Just 35 kilometres off the Tanzanian coast, Zanzibar is the kind of island that ruins you for every other beach. The Indian Ocean here is a shade of turquoise that doesn’t seem real. The beaches — Nungwi, Paje, Kendwa — are powdery white. And behind the beaches, Stone Town carries 1,200 years of Swahili, Arab, Portuguese, and British history in its coral-stone alleys.
Stone Town: A Living Museum
Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Carved wooden doors line narrow streets that smell of cloves and sea air. The Old Fort, built by Omanis in 1699, hosts outdoor cinema nights. The former slave market site, now the Anglican Cathedral, is a sobering and necessary stop.
Forodhani Gardens at sunset is where locals and visitors gather for grilled octopus, Zanzibar pizza, and sugar cane juice at the night market.
The Beaches
Nungwi and Kendwa in the north have calm water year-round, ideal for swimming and snorkelling. Paje on the east coast is a kite-surfing mecca with consistent trade winds. Matemwe offers the most secluded feel, with shallow reefs and resident sea turtles.
Spice Tours and Cuisine
Guided spice tours take you through working plantations where you smell and taste fresh vanilla, cardamom, black pepper, and nutmeg. The island’s cuisine — pilau rice, biryani, urojo soup — reflects its layered history beautifully.
Getting There
Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) receives direct regional flights. Most visitors combine Zanzibar with a Serengeti or Kilimanjaro trip for a classic Tanzania itinerary.
