Top ChoiceIsland in Chake Chake
Surrounded by crystal waters and stunning coral reefs, Misali offers some of the best diving in East Africa, while snorkelling is spectacular and easily reached from the beach. Around the island, nesting turtles...
Historic Building in Zanzibar Town
An icon of Stone Town, the House of Wonders rises in impressive tiers of slender steel pillars and balconies overlooking the waterfront. Its enormous carved doors are said to be the largest in East Africa,...
Animal Sanctuary in Nungwi
In 1993 the villagers of Nungwi opened this turtle sanctuary in a large natural tidal pool near the lighthouse and since then these sea creatures have enjoyed a degree of protection from being hunted and eaten....
Wildlife Reserve in Zanzibar Island
ZALA (Zanzibar Land Animals) Park was founded as a project to help local people appreciate the value of wildlife, with funds raised by tourist visits. The park itself appears forlorn today, as more energy and...
Gardens in Zanzibar Town
One of the best ways to ease into Zanzibar life is to stop by this waterfront public space. It's a social hub for tourists and locals alike; there's a large restaurant jutting into the sea, two small cafes with...
Historic Building in Zanzibar Town
With its peppermint-green latticework balconies and sculpted clock tower, this 19th-century charitable dispensary is one of the most attractive landmarks on the waterfront. It was built by Tharia Topan, a...
Museum in Zanzibar Town
Carefully curated by the renowned historian Said al Gheithy, this delightful little museum tells the story of Princess Salme, a sultan's daughter who eloped with a German merchant in the late 19th century and...
Cathedral in Zanzibar Town
The tall spire and grey-yellow walls of the Anglican cathedral dominate the surrounding streets in this part of Stone Town, while the dark-wood pews and stained-glass windows will remind British visitors of...
Wildlife Reserve in Pemba
In far northeastern Pemba, dense and wonderfully lush Ngezi is one of the last remaining areas of indigenous forest that once covered much of the island, and as close to rainforest that you'll get anywhere on...
Museum in Zanzibar Town
Occupying several large buildings along the waterfront, this was the palace of Sultan Seyyid Said from 1828 until it was largely destroyed by the British bombardment of 1896. It was then rebuilt and used until...
National Park in Zanzibar Island
Jozani Forest is the largest area of indigenous forest on Zanzibar Island. Situated south of Chwaka Bay on low-lying land, the area is prone to flooding, which nurtures a lush swamplike environment of...
Historic Building in Zanzibar Town
With its pale-orange ramparts overlooking Forodhani Gardens and the ocean beyond, the fort was built by Omani Arabs when they seized the island from the Portuguese in 1698, and over the centuries it's had various...
Wildlife Reserve in Pemba
Kidike Sanctuary is home to a spectacular colony of Pemba flying foxes, a large bat indigenous to Pemba (called popo in Swahili). About 4000 individuals hang in a patch of trees, often taking to the air, clearly...
Cathedral in Zanzibar Town
One of the first sights travellers see when arriving by ferry are the twin spires of the Roman Catholic cathedral. Serving the local Catholic community, including Goans, Europeans and Tanzanians from Zanzibar and...
Ruins in Chake Chake
The ruined palace of Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, who ruled Pemba prior to the arrival of the Portuguese (late 15th to early 16th centuries), is an evocative spot. Rahman had a reputation for cruelty and was known...
Market in Zanzibar Town
Zanzibar's main market is a hive of activity, with everything – from spices, fresh fish, slabs of meat and huge baskets full of live chickens to sandals, plastic buckets and mobile phones – all set out in a...
Animal Sanctuary in Zanzibar Island
The aim of this community initiative is to help local people benefit from tourism and conservation. In three large pools you can observe sea turtles and fish-farming side by side. It's also a great place to see...
Historic Site in Zanzibar Town
Sultan Seyyid Said built this bathhouse at Kidichi (11km northeast of Zanzibar Town) in 1850 for his Persian wife, Scheherezade. The royal couple would come here after hunting to refresh themselves in the...
Factory in Chake Chake
Pemba is well known for its clove industry, and this distillery is where the clove stems are turned into essential oil. It's operated by the Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (ZSTC) and also here on occasion are...
Ruins in Chake Chake
Ras Mkumbuu is the headland at the end of the thin strip of land jutting into the sea northwest of Chake Chake. It's also the name given to the ruins of an ancient settlement, once called Qanbalu, dating from the...
