Zanzibar: Stone Town Alleys and Spice-Coast Beaches

Zanzibar is the classic post-safari unwind: white-sand beaches, turquoise water, and a capital city that feels more like a Moroccan medina than an East African port. Most visitors split their time between Stone Town and the coast, and that is exactly the right move.

Stone Town deserves at least two nights. Get lost in the alleyways between Gizenga Street and Shangani, visit the old slave market and cathedral, and eat at the night market at Forodhani Gardens. The market is touristy, but the sugarcane juice and seafood skewers are still a fun evening ritual.

The east coast around Jambiani and Paje is quieter and more local than the north. Paje is the kite-surfing capital, with shallow turquoise lagoons and a laid-back backpacker scene. Jambiani is sleepier, with fishing boats pulled up on the sand and small guesthouses run by local families.

The north coast near Nungwi and Kendwa has the widest beaches and the most resorts. It is beautiful but busier and more expensive. If you want a resort-style holiday with beach bars and sunset cruises, this is the place. If you want village life, head south or east.

Do not miss a spice tour. Zanzibar earned its nickname from cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, and a half-day tour through a working plantation is genuinely interesting. Combine it with a visit to a local village and a home-cooked lunch.

Getting there is easy: short flights from Arusha or Dar es Salaam, or the slower ferry from Dar. The best weather is June to October and December to February. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, cash for small restaurants, and a light scarf for covering up in Stone Town and villages.