TZ · Zanzibar · 6.13°S 39.33°E

zanzibar

Stone Town doors, clove-scented farms and white-sand beaches on Unguja island.

Best time
June–October is generally dry, and January–February is hotter, with good beach weather. April–May has the long rains, and November can be showery.
How long
5–7 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop, usually via Addis Ababa, Doha or Dubai, about 14–18 hours all in. Stone Town is about 20 minutes from the airport, and the north and east coast beaches 1–1.5 hours. Tanzania is 5 hours behind KL.
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TZ · Zanzibarzanzibar6.13°S 39.33°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Stone Town doors, clove-scented farms and white-sand beaches on Unguja island.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingZanzibarTZ, Zanzibar
KLzanzibar
≈ 7,000 km from KL, as the crow flies
Harbour at the picturesque Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa

Photo: Dr. Ondřej Havelka (cestovatel) · CC BY 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

This guide covers Unguja, the main island people mean by Zanzibar. Stone Town brings the history and the food, and the north and east coasts supply the beach days.

Makan

  1. Forodhani GardensThe seafront night market in Stone Town: grilled seafood, sugarcane juice and 'Zanzibar pizza'.Map ↗
  2. Zanzibari biryaniSpiced rice layered with a rich meat or fish sauce.Map ↗
  3. Octopus curryTender octopus in a coconut sauce.Map ↗
  4. UrojoA tangy, turmeric-yellow soup loaded with potatoes, fritters and chutney.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Stone TownCarved wooden doors, narrow lanes and old merchants' houses from centuries of Indian Ocean trade.Map ↗
  2. Spice farmA walk among cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper growing on the plant.Map ↗
  3. Jozani ForestForest and mangrove boardwalks, home to the island's own red colobus monkeys.Map ↗
  4. Nungwi or PajeNungwi in the north for swimming at any tide; Paje on the east coast for kitesurfing over a wide lagoon.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Zanzibar is almost entirely Muslim, so local food is halal and modest dress is expected in Stone Town; beach resorts serve alcohol.
  • Every foreign visitor has to buy Zanzibar's own government travel insurance before arriving, even with a policy from home.
  • Split the stay between Stone Town and one beach; crossing the island for dinner is a long round trip.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.