Zanzibar
A spice island off Tanzania with white-sand beaches and the old lanes of Stone Town.
Find flights to Zanzibar
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What Zanzibar is like
Zanzibar is an island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanzania. Its old capital, Stone Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of narrow lanes, carved wooden doors and old merchants' houses. The beaches on the north and east coasts have fine white sand; on the east coast the tide goes out a long way, while the north tip is good for swimming at any time of day.
Don't miss
- 01Stone TownLanes, markets and carved doors in the old town.
- 02Spice farmsTours to see cloves, nutmeg and vanilla growing.
- 03Jozani ForestThe national park that's home to the rare red colobus monkey.
- 04Mnemba AtollSnorkelling and diving trips off the north-east coast.
Where to stay
- Nungwi and KendwaThe north tip, where you can swim at any tide.
- PajeThe east coast, popular for kitesurfing.
Worth knowing
Freddie Mercury was born in Stone Town in 1946.
Prison Island: giant tortoises on a tiny island
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0,_isla_Changuu,_Tanzania,_2024-05-31,_DD_08.jpg){kind=link}
A small island where giant Aldabra tortoises roam the grounds of an old quarantine station, with swimming and snorkelling off the beach.
Direct flights to Zanzibar from the UK
From the airlines' own timetables for October 2026 to September 2027. Pick an airport to see the exact days.
Weather in Zanzibar by month
Average daytime highs. The warmest months are January, February, March.
| Month | Day | Night | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 24° | 6 |
| February | 33° | 24° | 4 |
| March | 32° | 24° | 11 |
| April | 31° | 24° | 18 |
| May | 30° | 24° | 14 |
| June | 29° | 23° | 5 |
| July | 29° | 22° | 4 |
| August | 29° | 21° | 6 |
| September | 30° | 21° | 5 |
| October | 31° | 22° | 7 |
| November | 31° | 23° | 14 |
| December | 32° | 24° | 12 |
Long-term averages from the national weather service's station record, as compiled on Wikipedia (Zanzibar City). A rainy day has at least 1mm of rain.
Before you go
- You need a visa. Apply for an e-visa from the Tanzanian Immigration Department before you travel.
- Every visitor must buy the Tanzanian government's own inbound travel insurance, even if you have your own policy. If Zanzibar is where you arrive, it's from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation.
- Your passport must expire at least 6 months after you arrive and have 1 blank page.
- You need a yellow fever certificate if you're arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever.
From the Foreign Office's Tanzania travel advice, checked on 19 October 2026. Rules change, so check it before you travel.