Mtoni Palace Ruins in Zanzibar: history, access and price (2026)
Mtoni Palace is a ruin on the west coast, a 10 to 15 minute taxi ride north of Stone Town. Built for Sultan Said bin Sultan (sources give 1828 to 1834), it is best known as the childhood home of Princess Salme, the sultan's daughter and author of "Memoirs of an Arabian Princess from Zanzibar". Only walls, arches, an old reception hall and remains of baths and an aqueduct are left; one source says a fire destroyed it in 1914. A 2024 traveller review cites 12,000 shillings (about USD 5) entry: reconfirm. Few signs, a guide helps.
Highlights
The arches of the main hall
Coral-stone walls and arches still standing, open to a sand floor.
The baths and aqueduct
Remains of the Persian baths and the palace's water system.
Salme's story
According to sources on her life she left Zanzibar for Germany in 1866; ask the guide to tell the story of court life.
Practical info
Tips
- Little explanation on site: come with a guide or read "Memoirs of an Arabian Princess" first. Closed shoes, water and a hat: the site is open-air and not wheelchair accessible. Mtoni combines well with Maruhubi Palace, another nearby royal ruin, and with the Palace Museum in town.
How to get there
About 6 km north of Stone Town on the Bububu road, then a track west; 10 to 15 minutes by taxi (one traveller paid 7,000 to 10,000 shillings by tuk-tuk). Agree on the return with the driver: see getting around Zanzibar.
Opening hours
Nearby
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