Zanzibar Itinerary

1. ~8:30aA Swahili-coast breakfast

   Tropical fruit, spiced chai, and Zanzibar mandazi (cardamom doughnuts) to start, the Indian Ocean light pouring in.

2. ~9:30aStone Town's labyrinth

   The UNESCO old town — a maze of coral-stone lanes, carved wooden doors, the old slave market and Anglican cathedral, the House of Wonders, and Freddie Mercury's birthplace.

   
3. ~11:30aA spice farm tour

   Zanzibar is the original Spice Island — a farm walk tasting and smelling cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and pepper straight from the tree, the trade that built the island.

4. ~1:30pA Swahili lunch

   Zanzibari cuisine — a coconut-and-spice fish curry, urojo (the island's tangy soup), and a fresh juice, the flavours of African, Arab, and Indian trade.

   
5. ~5:00pA sunset dhow cruise

   Out on a traditional wooden dhow under a triangular sail for the sunset over the Indian Ocean — the iconic Zanzibar image.

   
6. 8:00pThe Forodhani night market (or Emerson on Hurumzi)Anchor table

   The Forodhani Gardens night market — Zanzibari grilled seafood, 'Zanzibar pizza,' and sugarcane juice among the stalls — or the rooftop Swahili tasting at historic Emerson on Hurumzi. The marquee meal.

   

Stone Town is a living UNESCO labyrinth — a guide brings its layered Swahili-Arab-Indian history alive. The spice-farm visit and the sunset dhow are essential Zanzibar; Forodhani market is a delicious, atmospheric dinner.

Day 1 in photos

1. ~9:00aThe powder-sand beaches

   Zanzibar's northeast and north coasts — Nungwi and Kendwa's flour-white sand and turquoise water, the classic Indian Ocean beach.

   
2. ~11:00aSnorkel the coral reef

   A boat to the reef — Mnemba atoll's marine reserve is the jewel, thick with fish, turtles, and (often) dolphins in clear, warm water.

3. ~1:30pA beach-shack seafood lunch

   The morning's catch grilled simply — lobster, prawns, and fish with coconut rice, at a beachfront table with your feet in the sand.

4. ~3:30pA village & the tides

   The dramatic tides of the east coast expose vast sand flats — a walk among the seaweed farmers and fishing villages, a glimpse of island life.

5. ~6:30pA beach sunset

   The north coast (Kendwa) is one of the few Zanzibar beaches facing the sunset — a cocktail in the sand as the sky burns.

Zanzibar's beaches are postcard-perfect, but the east-coast tides are dramatic — swimming is tide-dependent there, while the north (Nungwi, Kendwa) stays swimmable. Mnemba's reef is the snorkelling highlight.

Day 2 in photos

1. ~7:30aSnorkel at Mnemba atoll

   An early boat to the Mnemba marine reserve — the island's best snorkelling, with turtles, rays, and pods of dolphins in the clear water around the atoll.

2. ~11:00aJozani Forest & the red colobus

   Zanzibar's national park — the rare endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkeys at close range, and a boardwalk through a mangrove forest.

3. ~1:00pA coastal lunch

   A Swahili seafood lunch on the southeast coast — octopus curry and coconut rice at a beach restaurant.

4. ~3:00pThe Rock & the southeast

   The famous Rock restaurant perched on a coral outcrop in the sea (a drink or a booking ahead), and the quieter southeast beaches of Paje and Jambiani — kitesurfing country.

5. ~6:30pA quiet beach evening

   A calm southeast or island sunset, the dhows silhouetted on the water.

6. ~8:00pDinner by the sea

   Fresh seafood at a beachside table — the day's catch and a cold Kilimanjaro beer.

Jozani's endemic red colobus monkeys are a unique Zanzibar wildlife highlight. The southeast coast (Paje) is the island's kitesurfing hub; the Rock restaurant is a fun photo-and-drinks stop, best booked ahead.