Zanzibar.

Where we sleep

1. Day 1 · Mon 10 Jan

   Fort first, supper second

   We drop the bags in Stone Town and walk to the old fort, then to the waterfront gardens, where the evening food stalls give dinner a head start.

   • The Old Fort1 h

     A thick-walled Omani fort on the seafront, built around 1700 against the Portuguese. Today it holds craft stalls and an open-air amphitheatre.

     What to see

     • The thick walls and battlements
     • The courtyard amphitheatre
     • The views from the ramparts

     Time

     About an hour.

     Tip

     The fort sits right next to the Forodhani Gardens, so visit it first while the stone is still shaded, then walk over for sunset.

     To eat

     Fresh coconut water from a seller outside, drunk with a straw straight from the nut.

     Photos
   • Forodhani Gardens2 h

     A park on the Stone Town seafront where, as it gets dark, food stalls open and the town comes out to eat and watch the boats. It is the easiest first dinner on the island.

     What to see

     • Stalls lighting up at dusk
     • Boys diving off the sea wall
     • Dhows on the water

     Time

     Two hours, dinner included.

     Tip

     Pick stalls that are busy with locals and whose food is cooked in front of you. Ask the price of each item before you order, and keep some small notes.

     To eat

     Grilled seafood skewers and Zanzibar pizza, a stuffed pancake fried on a griddle.

     Photos
2. Day 2 · Tue 11 Jan

   A hard history and a slow tortoise

   A sober morning at the site of the old slave market, then a boat to Changuu Island, where the giant tortoises set the pace for the rest of the day.

   • Anglican Cathedral and slave market site1 h 30

     The Christ Church cathedral stands on the site of Zanzibar’s main slave market, which closed in 1873. It was built soon afterwards as a statement against the trade.

     What to see

     • The cathedral and its interior
     • The memorial to the enslaved
     • The underground chambers shown to visitors

     Time

     About an hour and a half.

     Tip

     It is a heavy visit, so book a local guide who can give the context and keep the rest of the morning light. Dress modestly.

     To eat

     Strong sweet tea and a samosa from the stalls nearby, to reset afterwards.

     Photos
   • Changuu (Prison Island)Half a day

     A small island a short boat ride from Stone Town. A prison was built here in 1893 but it was never used for prisoners, and giant Aldabra tortoises, brought from the Seychelles, now live on it.

     What to see

     • The giant tortoises, some well over a hundred years old
     • The ruined prison buildings
     • Clear water for a swim

     Time

     Three to four hours, boat included.

     Tip

     Agree the price and the return time with the boatman before you set off. The tortoises have the right of way, so do not stand on them or feed them anything other than the greens they are given.

     To eat

     Take a bottle of water, then eat grilled fish in Stone Town when you are back.

3. Day 3 · Wed 12 Jan

   Revolution Day

   A public holiday, so offices are shut. There is sometimes an official ceremony at Amaan Stadium, but not every year, so we ask locally the day before. Either way, we spend the day in the market and the ruined palace.

   • Darajani Market1 h 30

     The big covered market of Stone Town, where the town buys its fish, meat, fruit, vegetables and spices. It is the best place to understand why Zanzibar was called the Spice Island.

     What to see

     • Piles of cloves, cinnamon and cardamom
     • The fish hall
     • Fruit stalls with jackfruit and mango

     Time

     Best in the morning.

     Tip

     Go early, as markets are busiest then, and ask before taking photos of people or their stalls. On the holiday some stalls may be shut, so don't plan a shopping list around it.

     To eat

     Fresh mango, and sugarcane juice pressed in front of you with a squeeze of lime.

     Photos
   • Maruhubi Palace ruins1 h

     The ruins of a palace built in the 1880s for Sultan Barghash, a few kilometres north of Stone Town. The columns and the bath still stand beside the sea.

     What to see

     • The rows of columns
     • The large bathing pool
     • Mango trees and the sea behind

     Time

     About an hour.

     Tip

     Take a taxi or a dala-dala, and agree the fare to come back before you set off. In the middle of the day there is little shade, so go in the late afternoon.

     To eat

     A cold coconut on the way back, as you will have earned it.

4. Day 4 · Thu 13 Jan

   Monkeys, then the sea

   We cross the island to a forest full of red colobus monkeys, then carry on to the east coast and a beach where the sea comes and goes.

   • Jozani Forest2 h

     The last large patch of natural forest on Unguja, home to the Zanzibar red colobus, a monkey found nowhere else. A walkway also crosses the mangroves.

     What to see

     • Red colobus monkeys in the trees
     • The mangrove boardwalk
     • Giant tree buttresses

     Time

     Two hours with a guide.

     Tip

     Keep your distance and do not feed the monkeys, which are used to people but can be skittish. A ranger guide will also tell you how to spot the other animals.

     To eat

     A fresh coconut from a seller on the road in, to drink while the monkeys judge you.

   • Paje BeachAfternoon

     A white-sand beach on the east coast, known for kitesurfing and for a tide that moves a long way out. We come to look, paddle and see the sunrise side of the island.

     What to see

     • Kitesurfers on the lagoon
     • The water going out for hundreds of metres
     • Sunrise over the Indian Ocean

     Time

     An afternoon and sunrise.

     Tip

     Look up the tide times for the day before you plan a swim, because at low tide the sea has left and will not be hurried. Wear reef shoes, as there are sea urchins on the rocks.

     To eat

     Grilled octopus or whole fish with coconut sauce, a coastal staple.

5. Day 5 · Fri 14 Jan

   Low tide, high spirits

   A last morning walk through Jambiani at low tide, when the seaweed farmers are at work, and then the road back to the airport.

   • Jambiani village2 h

     A fishing village on the south-east coast where, at low tide, women tend seaweed farms on the flats. It is an everyday workplace, and most visitors just walk the shore.

     What to see

     • Seaweed farms on the tidal flats
     • Fishing boats pulled up on the sand
     • Coral stone houses in the village

     Time

     Two hours at an easy pace.

     Tip

     Ask before photographing people at work, and be ready to be told no. Check the tide tables first, as the farms only show when the water is low.

     To eat

     A last plate of rice, fish and coconut sauce before the road to the airport.

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.