Last Updated on: 17th February 2025, 07:48 pm
Zanzibar offers a fantastic tropical island beach holiday with loads of added interest and character.
Zanzibar is an archipelago off the east coast of Africa and is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania.
To fully experience Zanzibar, consider spending a night or two in exotic Stone Town before setting off to your beach resort.
Stone Town
Stone Town is the historical centre of the capital, Zanzibar City.
According to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list entry:
“Stone Town of Zanzibar is an outstanding example of a Swahili trading town. This type of town developed on the coast of East Africa, further expanded under Arab, Indian, and European influences, but retained its indigenous elements, to form an urban cultural unit unique to this region.” [1]
Walking tour
Wander through the maze of narrow streets to take in the atmosphere, appreciate the architecture and do some shopping. If you do not have a good sense of direction, you may find yourself walking in circles!
We explored on our own and also went on a walking tour with a guide.
Old Slave Market / Christ Church Anglican Cathedral
Christ Church Anglican Cathedral was built on the site of the last slave market in Zanzibar. Zanzibar was a major centre of the slave trade in East Africa in the 19th century. The British essentially forced the Sultan of Zanzibar to sign a treaty banning slavery in his dominions in 1873. Building of the cathedral began soon thereafter.
A basic museum clearly presents the history of slavery in the region and is well worth visiting.
Darajani market
Darajani Market is a large traditional market that sells mainly fresh food such as seafood, meats, fruits, grains and spices.
Forodhani Gardens night market
A great way to spend an evening is to head to the seafront, take a stroll along the promenade, watch the sunset and then have a meal at the Forodhani Gardens night market. Food stalls offer interesting Zanzabari-style street food. The market is situated in front of the House of Wonders and is popular with tourists and locals.
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Other tourist attractions in Stone Town are: House of Wonders (Zanzibar National Museum of History & Culture), Old Fort, Old Dispensary (Stone Town Cultural Centre), Palace Museum, Freddy Mercury House, Tip Tip House, Hamamni Baths.
Trips from Stone Town
Boat trips to Prison Island and / or the Nakupenda Sandbank are popular excursions from Stone Town.
Depending on where your beach accommodation is located, you could do a spice tour or visit the Jozani Forest en route to / from the hotel.
Spice Tour
Zanzibar is also known as the Spice Islands as it used to be a major centre for the growing and trading of spices. The trade in slaves, spices and ivory were inextricably linked.
The breezes of Zanzibar are not spice-scented (as imagined by some romantic-minded writers), but a visit to one of the spice farms that offers tours is the next-best-thing. Our tour was a fun, educational 1.5 hours followed by a fruit tasting, for a total of about 2 hours.
Tip: Be sure to have some cash on hand to tip (no pun) the additional participants.
Jozani Forest
Jozani Forest is located about 40 km (25 mi) south-east of Stone Town. A guide will take you on a nature trail to see the endangered Zanzibar red colobus monkey as well as other indigenous animals and plants.
The beaches of Zanzibar
The stunning beaches of Zanzibar have accommodation options to suit a range of budgets.
Tip: The beach salesmen, while friendly and just trying to earn a living, can become tiresome. It is beneficial to have a hotel which has a private area off the public beach.
Most of the beaches (in the north, east and south) are affected by tidal variations. Typically, this means that you can’t swim at low tide. Low tide does however present the opportunity to wander far out on the wet sands for a walk with a difference.
Kendwa Beach in the north west is one of the few beaches that is not impacted much by tides.
Snorkelling, diving and dolphins
We went on a wonderful snorkelling trip to Mnemba Island’s reef. A lot of the coral is dead, but I had the most amazing time looking at the many multi-coloured tropical fish and other marine life.
Some visitors are lucky enough to see dolphins on the way.
After the snorkelling we were taken to a nearby beach on the “mainland” for a tasty lunch. (Mnemba Island is a private island with a luxury lodge).
Tip: We were told that we did not need water shoes, but when we waded to the boat at the start of the trip, a few of us got spiked by sea urchins.
Kizimkazi in the south is known to be a good area for dolphin sightings and there are dolphin-viewing tours/safaris available.
As Zanzibar is an archipelago, there are several islands and snorkelling and diving locations. If this is your focus you should research the best options for you, including Mafia Island (not strictly part of Zanzibar).
What to wear?
Owing to its history, Zanzibar is almost entirely Muslim. When away from the beach areas you are required not to walk around half-naked out of respect for the culture.
According to the Tanzanian Society of Travel Agents [2], in March 2021, the Minister of Tourism of Zanzibar stated that penalties and fines will be applied to tourists, guides and tour operators in cases where inappropriate clothing is worn in public on the island.
The Minister is quoted as saying: “In public places in Zanzibar, tourists must cover their bodies from shoulders to knees. This is nothing new … It is the duty of guests to understand the culture and rules of conduct on the street.”
References:
- https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/173/ – retrieved 202105
- https://www.tasota.or.tz/zanzibar-announces-mandatory-tourist-dress-code/ – retrieved 2022
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