minutes) - include island entry (4 USD), snorkelling stop at a coral reef en route, and time to feed and pet the tortoises. The eastern coral beach on Changuu offers excellent snorkelling. Tours typically depart 09:30 from the Stone Town seafront. The fishing town of Stone Town is visible across the channel.

Pro Tip: The morning 09:30 departure has the calmest sea conditions; afternoon trips can be rough due to Indian Ocean swells. Bring exact USD or TZS in small bills for the island entry fee and tortoise feeding. The famous tortoise photo is from the eastern grassy area.

Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park is Zanzibar's only national park - a 50-square-km protected forest 30 km south-east of Stone Town. The park's signature resident is the Zanzibar red colobus monkey (Procolobus kirkii) - a critically endangered subspecies endemic only to Zanzibar, with around 2500 surviving individuals concentrated in this forest. The 2-hour guided forest walk lets you observe troops of 30-50 monkeys at close range.

The park also includes a mangrove boardwalk (1 km) revealing a tidal forest ecosystem with crabs, kingfishers, and rare endemic plants. Park entry 12 USD adults including guided walk. Open daily 07:30-17:00. Most travellers come on a half-day tour from Stone Town (35-50 USD including transport and guide). The monkeys are habituated and approach within 1-2 metres; do not feed or touch them - they bite.

Pro Tip: Visit Jozani early at 08:00 for the most active monkey troops - they descend from the tree canopy to feed at ground level. Combine with the spice tour on the same morning (spice farms en route from Stone Town to Jozani).

Zanzibar's nickname Spice Island reflects the centuries of trade in cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, pepper, and dozens of other spices that made the island wealthy under the Omani sultanate. The half-day Spice Tour visits 1-2 working plantations 15-30 minutes outside Stone Town - typically the Kizimbani or Tangawizi farms - with a local guide explaining how each spice is grown, harvested, and processed. The tour ends with a tasting and lunch.

Tours run 4-5 hours and cost 20-35 USD per person including transport from Stone Town and a traditional Zanzibari lunch (pilau rice with chicken or fish, vegetables, fresh tropical fruit). Guides craft impromptu crowns, glasses, and necklaces from palm leaves during the walk - a charming Zanzibari tradition. Most operators include hotel pickup. Daily departures around 09:00.

Pro Tip: Buy small bags of fresh cardamom, vanilla beans, and cloves directly from the plantation - the spice is significantly fresher and cheaper than the Stone Town souvenir shops. The Mrs Mtoni at Kizimbani Plantation is famous for the singing demonstration with each spice introduction.

Mnemba Atoll is a small marine conservation area 5 km off the north-east coast of Zanzibar - the island's premier snorkelling and diving destination. The atoll surrounds the privately-owned Mnemba Island (a luxury resort, no day visitors allowed on the island itself) but the surrounding coral reef is open to organised snorkelling and diving tours. Visibility is typically 20-30 metres; the reef hosts dolphins, green sea turtles, reef sharks, and 600+ fish species.

Snorkelling day trips from Nungwi or Kendwa cost 60-90 USD per person - include 45-minute speedboat ride to the atoll, 2-3 snorkel stops, lunch on board, and frequent dolphin encounters during the boat ride. Diving 130-170 USD for 2 dives. The dolphins are wild common bottlenose dolphins; do not chase them. Mnemba Atoll is at its best September-March when seas are calmest.

Pro Tip: Book through a small operator from Nungwi (smaller boats, fewer than 15 people) rather than a large Stone Town group tour. The 07:00 first departure has the best dolphin encounters before other boats arrive. The atoll's southern wall has the most coral and turtle sightings.

Kendwa is a quieter beach 5 km south-west of Nungwi - same fine white sand, calm Indian Ocean water without significant tides, but with fewer resorts and a more relaxed scene. Kendwa is famous in the East African travel circuit for the monthly Full Moon Party at Kendwa Rocks Hotel - all-night beach party with international DJs that draws backpackers from across the region. The beach faces west, providing the better sunset views than Nungwi.

Resorts at Kendwa range from backpacker hostels (15-25 USD per night) to high-end Sandies Baobab Beach (200+ USD). Kitesurfing is excellent here (December-February peak season). The Sunset Bar at the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort is a popular cocktail spot 17:00-19:00. Free beach access; sunbeds 5-10 USD. Walking between Kendwa and Nungwi takes 45 minutes along the beach or 15 minutes by dala-dala.

Pro Tip: The Kendwa Rocks Full Moon Party operates from 22:00 to 06:00 once a month - check schedules before booking. Outside the party itself, Kendwa is significantly quieter than Nungwi and the choice for travellers wanting a more peaceful Zanzibar beach experience.

Paje and Jambiani on the south-east coast of Zanzibar are the kitesurfing capitals of Tanzania - 5 km of flat shallow lagoon protected by a reef 1 km offshore, with consistent trade winds June-September. The same reef creates the major drawback of these beaches: the tide retreats 1+ km at low tide, making swimming impossible for 6+ hours twice a day. But the wind, white sand, and laid-back atmosphere make this Zanzibar's most authentic beach village experience.

Kitesurfing lessons 60-90 USD per hour from operators like Aquaholics or H2O Kitesurfing. The local seaweed farms operated by Zanzibari women are best seen at low tide. Paje village has a small but lively bar scene at the Mr Kahawa cafe-bar and the Cofeeshop. Free beach access; budget bungalow accommodation from 25 USD per night. The eastern beaches are significantly cheaper than the northern resorts.

Pro Tip: Check tide tables before choosing Paje or Jambiani - you want to time swimming for high tide. The Rock Restaurant 5 km south of Paje (sits on a rock in the sea, only accessible by boat at high tide) is the most-photographed restaurant in Zanzibar - book 1-2 days ahead for lunch.

The traditional Zanzibari dhow boat - a wooden single-masted sailing vessel with a distinctive triangular lateen sail - is the visual symbol of the East African coast and has been the working boat of the Indian Ocean for 1500+ years. Sunset cruises on traditional dhows depart most days from Stone Town, Nungwi, Kendwa, and the eastern beach resorts. The 2-3 hour evening sail typically includes drinks, snacks, sometimes dinner, and live Taarab music.

Stone Town departures 25-45 USD per person; northern beach resort cruises 40-70 USD with dinner. The Stone Town option has the best sunset framing with the Old Fort and House of Wonders silhouetted as the boat returns to harbour. Most cruises depart 16:30-17:30 depending on season. Drinks usually included; tip the captain and crew 5-10 USD per person.

Pro Tip: The Stone Town sunset dhow with the silhouetted Old Fort behind is the postcard Zanzibar experience - operators like Princess Salme or Sundowner Cruises run nightly trips from the seafront. Book a smaller dhow (12-passenger maximum) for the most authentic atmosphere.

Forodhani Gardens is a small public park on the Stone Town seafront immediately in front of the Old Fort and House of Wonders - transforming nightly from 17:00 into Zanzibar's most famous street food market. Around 40-50 vendors set up grills selling fresh seafood (octopus, lobster, tuna, lobster, calamari), Zanzibar pizza (a savoury crepe-omelette stuffed with meat, vegetables, and egg), Mishkaki kebabs, sugarcane juice, and traditional Zanzibari sweets.

Most dishes 3-15 USD; lobster around 20-30 USD per portion. Locals and visitors mingle on the grass and benches under string lights. The atmospheric setting with the Indian Ocean on one side and Stone Town on the other makes this Zanzibar's most photogenic dinner. The market operates Sunday-Friday 17:00-23:00; closed Saturdays. Food hygiene varies by stall - choose stalls with high turnover.

Pro Tip: The Zanzibar Mix (a coconut curry stew with fried potatoes, samosas, and bhajia served in a single bowl, 3-5 USD) is the local specialty most visitors miss - look for the stalls at the western end of the gardens. Eat at busy stalls; food turnover means freshness.