Things to Do in Zanzibar: 20 Best Activities & Experiences

Zanzibar is more than its beaches. Between the UNESCO heritage of Stone Town, spice plantations that supply the world's cloves and nutmeg, underwater worlds teeming with dolphins and whale sharks, and a food culture that blends African, Arab, Indian, and European influences — there's enough here to fill weeks. We send dozens of guests to Zanzibar every month through Snow Africa Adventure, and the question we hear most often is: "What should we actually do?" Here's our ranked list of the 20 best activities, with real prices and the practical details your hotel concierge won't mention. (For general trip planning, see our complete Zanzibar travel guide.)

Stone Town Heritage

1Walking Tour of Stone Town

The only way to experience Stone Town is on foot — the narrow alleys defeat cars and tuk-tuks. A guided walking tour (2-3 hours, >5-The only way to experience 5 per person) covers the highlights: the former slave market and Anglican Cathedral built directly over the auction site, the Sultan's Palace Museum (Beit el-Sahel) with its rooftop views, the Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) — the oldest standing structure in Stone Town — Freddie Mercury's birthplace on Kenyatta Road, and the famous carved wooden doors. There are over 500 carved doors in Stone Town, each telling a story about the family who commissioned it: Indian doors have brass studs (originally to repel war elephants in India), Arab doors have intricate geometric carvings, and the door's size indicates the family's wealth.

2Forodhani Gardens Night Market

Stone Town's legendary evening food market opens at sunset along the waterfront. Local chefs set up charcoal grills and serve seafood skewers ($1-$3), grilled octopus ($2-$4), Zanzibar pizza (a stuffed crepe unique to the island, $2-$3), urojo (Zanzibar mix soup with fritters, mango, and lime — the island's signature street food, $1-$2), fresh sugar cane juice ($0.50), and grilled lobster tails ($5-$8). Budget $5-$15 for a feast that covers every flavour Zanzibar has to offer. Go hungry.

3Slave Market Memorial & Anglican Cathedral

The Anglican Cathedral stands on the site of Zanzibar's last slave market, closed in 1873 under pressure from the British. The underground chambers where enslaved people were held before auction are preserved as a memorial — cramped, dark spaces where up to 75 people were packed at a time to "test their strength" by seeing who could endure the conditions. An estimated 50,000 people passed through this market annually at its peak, shipped to plantations across the Indian Ocean world. The altar of the cathedral sits precisely where the whipping post once stood. Entry: $8, includes a guide who provides essential historical context. Plan 45 minutes to an hour.

Ocean Activities

4Snorkelling at Mnemba Atoll

Mnemba Atoll, off the northeast coast, is Zanzibar's premier snorkelling destination and one of the best marine sites in East Africa. The protected marine area has exceptional coral coverage, over 600 species of tropical fish, green and hawksbill sea turtles, and sometimes pods of bottlenose dolphins. Half-day trips depart from Nungwi, Kendwa, and Matemwe (Mnemba Atoll0-<0 per person including mask, snorkel, fins, and life jacket). The best snorkelling is on the southern and western sides of the atoll where currents are gentler and coral is healthiest.

5Scuba Diving

Zanzibar has dive sites for every level — from gentle reef dives off Stone Town to advanced wall dives at Pemba's Misali Island. A single fun dive costs $50-$80, PADI Open Water certification runs $350-$500. See our comprehensive diving and snorkelling guide for detailed site descriptions.

6Dolphin Tours at Kizimkazi

Kizimkazi, at the southern tip of the island, is where bottlenose and humpback dolphins are regularly spotted. Morning boat trips ($30-$40 per person) offer the chance to swim alongside wild dolphins. Ethical concerns: some operators chase dolphins aggressively. Choose an operator that maintains distance and lets dolphins approach voluntarily — your hotel can recommend responsible operators.

7Safari Blue Full-Day Excursion

Our top pick for a full-day experience, and the most popular excursion on the island for good reason. You sail on a traditional dhow from Fumba (southwest coast) to Menai Bay Conservation Area, visit a disappearing sandbank in the middle of the ocean, snorkel over coral reefs teeming with tropical fish, explore a mangrove lagoon by boat, and eat a freshly prepared seafood lunch (grilled fish, octopus, lobster, rice, fruit) on a deserted island. The whole day runs from about 9am to 4pm.

Cost: $70-$90 per person including transfers from your hotel, all activities, equipment, and lunch. It's touristy — expect 30-50 people across multiple boats — but genuinely beautiful. The sandbank photos alone are worth it. Book through your hotel or a licensed operator; the official Safari Blue company maintains the highest standards.

8Kite Surfing in Paje

Paje is East Africa's kite surfing capital. Consistent trade winds (15-25 knots) blow from June to September and December to February. The vast shallow lagoon exposed at low tide creates perfect flat-water conditions for beginners. Lessons start at $50-$80 for 2 hours, with 3-day courses ($250-$350) taking complete beginners to independent riding.

Top schools: Kite Centre Zanzibar, Airborne Kite Centre, One Love Kite. Equipment rental for experienced riders: $50-$80/day.

9Deep-Sea Fishing

The Pemba Channel between Zanzibar and Pemba Island is one of East Africa's best big-game fishing grounds. Marlin (blue, black, striped), sailfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and dorado are all caught year-round. Half-day charters run $400-$700, full-day $700-$1,200 for a private boat. Peak season: September-March.

Cultural Experiences

10Spice Tour

Zanzibar is called the Spice Island for good reason — for centuries, it was the world's largest producer of cloves (still the island's main export), and it still grows nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, lemongrass, vanilla, and cardamom on small plantations across the island's interior. A spice farm tour (3-4 hours, $25-$40 per person) takes you through working plantations where guides pick fresh spices directly from trees and vines, explain their culinary and medicinal uses, and challenge you to identify them by smell alone.

You'll taste fresh lemongrass tea brewed on the spot, try jackfruit and starfruit straight from the tree, smell vanilla pods drying in the sun, and crush fresh cinnamon bark between your fingers. The guides are entertainers as much as educators — expect demonstrations of climbing coconut palms, and you'll leave wearing a crown woven from palm fronds. It's a genuinely fun half-day that teaches you something.

11Jozani Forest & Red Colobus Monkeys

The only place in the world where you'll find the endangered Zanzibar Red Colobus monkey — fewer than 6,000 remain. Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park ($10 entry) protects this indigenous species in a mangrove and coral rag forest. A guided walk (1 hour) practically guarantees sightings — the monkeys are habituated to visitors and remarkably relaxed. You'll also walk through mangrove boardwalks and learn about the forest ecosystem.

12Prison Island (Changuu Island)

A 20-minute boat ride from Stone Town takes you to Prison Island — originally built as a prison (never used as one), later a quarantine station, now home to a colony of Aldabra giant tortoises, some over 190 years old. You can feed and touch them. The island also has a small beach and decent snorkelling. Half-day trips cost $30-$50 including boat and entry.

13Seaweed Farming Tour in Jambiani

At low tide, the women of Jambiani wade into the shallows to tend their seaweed farms — a major source of income exported to cosmetics and food companies worldwide. Community-based tours ($10-$15) let you join the farmers, learn the process, and understand the economics. It's one of the most authentic cultural experiences on the island and directly supports local livelihoods.

14Zanzibar Cooking Class

Learn to make Zanzibar's signature dishes: pilau (spiced rice with meat), coconut bean curry, chapati, samosas, and mandazi (fried dough). Classes ($30-$50) typically start at a local market where you shop for ingredients with your guide, then cook and eat together. Emerson Spice in Stone Town and several Paje/Jambiani guesthouses offer excellent cooking experiences.

Island Hopping

15Nakupenda Sandbank

A photogenic sandbank that appears at low tide near Stone Town — literally a strip of white sand in the middle of turquoise ocean. Half-day trips ($25-$35) include snorkelling and a seafood lunch. It's the most popular Instagram spot in Zanzibar for good reason.

16Chumbe Island Eco-Snorkelling

An award-winning eco-reserve with one of the most pristine coral reefs in the Western Indian Ocean. Full-day trips ($100-$120) include guided snorkelling, a forest walk (look for rare coconut crabs), and lunch at the eco-lodge. The reef has 200+ coral species and 400+ fish species in a tiny area. Limit of 12 visitors per day ensures minimal impact.

17Pemba Island Day Trip or Side Trip

A full adventure: fly (20 minutes) or fast ferry (2 hours) to Zanzibar's northern sister island for world-class diving at Misali Island, clove plantation tours, and genuine off-the-beaten-track exploration. Pemba sees a fraction of Zanzibar's tourists, and the diving — particularly at Misali Island's coral walls — ranks among the best in East Africa. Best as a 2-3 day side trip rather than a rushed day trip. See our Zanzibar beaches guide for Pemba accommodation and beach details.

Sunset & Evening Experiences

18Sunset Dhow Cruise

Sail Stone Town's harbour on a traditional wooden dhow — the same type of vessel that has carried trade across the Indian Ocean for centuries — as the sun sets behind the old city skyline. Trips run 1.5-2 hours, cost $20-$35 per person, and include drinks (usually wine, beer, juice) and snacks. You'll see Stone Town from the water, pass fishing dhows heading out for night fishing, and watch the sky turn orange over Africa. One of the most romantic experiences in Zanzibar, and our top recommendation for couples.

19The Rock Restaurant

Zanzibar's most photographed dining spot — a restaurant perched on a rock in the Indian Ocean at Michamvi. At high tide, you reach it by boat. At low tide, you walk across the sand. The seafood is good (lobster, grilled fish, octopus — mains $15-$30), the setting is extraordinary, and the photos are unbeatable. Book 2-3 days in advance during peak season. Dinner is more atmospheric than lunch.

20Mnarani Turtle Sanctuary (Nungwi)

A conservation project at the northern tip of the island where injured sea turtles are rehabilitated in a natural tidal pool. Entry costs $8 and you can swim with the turtles — mostly green turtles and hawksbills, ranging from juveniles to adults. The sanctuary also has a small aquarium and information about marine conservation. It's a 20-minute experience but a highlight for families, and the money supports genuine conservation work. Best visited in the morning when the turtles are most active.

Practical Tips for Booking Activities

• Negotiate respectfullyPrices for excursions are often negotiable, especially in low season. Ask for a group discount if you're travelling with friends. But don't haggle aggressively — a few dollars difference matters more to the guide than to you.
• Book through your hotel or a licensed operatorBeach touts offer lower prices but quality is unpredictable, boats may lack safety equipment, and there's no recourse if things go wrong. Hotels typically mark up 10-20%, which buys you reliability and accountability.
• Tip your guides$5-$10 per person for a half-day tour, $10-$20 for a full day. Boat crews on snorkelling trips appreciate $3-$5 per person. Tipping is expected and a significant part of guide income.
• Carry cashMost excursions and activities are cash-only (USD or Tanzanian shillings). ATMs are available in Stone Town and Nungwi but unreliable elsewhere.
• Sunscreen and waterZanzibar is equatorial — the sun is intense. Bring reef-safe sunscreen (important for marine environments), a hat, and plenty of water for any excursion.

Day Trips from Zanzibar

• Spice tour + Jozani + beachA full day combining a spice farm visit, the Red Colobus monkeys, and a beach lunch. $50-$70 per person.
• Prison Island + Stone TownHalf-day to Prison Island, afternoon exploring Stone Town, evening at Forodhani Gardens. $40-$60.
• Mnemba snorkel + MatemweSnorkelling at the atoll with lunch at a Matemwe beachfront restaurant. $40-$60.
• Safari Blue full dayThe classic dhow sailing, snorkelling, sandbank, and seafood lunch. $70-$90.

What to Skip

Not everything marketed to tourists in Zanzibar is worth your time or money:

• Overpriced "luxury" dhow cruisesSome operators charge $150+ for a sunset cruise that's identical to the $25-$35 version. The boats, routes, and drinks are the same — you're paying for a marketing budget and a hotel commission, not a better experience.
• Swimming with dolphins (aggressive operators)If the boat chases dolphins at high speed for 30 minutes while tourists jump in repeatedly, it's not ethical tourism and the dolphins are visibly stressed. Choose operators who maintain distance and let dolphins approach voluntarily — or skip the dolphin tour entirely if you can't confirm the operator's practices.
• Butterfly CentreSmall, hot, and not as impressive as it sounds. Skip unless you're travelling with young children who need a break from the beach.
• "Free" walking toursSome beach touts offer free tours of Stone Town that inevitably end at a commission-paying shop. Pay $15-$25 for a licensed guide and get a real tour without the sales pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions