The short answer
Beyond its beaches, Zanzibar offers spice-farm tours, world-class snorkelling and diving around Mnemba Atoll, the red colobus monkeys of Jozani Forest, historic Stone Town, sunset dhow cruises and dolphin trips. A few well-chosen excursions turn a beach holiday into a richer island experience.
Zanzibar is more than a beach — though the beaches are wonderful. Between swims, the island offers a surprising range of things to do, from tasting spices on a working farm to snorkelling some of the Indian Ocean's best reefs. Here are the experiences worth building into your trip.
See Zanzibar trips →On the water
- ›Snorkel or dive Mnemba Atoll — coral gardens, turtles and dolphins
- ›Take a sunset dhow cruise on a traditional sailing boat
- ›Visit a sandbank for a private picnic at low tide
- ›Go dolphin-watching off Kizimkazi in the south
- ›Kitesurf the steady winds of the east coast at Paje
On land
- ›Tour a spice farm — taste cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg
- ›Explore UNESCO-listed Stone Town and its carved doors
- ›Meet the rare red colobus monkeys in Jozani Forest
- ›Visit Prison Island's giant Aldabra tortoises
- ›Swim in the magical Kuza or Maalum natural caves
Good to know
Most excursions are half-day trips, so you can mix one adventure with one lazy beach day at a time — the ideal Zanzibar rhythm.
Taste the island
Zanzibar's Swahili cuisine is a destination in itself — fresh seafood, coconut curries, and street food at Stone Town's Forodhani night market. A cooking class or a guided food walk is a delicious way to understand the island's trading history through its flavours.
Got a question while you read? Ombeni answers personally — usually within a few hours.
See Zanzibar trips →Frequently Asked Questions
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