TZ
Zanzibar
Stone Town’s Swahili lanes, spice farms and Indian Ocean beaches
Stone Town’s Swahili lanes, spice farms and Indian Ocean beaches
Wander the lanes to the Old Fort, the seafront Forodhani Gardens and the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral, built on the site of the town’s last slave market, with a moving memorial and exhibition. The seafront House of Wonders is closed for restoration after a partial collapse in 2020.
Eat at the Forodhani Gardens night food market at sunset.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Guided tours of the plantations in the island’s interior show how cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and pepper are grown, with fresh fruit tastings. They explain why Zanzibar is called the Spice Island.
Half-day tours from Stone Town usually include lunch.
Photo: Irene, CC BY 2.0
The beaches at the island’s northern tip are the best for swimming, because the tide goes out less here than on the east coast. Nungwi has traditional dhow builders and a lively choice of hotels; Kendwa is quieter.
Take a sunset dhow cruise from the beach.
Photo: ObonyoML, CC BY-SA 4.0
Part of Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, the island’s last large forest is home to the rare Zanzibar red colobus, found nowhere else. A boardwalk also leads through a mangrove swamp.
Guided walks are included in the entry fee.
Photo: Olivier Lejade from France, CC BY-SA 2.0
Long, pale beaches with a wide lagoon make the east coast Zanzibar’s kitesurfing centre. At low tide the sea retreats a long way, revealing seaweed farms tended by local women.
Check tide times if you want to swim.
Photo: Matt Kieffer, CC BY-SA 2.0
Zanzibari food blends African, Arab and Indian flavours: try urojo (Zanzibar mix, a tangy soup with fritters), octopus curry, pilau spiced rice, grilled seafood and the “Zanzibar pizza” (a stuffed, griddled pancake) from Forodhani Gardens.
Zanzibar is mainly Muslim: alcohol is served in hotels and tourist restaurants, and during Ramadan many local places close during the day.
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) has direct flights from Europe, the Gulf and East Africa, and short domestic flights from Dar es Salaam (about 20–30 minutes) and Arusha (about 1 hour 15 minutes). Fast ferries from Dar es Salaam take about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours; buy tickets from the official offices in the port.
On the island, taxis and private transfers are the easiest way to reach the beaches (about an hour from Stone Town to Nungwi or Paje). Dala dala minibuses are cheap but slow.
Zanzibar ranges from cheap guesthouses to luxury resorts; beach hotels are priced in US dollars.
Forodhani Gardens is the cheapest place for dinner.
Book beach hotels early for July–August and Christmas.
Many resorts sell half-board or all-inclusive packages.
Two days of culture, two on the beach.
Walk the old town, the Old Fort and the cathedral and slave-market memorial, then sunset and dinner at Forodhani Gardens.
Hire a licensed guide for the first walk; the lanes are a maze.
Morning spice-farm tour, afternoon boat to Prison Island for the giant tortoises and snorkelling.
Boats leave from the beach in front of Stone Town.
Jozani Forest in the morning, then on to Paje or Jambiani for the beach.
Stay on the east coast for kitesurfing and quieter beaches.
Move north to Nungwi for swimming at all tides and a sunset dhow cruise.
Dress modestly away from the beach.
🛂 Entry rules: visa and new visitor insurance
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa; apply online through the official Immigration e-visa portal before you travel.
New from 1 October 2026: all foreign non-resident visitors to mainland Tanzania must buy a US$44 visitor insurance policy from the state National Insurance Corporation, even if they already have travel insurance. Visitors arriving directly in Zanzibar buy the equivalent Zanzibar policy, required there since October 2024.
Official information: Tanzania Immigration: e-visa · Reviewed September 2026
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa; arrivals in Zanzibar must also buy the US$44 Zanzibar visitor insurance.
Cover shoulders and knees in Stone Town and villages; swimwear is for the beach.
East-coast beaches have big tides; the north coast is best for swimming at any time.
Hotels and tours are priced in dollars; carry shillings for markets and taxis.
Quick answers for planning time in Zanzibar.
Yes. Since October 2024 all foreign visitors must buy the US$44 Zanzibar visitor insurance, even if they have their own policy. Mainland Tanzania introduced a similar requirement from 1 October 2026.
Fly directly to Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ), take a short flight from Dar es Salaam or Arusha, or the fast ferry from Dar es Salaam (about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours).
June to October and December to February are dry and sunny. The long rains fall from March to May.
Nungwi and Kendwa in the north for swimming at all tides; Paje and the east coast for kitesurfing and quiet, wide beaches.
At least three to four: one or two in Stone Town and the rest on the beach.
Download northern Tanzania offline; signal is weak inside the parks.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Tanzania travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.