15 Best Things to Do in Zanzibar

Zanzibar is small enough to explore from almost any hotel, yet it packs in coral reefs, a UNESCO-listed old town, spice farms, a national park and some of the best beaches in East Africa. Here are the 15 experiences we recommend most often to guests, with a note on how long each one takes so you can plan your days.

On the water

1. Snorkel at Mnemba Atoll

Mnemba Atoll, off the north-east coast, is a protected marine area and widely seen as the best snorkeling in Zanzibar. Expect coral gardens and reef fish, with turtles and dolphins sometimes seen on the way. Join a private Mnemba snorkeling trip (about six hours) or combine it with the turtles of Baraka on our Mnemba and Baraka day.

2. Sail Menai Bay on Safari Blue

Safari Blue is Zanzibar’s classic sea day: a traditional wooden dhow from Fumba, sandbanks, snorkeling, the baobab tree on Kwale Island and a seafood lunch on the island. Read our complete Safari Blue guide or go straight to the Safari Blue tour.

3. Meet the giant tortoises of Prison Island

A short boat ride from Stone Town takes you to Changuu, better known as Prison Island, home to giant Aldabra tortoises, some of them more than a century old. The Prison Island tour takes about four hours and includes time to swim and snorkel.

4. Relax on Nakupenda sandbank

Nakupenda is a strip of white sand that only appears when the tide is low. Our Prison Island and Nakupenda day combines the tortoises with snorkeling and a seafood lunch on the sand.

5. Swim with sea turtles

Two places let you swim with rescued turtles in calm water. Baraka Natural Aquarium in Nungwi is a natural lagoon fed by the ocean, and Salaam Cave in Kizimkazi is a sanctuary inside a natural cave. Both visits are short, so they fit easily into a beach day.

6. Snorkel the quieter reefs of Tumbatu

If you prefer fewer boats, the reefs off Tumbatu and Mwana wa Mwana in the north-west see far less traffic than the main spots. Our Tumbatu private snorkeling trip is timed for low tide.

7. Dive, kitesurf or fish

Zanzibar has reefs for every diving level (scuba diving), steady winds for kitesurfing in Paje and deep water off the north coast for deep sea fishing from Nungwi. See all our Zanzibar activities.

History and culture

8. Walk the lanes of Stone Town

Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the historic heart of the island. A guide brings its carved doors, markets and landmarks to life, from the site of the old slave market to the Old Fort. Book a Stone Town walking tour or read our Stone Town travel guide.

9. Taste your way around a spice farm

Zanzibar is still called the Spice Island. On a spice farm tour you smell and taste cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla where they grow. For a longer day, the spice farm and Swahili cooking class ends with a meal you cook yourself.

10. See how dhows are built in Nungwi

Nungwi’s boat builders still shape traditional wooden dhows by hand on the beach. Our Nungwi village and dhow-building tour shows you village life away from the hotels.

11. See all the highlights in one day

Short on time? Our private Stone Town, Spice Farm and Prison Island day covers three of the most requested stops with your own guide and vehicle.

Nature and the south

12. Meet the red colobus monkeys of Jozani Forest

Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is the only national park on Zanzibar and home to the Zanzibar red colobus, a monkey found nowhere else in the world. The Jozani Forest tour includes the mangrove boardwalk.

13. Swim in Kuza Cave and visit The Rock

The south of the island is quieter. On our Southern Zanzibar day you swim in the fresh water of Kuza Cave, visit a Swahili village and stop at The Rock, the restaurant built on a rock in the sea.

14. Find starfish in the Michamvi Blue Lagoon

At low tide the shallows off the Michamvi peninsula turn blue-green and starfish rest on the sand. Our Blue Lagoon and starfish tour follows the tide on your date.

Beyond the island

15. Go on safari by flight

You can see lions, elephants and giraffes and be back on the beach the same evening. Small planes fly from Zanzibar to Mikumi and Nyerere (Selous) for a Mikumi day safari or a Nyerere day safari. For the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, plan at least three days. See all safaris from Zanzibar.

How to fit it all in

Most of our day tours include pickup from your hotel. A realistic plan is one tour a day with beach time in between. If you prefer one booking for your whole stay, our Zanzibar holiday packages combine the best tours with airport transfers.

Not sure where to start? Message us on WhatsApp at +255 773 963 024 or use our contact page.