known as Africa’s tropical paradise

Zanzibar Island

Zanzibar Island is known as Africa’s tropical paradise, offering the world’s most beautiful beaches. Here, you find miles and miles of white sandy beaches dotted with palm trees, surrounded by the clear azure water of the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar is part of the Zanzibar Archipelago together with Pemba Island and many other smaller islands.  Zanzibar Island offers a laidback beach life, but also a large variety of activities, a colorful culture and a deep history. You can go on a spice tour or explore the amazing coral reefs and swim among tropical reef fish.  Zanzibar Island has all the ingredients to make a memorable holiday. See below for our personal top three accommodations as well as our top Zanzibar island itineraries.

There are so many things to do in Zanzibar that you’ll be spoilt for choice and, no matter how long your stay is, you’ll definitely wish it was longer!

To help you make the most of culture-rich Zanzibar Island, here’s the lowdown from our team of African travel experts on the things you won’t want to miss!

Firstly a little orientation… 

The Zanzibar Archipelago sits in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanzania.

It’s actually made up of 3 main islands (Unguja, Pemba, and Mafia) and a number of smaller islands.

Unguja, the largest island, is the place most people are referring to when they talk about Zanzibar Island.

The capital of Unguja is Zanzibar City, and the historic section of Zanzibar City is Stone Town – an ancient culture-rich melting pot, where Persian, Arabic, Indian, and European influences have merged over centuries offering a unique and fascinating destination.

Stone Town is an ancient trading town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is really the heart and soul of Zanzibar Island.

There’s so much to see in this captivating town, but here are some of the key things you won’t want to miss in Stone Town