Zanzibar travel guide

There are reasons so many people flock to Zanzibar (officially an archipelago that includes the main island, Unguja, as well as Pemba in the north-east). The sea is turquoise, the sand is powdery-white, the weather is idyllic (especially in January and February and from June to October) and you can fly there for less than £500 return. Offshore, dhows are silhouetted against spectacular sunsets; beneath the waves, tropical fish swim over coral reefs. There’s more to Zanzibar than its extraordinary physical beauty, however. Its history, though uncomfortable, is compelling: it was here that Omani sultans and merchants grew rich on the sale of enslaved people, ivory and spices; and from here that British missionaries and explorers — including David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley — ventured into the African interior. Before that, the island was settled by Bantu and Shirazi people, then occupied by the Portuguese. The legacy is a cultural complexity that belies the island’s size and is expressed in everything from its Swahili language to the restored or crumbling buildings of Stone Town, the delicately spiced Swahili fusion cuisine and the taarab music.
This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue.
Start in the Unesco world heritage site of Stone Town in the capital, Zanzibar City, wandering the labyrinthine alleyways past crumbling coral-stone houses and palaces with intricately carved doors as the muezzin calls the faithful to prayer. Tour the Old Fort (built by the Omanis in 1698 to fend off the Portuguese), admire the Arabic and Indian architecture of the People’s Palace, Old Dispensary and House of Wonders, buy spices and colourful kangas at Darajani Market, and visit the Slave Trade Exhibit, Memorial and Anglican Cathedral (where the cross was made with wood from the tree under which David Livingstone’s heart is buried in Zambia).
If you’re craving wildlife post-safari, head to Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park, a sanctuary for Zanzibar’s endangered red colobus monkey. To see dolphins, book a dhow trip to the Menai Bay Conservation Area from Fumba in the southwest; to snorkel and watch giant coconut crabs climb trees, take your chances on a last-minute day trip to Chumbe Island (you can also book ahead to stay there). Further afield, there are wall dives off Pemba, and whale sharks to spot off Mafia Island.
Some of the best of these tours are also an opportunity to get an insight into daily life and support local communities. TryEco Culture Zanzibar (ecoculture-zanzibar.org) for boat trips and spice tours.
There are hundreds of hotels on Zanzibar around the coast, from exclusive Mnemba Island to Chumbe Island’s eco-retreat, from all-inclusive resorts to backpacker bungalows. Given the environmental and social challenges that have come with rapid development, from pressure on water to waste management and overfishing, it makes sense to choose one that takes its responsibilities seriously, whatever your budget. Traditionally, the lively beaches around Nungwi on the northern tip were the favourite with backpackers, but many travellers will prefer the quieter southeast around Bwejuu (which is popular with budget travellers), Paje (the centre of kitesurfing on the island) and Jambiani (a great place to get an insight into village life). Choose your spot depending on your priorities, too: Stone Town is the place for history and culture; for serious diving, the prime spots are the marine conservation area around Mnemba Island, Misali Island and the drift and wall dives off Pemba Island, plus Chole Bay — the first marine park in Tanzania — off Mafia Island, 125 miles to the south of Unguja.
One of the joys of a trip to Zanzibar is lunch or dinner with your toes in the sand as seabirds skim over the waves while the setting sun pools on the ocean or the sky blazes with stars. What you eat is likely to fall into one of two camps: fresh fish and seafood (ideally sustainably caught) or Swahili fusion cuisine (with Persian, Arabian, African and Indian influences) delicately spiced or flavoured with coconut; often it’s a blend of the two. To inspect the raw ingredients, visit Darajani Market in Stone Town, and book a spice tour to see cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom and lemongrass growing alongside the tropical fruits that find their way onto your breakfast plate. Then head to the intimate rooftop Tea House at Emerson Spice in Stone Town for a five-course tasting menu preceded by sunset cocktails; the open-air candlelit Secret Garden grill at the same hotel and the Tea House at Emerson on Hurumzi, where you can sit on cushions and gaze out to sea, are also popular. For a more affordable treat, make for the Forodhani Gardens night market, where kebabs, seafood, chapatis and Zanzibar pizzas (more like savoury crêpes) are grilled in front of you. Popular drinks include sugar cane juice, fresh coconut milk and the dawa cocktail — a knockout mix of vodka, honey, brown sugar, lime and crushed ice named after the Swahili for medicine.
Alongside its heritage buildings, Zanzibar has a vibrant contemporary arts scene. In February, theSauti za Busara music festival celebrates African music in the Old Fort amphitheatre and Forodhani Gardens; in the first two weeks of July, theFestival of the Dhow Countries — the former Zanzibar International Film Festival — screens short films, feature films and documentaries, as well hosting music, theatre and dance performances and art exhibitions from Africa and the Indian Ocean, in venues that range from the Old Fort to the Palace Museum, the House of Wonders and the Old Dispensary.
You will need an e-visa, Tanzanian shillings and US dollars to visit Zanzibar, plus anti-malarial medication (and check that you’re up to date with vaccinations). Plan your trip carefully: the short rains fall in November and December, the long rains from March until May. Stone Town is a 15-minute drive from the airport, and a taxi will take you there and around; but to get to a beach lodge, you’ll probably want to organise a private or shared minibus. Alternatively, brave a dalla dalla (public minibus) from Darajani bus station opposite the market. Be mindful of the fact that most Zanzibar residents are Muslim, so dress modestly in public areas.
Inspired to visit Zanzibar but yet to book your trip? Here are the best packages from Travelbag and Expedia, as well as the best tours from our trusted partners.
Sign up for the Times Travel Newsletter here.