Best Things To Do in Zanzibar – Our Expert’s Choice

20 Best Things To Do in Zanzibar

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   1. Relax on Gorgeous Indian Ocean Beaches

   Zanzibar’s paradisal coast is lined with idyllic tropical beaches

   It’s the beaches, above all, that attract holidaymakers to Zanzibar. From trendy Nungwi on the northern tip to sleepy Kizimkazi in the deep south, these palm-lined idylls could have been designed to grace the cover of

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   a tourist brochure. And Zanzibar’s beaches don’t just look the part. The white sand is soft and cool underfoot, the turquoise water is comfortably warm, and most beaches are lined with tall coconut palms that shade an alluring selection of barefoot beach bars and restaurants.An attractive feature of most Zanzibari beaches is that they are hemmed in by protective coral reefs that ensure swimming conditions are usually calm – more like a lagoon than the open sea. Most of the island’s beaches are ideal for other seaside activities, from sunbathing and long walks to kitesurfing, snorkeling and kayaking. You’ll also find a superb choice of beach resorts catering to most tastes and budgets.

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   Safari & Zanzibar Packages Best Beaches of Zanzibar

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   2. Walk the Atmospheric Old Alleys of Stone Town

   Historic and architectural landmarks stud this characterful harborside town

   Stone Town is steeped in history. Founded on the west coast of Zanzibar in medieval times, this cosmopolitan port has for centuries served as a vital channel for trade between the African mainland and ships hailing

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   from Arabia, Asia and Europe. Today, despite Stone Town’s popularity with tourists, its knot of narrow alleys remains a compelling enclave of Swahili traditionalism whose centuries-old mansions have been repurposed as boutique hotels, restaurants and craft shops.Notable old buildings close to the harborfront include the imposing Old Fort, the renovated Old Dispensary and the family home of Zanzibar-born Freddie Mercury (where the ground floor is now a museum dedicated to the flamboyant Queen frontman). Farther inland, the impressive Anglican Cathedral and informative museum stand on the site of Stone Town’s once notorious slave market, which was closed down in the 1870s.

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   Safari & Stone Town Packages About Stone Town

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   3. Go on Safari to Nyerere or Mikumi NPs

   Pop over to Tanzania’s southern mainland to see its prolific wildlife

   Mainland Tanzania is home to some of Africa’s top safari destinations. So if you’ve made it to Zanzibar, you should think about hopping across to experience its incredible wildlife. The closest national parks are Nyerere (Selous)

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   and Mikumi, both of which harbor good numbers of lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo and other animals. Nyerere, bisected by the wildly beautiful Rufiji River, is particularly rewarding, but Mikumi is closer to Zanzibar and usually quieter except at weekends.If time is tight, a one-day safari to either park involves a flight of up to one hour in either direction, and a long game drive including a lunch stop. You’ll see more on a two- or three-day safari, which allows you to do game drives in the early morning and late afternoon (the most productive times of day) and to experience the African bush by night. Some safaris route through Dar es Salaam by ferry and road.

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   Nyerere Safaris From Zanzibar Mikumi Safaris From Zanzibar

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   4. Join a Spice Tour to a Clove Plantation

   Spice farms abound inland of Stone Town on the fertile soils of Kizimbani

   Ever wondered why Zanzibar is called the Spice Island? It isn’t merely a reference to its tropical ambience. The name dates to the 19th century when this small island was the world’s largest producer and exporter

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   of cloves, which were grown on Omani-owned plantations around Kizimbani. Cloves are still a Zanzibari specialty, but on a guided spice tour you’ll see a host of other local produce: aromatic spices and herbs such as vanilla, cardamom, pepper and turmeric, as well as tropical fruits including jackfruits, mangoes, pineapples and coconuts.The best spice tours end with a lunchtime stop at a rural homestead to enjoy a buffet of traditional Swahili dishes infused with local spices. A worthwhile add-on is the ruined Kizimbani Persian Baths, which were built on the island’s oldest clove plantation for Sultan Said of Oman, who ruled over Zanzibar in the first half of the 19th century.

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   5. Take a Dhow Across to Changuu (Prison) Island

   Outings to this idyllic island often include a barbecue at Nakupenda Beach

   Known as Changuu after a common fish, this compact island in the shallow bay in front of Stone Town is a popular spot for a day trip. Crossing the 3.5km/2mi channel by motorized dhow, you can

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   marvel at the views back across brilliant turquoise water to Stone Town’s historic waterfront. Once on the island, the main attraction is a sanctuary that protects some 200 Aldabra giant tortoises, all descended from four individuals that were introduced from the Seychelles in 1919.Constructed in the 1890s, the well-preserved stone building for which the island is known was never used as a prison, but it did serve as a quarantine center for new arrivals with infectious diseases. Depending mainly on tides, from Changuu Island you’ll most likely head on to snorkel, swim and have a barbecue lunch at Nakupenda Beach, a sliver-like sandbank that becomes totally submerged when the ocean is high.

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   Changuu Island Day Trips

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   6. Track Endemic Monkeys in Jozani Forest

   See rare monkeys and do a mangrove walk in Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park

   Zanzibar’s only national park protects Jozani Forest as well as mangrove-lined Chwaka Bay. The forest is a key stronghold for the Zanzibar red colobus, an Endangered monkey that is unique to the island and notable for

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   the male’s unkempt tufted hairstyle. Several red colobus troops at Jozani have been habituated to tourist visits, and sightings are almost certain on guided forest walks. Other wildlife includes an endemic subspecies of blue monkey and forest birds such as the colorful Fischer’s turaco and striking eastern crested guineafowl. After hiking through the forest, you can explore a mangrove swamp along a wooden boardwalk.

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   7. Snorkel in Colorful Coral Gardens

   Pull on flippers and a mask to experience a magical world below the surface

   Zanzibar offers some fine snorkeling opportunities, although you need to join an organized boat trip to visit the most beautiful coral gardens. These include Blue Lagoon near Michamvi, Mnemba Island off the northeast coast, and Chumbe

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   Island and Menai Bay in the southwest. Whichever site you visit, expect to see surreal coral formations whose dazzling colors are matched only by those of the reef fish that swirl kaleidoscopically around them. Look out for larger marine creatures, including dolphins and turtles, on your way to the snorkel site. Most outings include all equipment and a lunchtime beach barbecue.

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   Zanzibar Snorkeling Trips

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   8. Dine on Sumptuous Seafood at The Rock

   Zanzibar’s most iconic seafood restaurant has a unique offshore location

   The location alone is special. The Rock, as its name suggests, stands on a small coral-rock outcrop off beautiful Michamvi Beach. At low tide, you can wade across to the outcrop, but at high tide it

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   is effectively an islet, and diners are paddled across by boat. The restaurant itself comprises a Swahili-style building with whitewashed walls, makuti thatch roof and wraparound balcony offering panoramic ocean views.The cuisine is memorable too. Seafood dominates, but vegans and meat-eaters are well catered for, and a homemade pasta selection reflects the restaurant’s Italian ownership. Zanzibari spices and other ingredients come fresh from sustainable local sources, and a tempting menu of cocktails and mocktails is supplemented by a curated menu of South African wines. Unsurprisingly, this place is very popular, so you need a booking (easily done online).

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   Michamvi Beach Packages

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   9. Spot the Big Five in Serengeti and Ngorongoro

   A short flight from Zanzibar brings you to Africa’s top safari destinations

   Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is surely the world’s most iconic wildlife destination. True, you need to plan carefully to catch the celebrated wildebeest migration in action, but otherwise this vast park offers excellent year-round wildlife viewing.

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   There are high densities of lion, leopard and cheetah, while other safari favorites include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and hippo. Combine Serengeti with the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater – a wildlife haven set in the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera – and you stand a fair chance of a complete Big Five experience, including black rhino.Coming from Zanzibar, two days is the absolute minimum required for a fly-in safari to Serengeti. Three or four days will be more enjoyable, especially if you want to visit Ngorongoro Crater. With five or six days, you could tag on Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks, which are known respectively for their tree-climbing lions and large elephant herds.

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   Serengeti & Ngorongoro Safaris

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    10. Dive on Pristine Offshore Coral Reefs

    Take a deep dive on a PADI course or excursion to see marine wildlife

    More than 25 deep dive sites are recognized off the shore of Zanzibar. Close to the surface, these explore a similar ecosystem of colorful coral outcrops and reef fish to the best snorkeling sites. As you

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    descend deeper, you’re more likely to encounter large marine creatures such as turtles, sharks, stingrays, groupers and moray eels – a thrilling underwater wildlife experience that perfectly complements a land-based safari on the Tanzanian mainland.Zanzibar’s best dive sites are mostly clustered along the northeast coast and around islands such as Mnemba, Tumbatu and Bawe. The best choice will depend on your level of experience, what you hope to see, where you are staying, and prevailing weather and sea conditions. Wherever you stay on Zanzibar, you’ll find plenty of enthusiastic PADI-registered dive schools to advise you about the most suitable destination for an excursion.

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