7 Wonderfully Exotic Things to Do in Zanzibar

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Exotic. Sultry. Mysterious. Such is the spice island of Zanzibar.
Most visitors go to Zanzibar for the beaches.
But you’ll find no shortage of interesting things to do in Zanzibar beyond the beach – like all the fascinating things to do in Stone Town!
Part of Tanzania, Zanzibar is an archipelago of over 50 islands in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanzania. The largest island is commonly known as “Zanzibar.”
It’s fairly easy for Europeans to jet into Zanzibar just for a beach holiday.
North Americans usually add Zanzibar to the end of an African safari – a bush-and-beach vacation.
(This makes a Tanzania safari desirable.)



We flew in after canoeing with crocodiles on a safari in Zambia – and stayed two weeks in Zanzibar.
But if you only spend one week in Zanzibar, that would be enough to recharge after your safari and ready you for a return to real life back home.
Okay, let’s go find out what to do in Zanzibar!
7 Best things to do in Zanzibar

Contents: Top things to do in Zanzibar
2) Chill on the best beaches in Zanzibar
4) See cute monkeys in the Jozani Monkey Forest
5) Explore Stone Town, Zanzibar
1) Go reef walking
We could have been sipping ginger mojitos under shady palms on the blindingly white beach.
But it was low tide, and the Indian Ocean waves had rolled back almost a mile.
Time for “reef walking”!

With hiking poles and reef shoes, we sploshed knee-deep in water along the reef of Bwejuu Beach to the surf break, careful to avoid spiny sea urchins. (And careful not to damage the reef.)
Occasionally, we stopped to pick up shells and examine sea cucumbers. We even spotted a small octopus.
Bwejuu Beach on Zanzibar’s southeast coast is rated one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.
But it’s also one of the most unusual Zanzibar beaches. The tide rolls out so far that “reef walking” is an actual activity.
It’s not just curious visitors who are out and about on the reef. With nets, local village women harvest seaweed offshore at low tide.
All of which makes for a colorful and unique kaleidoscope of beach scenes… Certainly not what you might be used to seeing in the Caribbean, Mexico or Hawaii!
2) Chill on a beautiful beach

Still, sipping mojitos on the beach is hard to resist. (It’s the reason we visited Zanzibar!)
So what are the best beaches in Zanzibar?
Bwejuu Beach

This white sandy beach is found in one of the quietest parts of Zanzibar – ideal for peace and privacy.
We were based here most of our time at two very romantic resorts (see #7 below).
The sand beach is firm, so you can take out hotel bikes and ride for miles along the hard-packed coral sand.
But because it’s so shallow, and with the reef, the beach itself isn’t the best for swimming.

Nungwi Beach
If you seek sand as fine as flour and calm all-day swimming, you’ll discover some incredibly gorgeous beaches in Zanzibar on the island’s north coast. (The water there doesn’t roll back as much at low tide as it does on Bwejuu Beach.)
Indeed, Nungwi Beach was named one of the world’s “Top 25 Beaches” in TripAdvisor’s 2018 Travelers’ Choice Awards.
Nungwi is quite popular, so you’ll find numerous hotels, restaurants and bars on this beach.
Kendwa Beach
Quieter than Nungwi Beach (and just south of it), Kendwa Beach is also one of the best Zanzibar beaches.
And like Nungwi, the tide doesn’t change too much, so the waters are clear for swimming and snorkeling.
Matemwe Beach

On the northeast coast, you’ll find the longest beach in Zanzibar – beautiful Matemwe Beach.
Lined with palm trees at the back of the beach and boasting powder-fine sand, it truly is an idyllic beach.
It’s also very quiet, but has a few little beach restaurants.
You can walk for miles (and probably bump into some cows). Or maybe you just want to read a book? Perhaps lie on the sand at night for some romantic star gazing?
Note that you can’t swim at low tide on Matemwe Beach, as there’s a reef offshore. (But with reef shoes, you can examine all the little sea critters, like at Bwejuu Beach.)
3) Take a spice tour

Spice tours are popular if you’re willing to vacate your beach chair and explore some of the island.
Even if you have less than one week in Zanzibar, you should definitely put a spice tour – like this luxury spice tour with lunch – on your list!
Known as the “spice island,” Zanzibar’s lush interior is full of spice farms growing cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla beans and other spices (but only cloves are exported).
On our tour, our lithe teenage guide scampered up tree trunks to pull down various fruits and seeds.
Breaking open a furry “lipstick fruit,” he made us laugh when he smeared the red paste inside the fruit on his face and blew us kisses with freshly painted crimson lips.

4) See monkeys at Jozani Monkey Forest
We also booked a half-day tour to Jozani National Park.
The mahogany rainforest is home to rare red colobus monkeys, only found on Zanzibar.

About 2,000 of these monkeys live in the park.
At the entrance, a large group of monkeys, habituated to visitors, can be observed up close.
And talk about cute things to see in Zanzibar!
With their crowns of white tufty hair, they’re quite adorable – especially the babies.

One baby monkey we tried to photograph amused us immensely, swinging and jumping about, while his (her?) mother tried to sleep sitting upright on a branch.
5) Explore Stone Town

Even if you’re determined to stay put in your beach chair as much as possible, the one thing you must do is visit Stone Town.
The ancient capital of Zanzibar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And it’s fascinating to get lost in (or explore, if you’re on a guided walking tour).
6) Try kitesurfing
One of the most fun things to do in Zanzibar is kitesurfing.
Confession: We didn’t actually go kitesurfing – but it sure looked fun!

Paje, which is just south of Bwejuu Beach, is the most popular place for kitesurfing. Indeed, it’s developing a reputation as a world-class kitesurfing destination.
Lots of sports shops offer lessons if you’d like to learn.
When the wind picked up, we also saw windsurfers and kitesurfers fly through the white caps at Bwejuu Beach (which is just north of Paje Beach).
Best time for kitesurfing in Zanzibar
For kitesurfing, the two best times to go are:
- Late December to mid-February (in the Kaskazi season, when the wind blows from the north at 12 to 25 knots)
- May to October (when the Kuzi wind blows in from the southeast)
7) Stay in a splurge-worthy hotel
Large big box hotels aren’t the norm on Zanzibar.
Present-day tourism, beyond backpacker hostels and simple beach cottages, only started to sprout in the past 20 years or so. Before that, a bloody African/socialist revolution in the mid-1960s closed Zanzibar to the outside world for more than 20 years.
But Zanzibar is now a “hot” destination (in more ways than one).
Honeymooners and international visitors who like a little luxe have discovered the island.
In Stone Town, historic palaces have been converted into dreamy boutique hotels.
Several all-inclusive boutique beach resorts have also opened. We stayed at the following three Zanzibar beach hotels.
Baraza Resort & Spa

The hip Baraza Resort & Spa, resembles a gleaming white sultan’s palace – welcoming both couples and families with its one- and two-bedroom villas with private plunge pools.
When it opened, it catapulted onto Conde Nast Traveler’s 2012 “Hot List” of top 60 best new hotels in the world.
It’s won a slew of awards since then.
It was named Tanzania’s Leading Resort in the 2016 World Travel Awards. More recently, it was nominated again in 2023 for the same award.
Is this a sultan’s palace? See our review of Baraza Resort and Spa.
The Palms

Baraza’s sister resort, The Palms, is located beside Baraza on Bwejuu Beach.
An exclusive and romantic adults-only escape, with six thatched-roof villas, it offers exceptional service, gourmet food and your own private tented banda (bungalow) for lounging on the beach.
Romancing the Palms: See our review of the Palms on Zanzibar (a hotel with heart).
andBeyond Mnemba Island Lodge

The barefoot island paradise of andBeyond Mnemba Island Lodge – which has just 12 eco-chic bandas – attracts tech billionaires and Hollywood celebrities. (Hey, is that Tom Cruise?)
Rates match the star wattage of its guests. But they include twice-daily scuba dives, barefoot butler service and all the fresh lobster you can possibly eat.
Zanzibar travel tips
When to visit Zanzibar
The best time to visit Zanzibar is between mid-June and the end of October (high season), when there’s little rain and temperatures are coolest (around 80 degrees F). December to March is also dry and sunny, but much hotter.
All-inclusive resorts on Zanzibar
Resorts on many Zanzibar beaches, like Bwejuu Beach, are mostly all-inclusive (there are usually no other eating options around).
Anti-malarial meds
Talk to your doctor about anti-malarial precautions, as Zanzibar is in a malaria area.
Have you been to Zanzibar?
What did you like best about the island? You can share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Get the full scoop on planning a luxury trip to Africa! See our ultimate Africa travel guide. It’s packed with safari itineraries and other essential Africa travel information.
Our top travel tips and resources
General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, offering loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy! (You may prefer Expedia for booking hotels in the U.S. or Mexico.)
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Flights: For the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets are often non-refundable. If you want more flexibility, it’s usually worth booking directly with the airline, even if it costs a bit more.)
Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the lowest rates.
eSIMS: Stay connected affordably with Airalo eSIMS covering 200+ countries and trusted by 10 million+ users, including us! (No more huge roaming bills!)
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
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Photo credits: 4, 10, 11, 13, 17 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | 5, 15, 16 Baraza Resort & Spa | 18 andBeyond Mnemba Island Lodge
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