Zanzibar tips - By travel authority Howard Hillman

Safari side trip
- Zanzibar -

Safari tips you can trust

Zanzibar
tips & insights

Why it's special

Zanzibar island is home to the historic Stone Town with artistically carved front doors and other rich cultural icons.

It also has palm-fringed white-sand tropical beaches, beautiful lagoons and coral reefs, aromatic spice plantations, and unwinding seaside resorts.

Getting there

It's easy to get to Zanzibar from Arusha. Coastal Airlines has a midday 90-minute non-stop flight from Arusha to Zanzibar. Alternatively, you could fly to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania's largest city) then take a fast, modern ferry to Zanzibar.

When not to come

Wise to avoid the island from late March to late May, the local rainy season.

Stone town

It's the only town on the island. A walking tour through the narrow winding alleys of its old section is fascinating. A tour of the tropical island is also a must.

Geography

Zanzibar lies in the Indian Ocean 40 kilometers (25 miles) off the coast of Africa. The island is approximately 85 kilometers (53 miles) long and 20 kilometers (12 miles) wide.