Zanzibar’s more than just a beach break. Yes, the sand’s white and the water’s clear – but the island’s mix of culture, history, and everyday life sticks with you. You’ll walk through Stone Town’s tight alleys with the scent of cloves in the air, see dhows drifting past the horizon, and hear Swahili, Arabic, and English in a single market stall.
Things aren’t always polished here. Roads are rough, power cuts happen, and time runs on island logic. But that’s part of the charm. You don’t come to Zanzibar for perfection – you come to see, eat, and experience something different.
This list covers the essentials: local food, wild swims, slow walks, deep history, and moments you won’t find in a resort brochure. Here are 15 of the best things to do in Zanzibar – nothing fancy, just the good stuff.
Stone Town doesn’t unfold neatly. It spills, swirls, and shifts. The only way to see it properly is on foot, without a plan. Put your phone away and follow the flow of people, chickens, scooters, and shouting. You’ll pass crumbling mosques, Indian merchant houses, and coral-stone buildings with timber balconies that lean like they’re half-asleep. The scent of clove cigarettes and grilled maize lingers everywhere.
Watch for Zanzibar’s famous doors: intricately carved mahogany slabs with brass studs that once signified wealth – and served as a warning to elephants. Pop into the Old Fort, now part theatre space, part market. And if the sun gets too much, duck into the Anglican Cathedral – built on the site of the old slave market – and let the gravity of the past hit you.
Stone Town isn’t polished or staged, and that’s exactly why it stands out. It’s messy, lived-in, and full of history that’s impossible to ignore. If you're looking for the best places to visit in Tanzania, this tangled maze of stories, spices, and centuries-old streets absolutely earns its place.
Every evening just before sunset, the gardens on Stone Town’s seafront turn into a pop-up feast. Tables appear like magic. Grills get hot. Lights flicker on. And the smoke starts to rise. Forodhani night market is chaotic, messy, and brilliant – especially if you show up hungry.
Skip the “Zanzibar pizza” at your own risk. It’s not a pizza. It’s more like a meat-stuffed pancake-slash-omelette, griddled and wrapped while you wait. Then there’s mishkaki (meat skewers), spiced cassava, fried samosas, and seafood caught a few hours earlier. Wash it down with sugarcane juice, cut with lime and ginger so it’s not just syrupy sweetness.
It’s not fine dining – there are no menus, no napkins, and no fixed prices. Expect to haggle a little, and don’t be afraid to say no. Some stalls are better than others. Watch where the locals queue. You’ll eat standing up, maybe sitting on the seawall, sauce on your fingers and sand in your shoes.
House of Wonders in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania © LMspencer/Shutterstock
Zanzibar isn’t called the Spice Island for nothing. Cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom – they’ve all grown here for centuries. But this isn’t a walk-through-and-smell-the-leaves tour. On the best spice farm visits, you’ll crush things, chew things, and probably smear turmeric on your face without realizing it.
If you’re planning a trip to Tanzania, don’t skip this experience. Visiting a spice farm in Zanzibar gives you a hands-on taste of the island’s culture and history, far beyond what you’ll get from a resort buffet. It’s earthy, real, and unexpectedly fun.
Most farms are small and local, tucked into the island’s interior near Kizimbani or Kidichi. Guides are usually part botanist, part comedian. They’ll snap off cinnamon bark for you to nibble, crack open a nutmeg shell, or mash lemongrass to show how it becomes oil. You’ll get a crash course in what spices look like before they end up in a jar.
At the end, there’s usually a tasting. Not fancy, but good: plates of jackfruit, pineapple, and mango, dusted with chili and lime. Some tours also include a Swahili lunch cooked right there – curry, coconut rice, maybe some banana stew if you’re lucky.
If you’ve ever wanted to swim in water so clear it feels fake, Mnemba’s the place. This protected marine reserve off Zanzibar’s northeast coast is a short boat ride from Matemwe – and it’s worth every bumpy wave.
The reef surrounds a private island you can’t visit unless you’re staying there (and shelling out a small fortune). But the surrounding atoll? Open to all. The coral is bright and alive – sponges, staghorns, plate corals – and the fish are straight from a Pixar film. Think parrotfish, trumpetfish, moray eels, and the odd sea turtle cruising past like it owns the place.
If you dive, there are several drop-offs and sandy channels to explore, with excellent visibility and mellow currents. Beginners can snorkel just offshore and still see more marine life than in most aquariums. Look out for dolphins on the way – sightings aren’t rare.
Mnemba Island, Tanzania © Shutterstock
Zanzibar’s not just spice and sunshine. For over a century, it was East Africa’s biggest slave trading hub. Thousands were bought and sold here, often in brutal conditions. Today, the site of the former slave market in Stone Town holds a quiet, heavy power – and it’s something you shouldn’t skip.
Start at the Anglican cathedral, built directly on top of the market after the trade was abolished. Look closely – part of the altar stands where the whipping post once was. The church itself is modest, with a stained-glass window in memory of David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary who helped expose the slave trade’s horrors to the world.
Next, head underground to the slave chambers. Two small, airless cells where up to 75 people were crammed at a time, chained to the walls with barely any light. It’s uncomfortable, confronting, and important.
There’s also a small but informative museum with photos, timelines, and testimonies. Take your time. Don’t rush through. You’ll walk out with a better understanding of the island’s history – and why the past still matters.
Zanzibar’s food isn’t just something you eat – it’s something that tells you where you are. Coconut, lime, chili, cloves, tamarind – it’s all here, mixed with Indian, Arab, and African influences. A Swahili cooking class is one of the best things to do in Zanzibar to connect with that blend – and leave with more than just fridge magnets.
Most classes happen in local homes or small outdoor kitchens, especially in Stone Town or nearby villages. You’ll start in the market, basket in hand, picking out vegetables, spices, and maybe a whole fish if it’s on the menu. Your guide will explain what’s what – how to tell fresh from overripe, what you can haggle for, and what locals cook every day.
Then comes the real work. Peeling, grinding, stirring – most meals are made with minimal tools and maximum flavor. You might cook biryani, pilau rice, octopus curry, or green banana stew. Dishes are usually slow-cooked, coconut-heavy, and served with chapati or ugali on the side.
Kizimkazi village. Zanzibar, Tanzania © Shutterstock
Nungwi, up on the northern tip of Zanzibar, used to be a quiet fishing village. It’s busier now – beach resorts, backpacker bars, and boutique hotels – but the fishing culture hasn’t gone anywhere. If you like your seafood fresh and your dinners memorable, this is your spot.
Start early at the fish market near the harbor. You’ll see fishermen hauling in the morning catch – snapper, grouper, octopus, and things with teeth you’ve never seen before. Auctions get loud, fast, and a bit chaotic. You probably won’t buy anything, but it’s worth watching just for the energy.
By sunset, the beach transforms again. Grills get fired up along the sand, and restaurants bring out chalkboards scrawled with whatever came in that morning. Go for grilled lobster or octopus with pili pili sauce and a side of coconut rice.
Want to get even more involved? Book a half-day trip with a local fisherman. Some offer dhow trips where you can actually help pull in nets and bait lines. You probably won’t catch dinner, but you’ll understand what it takes to.
Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is Zanzibar’s only national park – but don’t come looking for lions. What you’ll find instead is one of Africa’s rarest monkeys: the red colobus. Fluffy, wide-eyed, and often just lounging around, these monkeys are only found here, and they don’t seem to mind the attention.
The park is small but varied. You’ll start on forest trails winding through mahogany and fig trees. Your guide will point out medicinal plants, tiny frogs, and shy bush babies (if you’re lucky). But it’s the monkeys you’re really here for. Red colobus monkeys move in family groups and are surprisingly unbothered by people. You’ll often see them just a few feet away, grooming each other or nibbling leaves.
Visits are short – an hour or two – but worth it. And yes, there’s a conservation fee. It goes toward protecting this unique ecosystem, so don’t grumble.
Matemwe beach, Zanzibar. Tanzania © Marius Dobilas/Shutterstock
There are faster ways to see the coast – but none better. Dhow cruises are about slowing down. You climb onto a hand-built wooden boat, the kind that’s worked these waters for centuries. There’s no engine roar, just wind, waves, and maybe a drumbeat or two if your captain’s in the mood.
Sunset trips usually leave from Kendwa or Stone Town. The dhow glides out as the light softens, and you get front-row seats to one of Zanzibar’s best shows. The sky goes from gold to orange to purple. Kids play football on the beach. Fishermen paddle home with nets rolled up and stories ready.
Some boats throw in extras – snacks, drinks, even live taarab music. Others keep it simple: just a crew, a sail, and the sea. Either way, you won’t need more than a light jacket and a camera.
Paje doesn’t try too hard. That’s the point. This beach town on Zanzibar’s southeast coast is where you go to stop checking your phone and start checking the tide. It’s windy, wide, and full of character.
If you’re into kitesurfing, this is the island’s sweet spot. Conditions are ideal – steady wind, shallow water, and rental shops that double as chill-out bars. But you don’t have to be sporty. There are hammocks everywhere, reggae drifting from beach bars, and cold beers that cost less than a smoothie.
Want to move? Rent a bike and pedal along the beach at low tide. Join a morning yoga class. Watch seaweed farmers dragging ropes across the flats – quiet work done with absolute focus. Or just float. The sea here is bathtub-warm and shallow for what feels like miles.
Paje Beach on Zanzibar, Tanzania © Shutterstock
Kendwa doesn’t get as much hype as Nungwi, just a few kilometers north – but that’s a good thing. It's quieter, cleaner, and arguably one of the best beaches in Tanzania. Soft white sand, calm turquoise water, and zero seaweed at low tide – it’s the kind of beach you imagine and assume doesn’t actually exist. But it does. Right here.
What sets Kendwa apart is the lack of extreme tides. While other parts of Zanzibar turn into mudflats for hours, Kendwa stays swimmable all day long. That makes it perfect for lazy floats, paddleboarding, or just lying around without constantly checking tide charts.
There are loungers if you want them, but the real magic is in doing nothing. Order a grilled snapper and chips from a beach shack. Grab a cold Kilimanjaro beer. Watch locals play volleyball or fishermen mending nets. You don’t need an itinerary here – just sunscreen and time.
At first glance, the seaweed plots near Bwejuu look like something washed up by the tide. Wooden stakes, rope lines, shallow water. But step closer, and you’ll see the rhythm of something real. Dozens of women wading through the shallows, hauling seaweed, sorting it, tying it back onto lines. Quiet, repetitive work that powers an entire micro-industry.
Zanzibar is one of the world’s biggest producers of red seaweed, and most of it’s farmed by women. It’s used in everything from cosmetics to toothpaste to food additives. For many families, this is the main income, and it’s tough labor. The sun is relentless, the water salty and heavy, and the pay is low. But the work is steady, and it’s theirs.
Some farms offer short tours with local guides. You’ll learn how seaweed is planted, harvested, dried, and packed. Some also sell handmade soaps and scrubs, or invite you for lunch. It’s low-key and not tourist-polished – but that’s exactly what makes it one of the best things to do in Zanzibar.
Kendwa beach in Zanzibar, Tanzania © Shutterstock
The Rock is ridiculous – in a good way. A tiny restaurant perched on an actual rock in the Indian Ocean, just off Pingwe Beach on the southeast coast. At low tide, you walk there. At high tide, you take a boat. Either way, it’s absurdly scenic and totally worth a stop, even if it’s just for a drink and a photo.
Yes, it’s Instagram-famous. Yes, it’s a bit pricey. But the setting’s hard to beat. A handful of wooden tables, windows open to the sea breeze, and views that stretch forever. If you’re eating, go for the seafood – grilled squid, crab spaghetti, or octopus curry if it's on. It’s solid, not fancy. The service is laid-back, and you’re really paying for the setting.
Book ahead – there are only a few tables. And come midweek if you want it quieter. Even better: time your visit with the tides. Walking barefoot through ankle-deep water to reach your lunch feels far more rewarding than just hopping off a boat.
If you’re in Zanzibar in July, head to the village of Makunduchi in the southeast for one of the island’s wildest cultural events: Mwaka Kogwa. It’s a four-day celebration to mark the Persian New Year, and it’s got everything – ritual fire, stick fights, singing duels, and lots of shouting. It’s loud, chaotic, and completely unlike anything else on the island.
The heart of the festival is the symbolic fight. Men face off with banana stalks – not real weapons – and beat the living daylights out of each other to settle old arguments and clear the air for the new year. It’s not staged. The hits are real, the crowd goes wild, and yes, there’s first aid on standby.
Women, meanwhile, gather in colorful kangas to sing songs, some teasing, some powerful, all in Swahili. There’s food, dancing, and a fire that’s meant to burn away the past year’s problems. The vibe is intense but welcoming, especially if you come with a local guide who knows the meaning behind the rituals.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
You’ll smell it before you see it – sharp turmeric, lime, and fried onions floating in the steam. Urojo, also called Zanzibar mix, is the island’s signature street food, and the best bowls are sold from tiny stalls or makeshift carts just off the road.
The base is a thick, tangy soup made from flour, water, and spices. Then comes the chaos: fried bhajis, boiled potatoes, boiled egg, bits of mango, maybe some shredded meat or coconut chutney, all piled in and soaked with sauce. Every vendor has their own twist, and no two bowls taste the same.
Don’t expect seating. You’ll eat standing up, elbow to elbow with locals, probably using a plastic spoon that bends under the weight. It’s messy, it’s hot, and it costs next to nothing.
Best spots? Ask around in Stone Town near Darajani market or in Nungwi at roadside shacks. If you’re in a hurry, skip the polished restaurants and head for the man with the steaming pot and the long line. That’s where the good stuff is.
written by
Olga Sitnitsa
updated 23.05.2025
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