Zanzibar Town
Away from the hustle, 5km south of Zanzibar Town, trim and tranquil Mbweni Ruins Hotel (part of the Marriott-Protea chain) has light and airy rooms set in expansive botanical gardens. The eponymous ruin – a former mission school for freed slaves – is also in the hotel grounds. Other attractions include a private beach, excellent restaurant and bar with ocean views.
The beach, grounds and restaurant are open to non-guests for a TSh10,000 fee (which is then deducted from your meal cost).
3.45 MILES
An icon of Stone Town, the House of Wonders rises in impressive tiers of slender steel pillars and balconies overlooking the waterfront. Its enormous…
17.15 MILES
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…
3.5 MILES
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…
3.6 MILES
With its peppermint-green latticework balconies and sculpted clock tower, this 19th-century charitable dispensary is one of the most attractive landmarks…
3.43 MILES
Carefully curated by the renowned historian Said al Gheithy, this delightful little museum tells the story of Princess Salme, a sultan's daughter who…
3.27 MILES
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…
3.53 MILES
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…
15.48 MILES
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,…
0.04 MILES
The upmarket suburb of Mbweni, 5km south of Zanzibar Town, was a Universities Mission to Central Africa (UMCA) base and settlement for former slaves in…
2.94 MILES
This domed building, formerly the Peace Memorial Museum and now an archive, dates to 1925, when it was inaugurated as a memorial to the accords ending WWI…
3.05 MILES
Zanzibar's presidential palace was originally designed by British architect John Sinclair as the British Residency in 1903. Today it is not open to…
3.08 MILES
Sitting quietly on Kaunda Rd, surrounded by decaying and overgrown gardens, Victoria Hall housed the legislative council during the British era. It's now…
3.27 MILES
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…
3.31 MILES
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,…
3.34 MILES
Built by Sultan Barghash in the late 19th century, these were the first public baths on Zanzibar. The various rooms were renovated in 2017 and, although…