Zanzibar.

AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST/TANZANIA/6.1357° S, 39.3621° E

The call to prayer echoes over the Indian Ocean before dawn, cutting through the slap of water against wooden hulls in the harbour. Zanzibar unfolds from Stone Town's coral-rag alleys out toward the clove-planted ridges of Pemba and the wide tidal flats of the east coast. It is an archipelago shaped by monsoon trade winds, Omani architecture, and fresh octopus simmered down in spiced coconut milk.

Last updated 1 Sept 2026

Field notes

Photographs · Wikimedia Commons
Africa & Middle East / Tanzania6.14°S 39.36°E
Zanzibar — Travels in the coastlands of British East Africa, Zanzibar
Travels in the coastlands of British East Africa, Zanzibar
Zanzibar — Zanzibar- city, island, and coast (1872) (14578652437)
Zanzibar- city, island, and coast (1872) (14578652437)
Zanzibar — Zanzibar Fishing Village (53922965515)
Zanzibar Fishing Village (53922965515)

What Zanzibar is about

Twelve ways to read the region. Pick a town below and you can turn any of these into a timed 1, 2 or 3 day plan.

STREET FOOD

Eat urojo soup loaded with fried cassava balls and kachori at Forodhani Gardens, or pick up hot mishkaki skewers fresh off charcoal braziers.

COASTAL SEAFOOD

Order octopus curry cooked in fresh coconut milk with turmeric and green cardamom, or grilled kingfish straight from the morning dhow landings.

SPICE PLANTATIONS

Walk smallholdings around Kizimbani to crush green cloves, strip fresh cinnamon bark, and taste ripe jackfruit straight from the tree.

SACRED ARCHITECTURE

Step into the Anglican Cathedral built over the old slave market, or admire the minarets of Stone Town's 19th-century Malindi Mosque.

HISTORIC TOWNS

Navigate the shaded alleys of Stone Town, where carved wooden Omani and Gujarati doors line quiet residential squares.

ISLAND ESCAPES

Take a wooden dhow out to the sandbars of Safari Blue or the quiet northern waters surrounding remote Chumbe Island.

TRADITIONAL CRAFT

Watch dhow builders shape timber by hand along Nungwi beach, using hand drills and coconut oil sealant unchanged for generations.

LOCAL MARKETS

Browse Darajani Market by morning for heaps of dried cloves, fresh vanilla pods, raw red snapper, and piles of sweet green mangoes.

MARINE LIFE

Snorkel the reefs of Mnemba Atoll or dive the dramatic underwater walls off the western coast of hilly Pemba Island.

FOREST RESERVES

Track rare red colobus monkeys along the mahogany paths and boardwalks of Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park.

TIDAL COASTLINES

Walk the wide low-tide shallows of Paje and Jambiani, where local women tend submerged square plots of green seaweed.

COASTAL FORTS

Explore the heavy walls of Stone Town's 17th-century Old Fort, built by Omani Arabs to defend against Portuguese fleets.

Where to go in Zanzibar

The bases worth booking. Each one has its own field guide with 1, 2 and 3 day itineraries.

  1. 01
    Stone Town

    UNGUJA URBAN/WEST / TANZANIA

    Alabaster coral buildings, the House of Wonders, and night food markets in the archipelago's cultural core.

  2. 02
    Nungwi

    UNGUJA NORTH / TANZANIA

    Active dhow building yards, white sands, and deep water that allows swimming through every stage of the tide.

  3. 03
    Paje

    UNGUJA SOUTH / TANZANIA

    A relaxed beach base with vast tidal flats, steady trade winds for kiting, and communal seafood cafes.

  4. 04
    Jambiani

    UNGUJA SOUTH / TANZANIA

    A quiet village where life still revolves around morning fishing boats and coastal seaweed farming.

  5. 05
    Matemwe

    UNGUJA NORTH / TANZANIA

    A sleepy northeast base offering direct boat departures for snorkelling the reefs around Mnemba Atoll.

  6. 06
    Kendwa

    UNGUJA NORTH / TANZANIA

    Wide beaches with gentle sunset waters, luxury lodges, and easy walking access south to Nungwi.

  7. 07
    Chake Chake

    PEMBA SOUTH / TANZANIA

    The hilly central town of Pemba Island, surrounded by deep green clove farms and coastal mangrove channels.

  8. 08
    Kizimkazi

    UNGUJA SOUTH / TANZANIA

    A southern fishing settlement home to a 12th-century Shirazi mosque and quiet offshore dolphin waters.

  9. 09
    Bwejuu

    UNGUJA SOUTH / TANZANIA

    A palm-fringed eastern shore offering quiet beach walks and straightforward access to local reef walks.

  10. 10
    Wete

    PEMBA NORTH / TANZANIA

    A northern Pemba port town with a lively fish market and dhow trips out to pristine Misali Island.

  11. 11
    Michamvi

    UNGUJA SOUTH / TANZANIA

    A quiet peninsula tip with sheltered lagoon waters and rare west-facing sunset views on the east coast.

What to do in Zanzibar

Zanzibar consists of two primary islands, Unguja and Pemba, set twenty miles off mainland Tanzania. Days follow the rhythm of the tides, the morning fish auctions, and the evening food stalls. It suits independent travellers who love walking layered historic alleys, eating fresh seafood curries, and spending afternoons out on the water in wooden dhows.

When to go to Zanzibar

July through October brings dry weather, mild humidity, and gentle breezes. January and February are hot and calm, ideal for diving Mnemba Atoll. Heavy rains fall from March to May, when many coastal lodges close, while short November showers rarely disrupt travel.

Getting around Zanzibar

Stone Town sits ninety minutes from Dar es Salaam via fast ferry. On Unguja, licensed taxis or rented scooters handle the one-hour drive east to Paje or north to Nungwi. Cross to Pemba via a short twenty-minute bush flight from Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.