Spice Things Up On Zanzibar
Ticked off in August 2019
Carved doors and spice-scented alleys in Stone Town, then dhows, coral reefs and white sand on the Indian Ocean.
The adventure
Stone Town is a maze. Narrow alleys twist between crumbling coral-stone houses with huge carved wooden doors studded with brass, the call to prayer drifts over the rooftops, and motorbikes squeeze past spice sellers. At sunset, Forodhani Gardens on the waterfront fills with grills selling seafood skewers and Zanzibar pizza, while local boys backflip off the sea wall.
Out in the countryside, a spice tour has you crushing cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla between your fingers, and guessing each plant becomes surprisingly competitive. Then head for the coast: powder-white sand and turquoise water at Nungwi and Kendwa, where the tides are gentle, or Paje, where the shallows suit kitesurfing. Sail out on a wooden dhow at dusk, snorkel the reefs around Mnemba, and feel the pace slow right down.
Why it’s epic
- Stone Town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, a blend of Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences.
- Freddie Mercury was born in Stone Town in 1946.
- Jozani Forest is home to the Zanzibar red colobus monkey, found nowhere else.
- Giant Aldabra tortoises, some more than a century old, live on Prison Island off Stone Town.
What it is
Zanzibar's Stone Town is a UNESCO site, and the island is known for its beaches and spice farms.
How to do it
Fly in or take the ferry from Dar es Salaam. Take a spice tour and stay at the beaches of Nungwi or Paje.
Top tip
Dress modestly in Stone Town.
Need to know
- UK visitors need a visa for Tanzania, best applied for online before travel.
- Zanzibar requires all visitors to buy its own mandatory inbound travel insurance, on top of your usual policy.
- It's a largely Muslim island, so cover shoulders and knees away from the beach, especially during Ramadan.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 4 to 7 days
- Best time to go
- June to October
- Fly into
- ZNZ airport
Flights to East Africa are the main cost; stays range from simple guesthouses to luxury beach resorts.
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Fly into Zanzibar and check into Stone Town
- Day 2Stone Town walking tour and a spice farm
- Days 3–5The beaches at Nungwi or Paje, snorkelling at Mnemba Atoll
- Day 6Prison Island tortoises or Jozani forest's red colobus monkeys, then fly home
Do it yourself
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My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
Over to you
Is “Spice Things Up On Zanzibar” on your bucket list, or have you already done it? Tell me in the comments, and if you've got a question about it, ask away and I'll answer.