Located off the coast in the Indian Ocean of the mainland and consisting of many small islands with two large ones, Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania. Known for its stunning beaches and variety of activities, Zanzibar is a perfect tourist destination for those who wish to experience the exotic atmosphere it offers. The small island is also infamous for their supply of spices and animals such as the Zanzibar red colombus monkey, Zanzibar serviline genet and the Zanzibar leopard. Whether it be to see the beaches or experience the culture, this is the perfect place to go. The capital city of Zanzibar is Zanzibar city.
This is a small coral island that can be reached by boat. It’s a perfect spot for snorkeling and is untouched by other people because of its potential as a nature reserve. It was converted into a park in 1993 and is now only used for snorkeling or sightseeing.
Travel time:
33 mins by car (32693.38 Tanzanian shilling)
Distance from Zanzibar city: 50km
Among the other activities that take place in Zanzibar, this is one of the most famous ones. Kite surfing is known as a family sport. This place is known as a kite school that helps people learn the art that is kite surfing. It’s a seasonal sport so it’s active from June to September and from December to March.
Travel time:
1 hour by car (130837.54 Tanzanian shillings)
Distance from city center: 1.3 km
This cathedral was built by Bishop Edward Steere but was inspired by David Livingstone whose effort paid off in the making of it. One of the stained glass is dedicated to him and another piece of art, is the moving Slave memorial which depicts five slaves standing in a pit below ground. It’s very realistic and worth a watch.
Travel: by car
Time needed: 5 minutes
Distance from city center: 1.9km
It’s one of the most attractive landmarks on the waterfront with latticeworked balconies and a sculpted clocktower. It was built by Tharia Topan who was infamous for being the financial advisor to the sultan and banker to Tippu Tip who was a notorious slave trader. The interior is free to explore and houses offices in the present day.
Travel: by car
Time needed: 6 minutes
Distance from city center: 2.5 km
A prominent and elegant building formerly known as Beit el-Ajaib, the Zanzibar National museum exists to spread knowledge about the past. One of the largest structures in Zanzibar, entering the premises shows a life size mtepe which is a type of Swahili vessel made without nails and held by coconut fibers and wooden pegs. Everything is labeled in English and Swahilin.
Travel: by car
Time needed: 8 minutes
Distance from city center: 55.8 km
There are few beaches along this area but Kendwa is the exception, it has one of the greater sights among them. It’s good throughout the day and it does not have the same problem as the other beaches where the beach is shallow. It’s a great place to go and spend the day by the beach.
Travel: by car
Time needed: 1 hour 6 minutes
Distance from city center: 47.3 km
The village overlooks the island of Mnemba and is untouched by tourism until recently. Like most of the beaches in Zanzibar, the tidal range is very large so the beaches are vast at low tide, regardless it’s great for a swim around the sea.
Travel: by car
Time needed: 1 hour
Distance from city center: 58.9 km
The clear waters and white sands are the selling point for this beach. It offers great sights and a day of fun but there is the drawback that the nearby hotels are located by the coral cliffs and so lose the beaches during the high tide. It’s not usually a problem and you can go have some drinks nearby.
Travel by: car
Time taken: 1 hour 15 minutes
Memories of Zanzibar
A large shop that boasts being able to provide everything that a customer might need, this is a place to go if you are looking for something unique. It is a large showroom with air conditioned floors and even accepts credit cards. The shop itself sells things such as craft, books, clothes etc.
Zanzibar Galley (fastest through taxi)
This is a place that resides in the heart of Stone town where Freddie Mercury once lived. The shop itself sells several different items such as arts or artifacts, Swahili inspired house decorations, jewelry and aromatherapy products. It’s a perfect place to go if you want to experience all that Zanzibar can offer.
Zenji Boutique
Zenji Boutique promotes arts and crafts by selling objects that are made by the locals. They try to provide a living for some people while spreading the culture and arts around. They also have a variety of things and offer fair prices to their patrons.
Another restaurant that caters to their customers, they are friendly and are willing substitute out ingredients to suite their customer’s palette. They sell African, fusion and seafood dishes that are sold at fair prices.
+255 774 483 483
House of Spices (Kiponda Street, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania)
As their title suggests, they focus on their spices and make their dishes hot but delicious. It’s another rooftop restaurant that gives a great view of the city and also seafood and Mediterranean dishes along with being gluten friendly.
+255 773 573 727
Uroju
This is a rangy chicken stock dish with chopped potatoes, fried cassava chips, thinly sliced red onion, kachori and a hard-boiled egg. Meat can be added but it’s not preferable as the dish is great on its own. It’s a certified street food that can be found anywhere.
Chapatti
A buttery flaky pastry like food that is great to eat on the go. It’s a great snack during your days shopping and can be found anywhere in Zanzibar streets.
Kachori
A deep fried mashed potato dish that’s spicy and flavorful along with filling. This is another street food that you can find everywhere and it’s almost addictive because of its tastiness. Paired with a chapatti, it’s a perfect meal for anyone!
It’s a popular club that serves great drinks. It’s very trendy and modern with comfortable sitting spaces and a large dancer floor. They constantly play good music through their well equipped stereos and this is a place to go and have fun with friends.
Stone Town, Tanzania
Having the name of the best disco club in Stone Town, this is a place that you have to go if you are in Zanzibar! The club plays house, hip-hop, reggae, and Afro-European pop and it is guaranteed to get you on the dance floor.
Zanzibar Town, Tanzania
Though it is a hotel, this place serves as a perfect party place. They have a lounge bar called the The Rocks where the patrons can dance through Monday to Saturday but what’s special is their Full Moon dance which takes on Saturdays, during fall on or near the full moon. It is a party involving exotic dancers and their traditional music.
Kendwa, Tanzania +255 774 415 475
List of nationalities who can enter without Visa:
Botswana, Gambia, Ghana, Hong Kong, Keny, Leshoto, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Drug use is illegal. Consent of age differs depending on the cities. The legal drinking age is 18.
Homosexuality is a crime in Zanzibar.
There are robberies that take place so keep a hand on all of your belongings. Carrying a medical kit is advised in case of emergencies and drinking unfiltered or unpurified water is unsafe.
The following vaccinations are recommended for Zanzibar diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, typhoid, boosters for tetanus, diphtheria and measles. For more information,
The Portuguese Empire were the first European power to gain control of Zanzibar and then they kept it for almost 200 years. Zanzibar later went under the control of Sultanate of Oman, developing an economy of trade and crash crops, later leading to spices which gained the name of the Spice Islands. Throughout the next few hundred years, it came under the control of the British but later gained independence in 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. A revolution led to the republic of Zanzibar and Pemba and it then merged with what is known as Tanzania.
They are rich with culture having different customs and ethnic groups. Their languages include Swahili and English.
