The 15 in one table

Stone Town and around

Carved door in Stone Town

Stone Town is best explored on foot through the maze of alleys, carved wooden doors and squares on the seafront; allow half a day to a day, see Stone Town in one day and the Stone Town guide. In the evening the Forodhani night market is where you have dinner. The House of Wonders palace can only be seen from outside.

The islands and the nearby sea

Giant tortoise on Prison Island

Prison Island and the Nakupenda sandbank are often combined into a half-day boat trip with a seafood lunch. For more unspoilt snorkelling, Chumbe is a marine park with limited access. For dolphins, see Kizimkazi and Safari Blue in Menai Bay.

Nature and culture inland

Red colobus at Jozani

Jozani is the island's only national park and the refuge of the red colobus, a monkey found nowhere else. The spice farm is the visit that explains why Zanzibar is nicknamed the Spice Island. On the east coast, Kuza Cave is combined with Jozani and The Rock in day excursions.

Which trip to book first?

If you have only one day, the best-selling option combines Stone Town, a spice farm and Prison Island: it gives the best overview for the price. Compare what is included (lunch, entries, boat) and the group size. For a day at sea, choose Mnemba from the north or Safari Blue from the south.

Where to stay and how to organise

Sleep in Stone Town at least one night for the city, then on a beach in the north or east; see where to stay in Zanzibar and the best beaches. See also when to go.

Going further

For a day-by-day programme, read Zanzibar in 4 days or Zanzibar in 7 days.