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Zanzibar

6.17° S, 39.20° E

Zanzibar adds Stone Town, spice farms and Swahili culture to white beaches and warm water. Tides shape the east coast, so where you stay decides how much swimming you get, and it pairs naturally with a safari on the mainland.

Best season
Jun–Oct
Getting there
Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ) + road transfer
Currency
Tanzanian Shilling (TZS)
Typical stay
5–7 nights

Zanzibar guides

3 guides

Planning a Zanzibar trip

Zanzibar is the Indian Ocean island for people who want history and street life alongside the beach. Stone Town's alleys, carved doors and night food market sit less than half an hour from the airport, and spice farms and Jozani Forest are easy half-days from the coast. Hotels lean boutique and barefoot more than big-brand. Most travellers come here to finish a Tanzanian safari, though it works on its own if you are happy with one connection on the way out.

When to go

The long dry season from June to October lines up neatly with the northern Tanzania safari months, which is why it is also the busiest period. December to February is a second, hotter dry window. Expect short rains around November and heavier, more persistent rain from roughly March to May, when some lodges cut services or shut altogether, so check before booking an April stay.

Getting there and arrival admin

There are no non-stop flights from the UK; most people route through Doha, Istanbul, Nairobi or Addis Ababa, or fly in by light aircraft from a Serengeti or Arusha airstrip on the last safari day. Abeid Amani Karume airport is close to Stone Town, and the coastal resorts are roughly an hour to 80 minutes away by road. Before you fly, arrange a Tanzania e-visa and the compulsory Zanzibar inbound insurance, currently US$44 per adult.

Where to stay and for how long

The tide decides the coast. Kendwa and Nungwi in the north keep swimmable water at most hours and face the sunset. The east, from Matemwe down to Paje and Jambiani, drains into a wide lagoon at low tide and suits kitesurfers, walkers and early risers. After a safari, four or five nights is a sensible finish; for a stand-alone holiday we'd book a week and start with a night or two in Stone Town.

Where to start