Zanzibar is one of those places that looks exactly like the photos. The water is that blue, the sand is that white, and the spice markets are that fragrant. But knowing a few things before you arrive will make the difference between a beautiful trip and a genuinely transformative one. Here are five.
The Beach Most Travelers Miss
Every search result points to Nungwi, the lively northern tip of the island with restaurants, beach bars, and a postcard-perfect sunset view. It is beautiful. It is also crowded.
The beach worth knowing about is Paje, on the eastern coast. The water is shallow and flat at low tide, a wide turquoise lagoon that stretches out further than you can walk. At high tide it fills in warm and calm. The village is small, the pace is slow, and the view holds your attention without requiring anything from you.
INSIDER TIP: Paje is also the kite surfing capital of East Africa. If you have never tried it, the schools here are excellent and the conditions ideal from June through September. Even if you just watch, it is worth an afternoon.
If you are staying in Stone Town or Nungwi, Paje makes an easy day trip south. If your whole trip is about peace, consider basing yourself there for the full week.
What to Pack for the Heat
Zanzibar sits just south of the equator. The heat is real, and the humidity moves with it. Pack accordingly.
- Linen or lightweight cotton, everything. Synthetics hold heat in a way that will exhaust you by noon. Natural fabrics breathe.
- A light scarf or wrap. Zanzibar is a majority Muslim island. Stone Town’s mosques, markets, and older neighborhoods ask for covered shoulders and knees. A lightweight wrap solves this without adding luggage.
- Reef-safe sunscreen, packed in bulk. Zanzibar’s reefs are protected, and standard sunscreen chemicals are harmful to the coral. Bring more than you think you need. Local options are limited and expensive.
- Sandals with a back strap. Stone Town’s streets are ancient cobblestone, uneven and sometimes steep. Flip-flops work on the beach. For exploring the city, you want something with a strap.
- Electrolyte packets. You will sweat more than usual. Staying hydrated is easy if you plan for it.
The Best Day Trip
Take the boat to Prison Island. The ride takes about 20 minutes by dhow from Stone Town, and the visit covers three things in one afternoon: a small but remarkable tortoise sanctuary, the ruins of the old prison (which was never actually used as a prison), and snorkeling in clear water off the island’s shore.
The giant tortoises are the draw. Some are over 100 years old and entirely unbothered by visitors. You can feed them and sit with them. It is the kind of quiet, close-up wildlife moment that travel photographs but cannot fully capture.
TIMING NOTE: Go in the morning. Boats leave Stone Town starting around 9 AM, and the island gets warmer and more crowded as the day goes on. An early start gives you the tortoises in cooler air and the snorkeling water at its clearest.
What to Skip
The spice tours closest to Stone Town are heavily marketed and, at this point, heavily trafficked. If a spice farm experience is on your list, ask your hotel to recommend one that takes you further out, to a working farm rather than a tourist demonstration. The difference is significant.
Also worth skipping: any overwater experience that advertises itself as comparable to the Maldives. Zanzibar’s beauty is its own. The dhow sunsets, the reef snorkeling, the Stone Town evenings at the night market. These are what Zanzibar does better than anywhere else. Chase those.
The One Decision That Changes the Whole Week
Where you stay on the island shapes everything else. Most first-timers do not realize they are making this decision until they have already made it.
The north coast (Nungwi and Kendwa) is lively. Restaurants, beach bars, other travelers, boats at sunset. It is the social choice and the easiest base for first-timers who want activity within reach.
The east coast (Paje and Bwejuu) is quiet. Flat lagoon, kite surfers, small guesthouses, long stretches of empty beach. It is the decompress choice, and the one many women who return to Zanzibar choose the second time.
Stone Town is historic, walkable, and alive at night. One or two nights there are worth it for the culture and the food. It is not the ideal base for the full week unless you genuinely love cities over beaches.
TRAVEL DIVAS NOTE: Our Zanzibar trips are built around the north and east coasts depending on the group. Check your itinerary before any pre-trip or post-trip extension nights so your choice complements, not duplicates, the group accommodations.
Ready to see Zanzibar for yourself? Travel Divas handles every detail. Visit thetraveldivas.com to see what is open on the calendar.
Luxury Group Travel for Women | 18 Years | 7 Continents | 25,000 Clients
