Zanzibar Island

Zanzibar is an island soaked in rich history and culture. For hundreds of years, travellers and traders have waxed lyrical about Zanzibar’s idyllic beaches and its Moorish capital Stone Town, all interwoven with the intoxicating aroma of spices.  Zanzibar is just a short distance across the Indian Ocean from mainland Tanzania, of which Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part.

For many, it is the Indian Ocean beach experience that has the greatest lure:  palm-lined stretches of powder-white sands, warm waters and coral gardens teeming with marine life.  From adrenalin sports to simple seaside fun, sipping downers to deep-sea diving; some of the islands’ most magical moments definitely happen in and around the sea.

Stone Town

Stone Town is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar and little has changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses. Stone Town has brought together many different elements of the cultures of Africa, the Arab region, India, and Europe over more than a thousand years. You can spend endless hours just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, absorbing the years of history.

Northern Zanzibar

The Northern part of Zanzibar is known for its vibrant beach life, bars and restaurants and spectacular beaches. Zanzibar’s northern cape is peppered with sandy coves, each with iconic palm trees and glittering turquoise waves.

Centred on the neighbouring villages of Nungwi and Kendwa, this is Zanzibar’s most lively location. Once the heart of the island’s dhow-building industry, the ramshackle fishing villages of the north are steeped in tradition and nautical heritage. Impressive dhows are still hand-crafted on the beach, but sunbathers, dive schools, mukuti-thatched restaurants and wandering curio sellers are more common beach sights these days.

Accommodation ranges from simple cottages to exclusive private villas and chic resort complexes. Bustling beachfront activity and vibrant nightlife dominate. Trendy rooftop bars and candlelit restaurants sit alongside rustic, feet-in-the-sand barbeque shacks.

By day, relax on a poolside lounger, enjoy a local beach massage, swim in the sea (possible all day long here, unlike the East Coast), dive the nearby coral reefs, kayak to Tumbatu Island or perhaps visit the small turtle sanctuary. And as the sun sets, sip tropical cocktails, watch beach bonfires flicker alive and enjoy fabulous local seafood dinners, or at full moon, prepare for the spectacle of energetic beach parties!

East Coast

Generally considered to be a more peaceful part of the island, the East Coast offers laid-back beachfront lodges and a distinctly slower pace. Small, smart, personal hideaways offer understated sophistication and panoramic ocean views. Striking architecture with stylish touches; sweeping bays and secluded coves. For most people, their quintessential image of Zanzibar is its East Coast. Boasting an almost continuous expanse of palm-fringed, picture-perfect beach; it’s arguably Zanzibar’s greatest attraction.

There are several villages dotted along the East Coast, each with its unique offerings. Your hotel will be able to arrange day trips to small islands or to the coral reefs. Professional PADI diving schools offer a full range of scuba diving with professional equipment. Other water sports such as kiting, kayaking, catamaran sailing, wind surfing, deep sea fishing, water skiing, parasailing and jet skiing are also on offer. Other activities available include yoga & cycling. You can of course, just lounge on the beach or by the pool. The whole of the East Coast is affected by fluctuating tides, and can make swimming challenging at certain times.
Zanzibar is known as the Spice Island and was once the world’s leading producer of cloves. A guided tour of a spice farm is also an option from here.

Mnemba Island

Zanzibar’s most exclusive retreat can be found just off the North-East Coast at Mnemba Island. Mnemba Island Lodge is unquestionably the very best of Indian Ocean rustic exclusivity: a place where the term ‘barefoot luxury’ is reality. Nestled on a tiny private island, surrounded by marine reserve, it is impossibly beautiful in its simplicity and location.

Chumbe Island

Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) is an award-winning private nature park, 13 km Southwest of Zanzibar. The Park was developed in 1991 when the formerly uninhabited Chumbe Island was recognised to be one of the last pristine coral islands in the region. The reserve now includes a fully protected coral reef sanctuary, forest reserve, education centre and state of the art ecolodge, designed to have zero impact on the environment. The spectacular coral reef is home to 90% of East Africa’s hard coral species and400 reef fish species. Wildlife on and around the island includes the coconut crab, green turtle, Ader’s duiker and humpback Whale.
At the heart of the Park stands the small island itself and here you will find the remarkable Chumbe Island Lodge. It is trail-blazing example of a lodge that is genuinely ecologically sensitive. Many of Chumbe’s activities are included in the cost of staying here and all are led by resident guides. Most focus on the island’s ecology. Escorted forest walks look at the island’s geology, flora and fauna. On Chumbe’s beaches, walks explore the rich inter-tidal zone and then further into the sea, guides who know the reefs around the island lead snorkeling trips (SCUBA diving is not allowed). The reefs around Chumbe are one of the most impressive coral gardens off the coast of Africa.

What to do in Zanzibar

Snorkeling & Scuba Diving: Zanzibar’s underwater wonders include a magnificent array of hard and soft corals and a diverse collection of sea creatures including manta rays, turtles, barracudas and dolphins. One of the best places for both diving and snorkelling is around Mnemba Island off the northeast coast of Zanzibar. There are many additional excellent dive spots (including wrecks) around the main Zanzibar Island, Pemba Island and Mafia Island. Excellent sites for snorkeling can be found in the Menai Bay Conservation Area off the southwest coast of Zanzibar, Chumbe Island, Mafia Island’s Chole Bay, and many locations right off the beach at low tide.

The best time for diving in East Africa is from September through March, though good diving can be found at any time of the year. February is the best time to view whale sharks. Water temperature at all sites ranges from 75° to 85° Fahrenheit (25° to 29° Celsius) and visibility ranges from 50 to 200 feet (15 to 60 meters). It is recommended to dive or snorkel as the tide starts to come in, as an outgoing tide may bring sediments that lower visibility at close-in sites.

Dhow Cruise: A dhow is the traditional one-masted wooden sailing boat with lateen sails used for long distance trade and travel in the Indian Ocean region. Its graceful form is an icon of the East African coast.
Cruising the small islands around Zanzibar in a dhow for a day or a few hours is a memorable experience. Day cruises usually include a stop at a sandbank or outer island for lunch and swimming; evening cruises include light refreshments. The sunsets viewed from the dhow are evocative and timeless.

Kitesurfing: The village of Paje, on Zanzibar’s southeast coast is the main kitesurfing area with its shallow waters, sandy bottom, and consistent winds. The off-shore reef offers amazing waves for more experienced kitesurfers seeking wave riding, wake styling, and free riding.

Stone Town Guided Walk & Historic Sites: Stone Town is steeped in culture and history and we highly recommend a private guided walking tour. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the history of Zanzibar, which is a real collision of worlds. In addition, the maze of streets and alleys are quite a challenge to navigate independently! You may see the following Stone Town historic sites on a private guided walking tour:

Beit el-Ajaib (House of Wonders) dominates the Stone Town waterfront skyline. Built in 1883 by Sultan Barghash as a ceremonial palace it was true to its name for being the tallest building in East Africa and the first to have running water, electricity, and an elevator.

The Palace Museum Former residence of Zanzibar’s last Sultan, overthrown during the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution. The Museum is home to three floors of memorabilia which survived the chaos of the Revolution. Exhibits are labelled, but knowledgeable guides with plenty of stories to tell are available at the entrance.

The Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) was built around 1700 by the Omanis who ousted the Portuguese from the island. Over the years it has been repurposed many times and presently houses several craft shops, a café and an outdoor amphitheatre.

Forodhani Gardens Manicured gardens on the waterfront in proximity to all of the above. This is a pleasant spot for a rest in the shade, but it really comes alive at night when a street food bazaar materializes with an extensive range of freshly prepared local and locally-inspired dishes (with an emphasis on seafood), along with fresh fruit drinks and more.

Anglican Cathedral & Slave Market With the powerful British empire wielding influence on the island in the 19th century, slavery was outlawed. To prove a point, in 1873 the British built their cathedral on the location of the slave market. In the basement of the old mission hospital next door can be found the tiny dank rooms where slaves were held.

Central Market The open-air main market for the city, where you can find everything – from fresh fish to spices to hardware to the latest recordings of local Taarab Music. Prepare for all your sense to be engaged!

In Stone Town there remain more than 500 intricately carved wooden doors, many of them are older than the houses in which they are set. The doors served as a symbol of the wealth and status of a household.

The Livingstone House was built around 1860 for Sultan Majid and used by many European missionaries and explorers as their home base before launching across the Zanzibar channel and into the African interior. David Livingstone, the most famous of them all, stayed in this house before his last fateful expedition in 1866. (Located 2km north of Stone Town; not seen on most walking tours).

Spice Tour & Jozani Forest A popular half-day activity is to tour a spice plantation to see, smell, taste, and learn about the uses of the many different spices grown on the island. As part of the tour, you may visit the ancient ruins of the Sultans’ country palace, the Persian baths built for the wife of one of the 19th century rulers, and see a beachfront shop where craftsmen build traditional sailing dhows using methods handed down for generations. A longer tour can include a trip to the village of Mwangapwani to explore an underground coral cave and ancient slave chambers; a trip to the Jozani Forest Reserve for a pleasant walk and opportunity to spot the red colobus monkey, found nowhere else in the world; or a visit to a distinctive mangrove swamp, nature’s protection against beach erosion.

Festivals & Events

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The island is in a celebratory mood that may last for several days. There is plenty of feasting, Taarab music concerts, and everyone dresses in their finest clothes. Stone Town can be a particularly exciting place at this time.

Mwaka Kogwa the Shirazi New Year, is celebrated at the end of July. The best place to observe this festival is Makunduchi, a village in the southern part of Zanzibar, where huge bonfires are lit and mock fights occur between men using banana stems as weapons. As the men fight, women can sometimes be heard in the fields, singing songs about life and love.

Sauti Za Busara (“Voices of Wisdom”) is a 4-day celebration of African music, drawing performers from all over the continent and beyond. It is held annually in Stone Town in February.

The Zanzibar International Film Festival is a 10-day cultural extravaganza of film screenings, music, workshops, exhibits, and more. Stone Town, July.

Prison Island

Changuu (Prison) Island lies 4km and a 20-minute boat ride from Stone Town. The island received its name from the prison for violent criminals that was built in 1893 under orders by Zanzibar’s British administration. The buildings were never used for that purpose and instead became a quarantine centre for several decades (for Yellow Fever). The ruins are still somewhat intact and the cells can be visited. A protected colony of giant tortoises (some over 100 years old) live on the island and are easily viewed. A number of rare bird species may also be seen on the island. The beach is superb and the crystal-clear waters excellent for swimming, snorkeling, fishing, and diving.

Swimming with Dolphins

The most common place to swim with dolphins is off the village of Kizimkazi on the southwest coast of Zanzibar, where the animals can be seen most days.
Kizimkazi is a little village on the southern shores of Zanzibar where dolphins are particularly active and the locals have formed a deep bond with the ocean. The water surrounding this part of the island is known as Menai Bay and is frequented by two very distinct dolphin species: the bottlenose dolphin and Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin.
Their presence has helped form a dolphin tourism industry that has become the heart and soul of an otherwise obscure fishing village. However, the dolphin tourism industry in Kizimkazi is also mired by irresponsible tourism that is causing the dolphins to move further away from their gathering grounds and has many wondering where the ethical boundaries are and whether they have been crossed.