Islands & OceaniaHoneymoonBeachesCultureDiving

Zanzibar

The Spice Island Where Africa Meets the Indian Ocean.

Ancient Stone Town, powder beaches, clove-scented air — and some of the Indian Ocean's best diving just below the surface.

Zanzibar is a 40-minute flight off the Tanzanian coast, but it feels like a different world entirely. The old quarter of Stone Town — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is a labyrinth of narrow streets, carved wooden doors and crumbling merchant palaces that carry 1,000 years of Arab, Indian and Swahili history in their walls. Beyond the medina, the island opens into postcard-perfection: white coral-sand beaches, water in shades of jade and aquamarine, and a reef system that draws divers from around the world. This was the hub of the Indian Ocean spice trade — nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves still grow in the island's interior forests. It's one of the few places on earth where you can spend the morning exploring a UNESCO city, the afternoon snorkelling with dolphins, and the evening eating seafood by lamplight at a street market that smells of saffron and the sea.

Best For

Couples · Culture · Diving

Duration

7–10 Days

Best Season

June – October

Visa

Visa on Arrival (available for Indians)

Capital City

Stone Town

Province / Country

Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania

Stone Town (officially Zanzibar City) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa's most atmospheric old quarters. A dense maze of alleys lined with intricately carved wooden doors, crumbling coral-stone mansions and the smell of cloves in the air — it looks and feels like the 19th-century Indian Ocean spice port it once was. The Forodhani Gardens night market, the House of Wonders, the Arab Fort and the Old Dispensary are the anchor points for an afternoon's exploration.

Must-Know

What Zanzibar Is Famous For

The experiences, landscapes and moments that define a trip here.

Stone Town — UNESCO Old Quarter

A living 19th-century Indian Ocean trading port — the old quarter of Zanzibar City is a dense maze of alleys lined with carved wooden doors, Arab and Indian merchant mansions, mosques and the smell of spice in the air. The House of Wonders, the Old Arab Fort, the Freddie Mercury Museum and Forodhani Gardens night food market are all within walking distance. Getting deliberately lost in the lanes is the best thing you can do here.

Beaches

Nungwi & Kendwa Beaches

The northern tip of Zanzibar is where the Indian Ocean meets the Zanzibar Channel — the result is powdery white coral sand, water in shades of jade and turquoise, and a beach that stays swimmable at all tides. Kendwa is calmer and more local; Nungwi is livelier with restaurants and sunset bars.

Spice Farm Tour

Zanzibar was the world's largest clove producer for two centuries — the entire interior of the island is still scented with cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla. A guided spice farm tour takes you through working plantations where you can smell and taste each spice in its raw form. Most tours end with a traditional Zanzibari lunch. One of the best half-days you can spend on the island.

Adventure

Mnemba Atoll Diving & Snorkelling

The Mnemba Atoll is a protected marine area off the northeast coast — one of the Indian Ocean's finest dive sites. Hawksbill turtles, spinner dolphins, leopard sharks and enormous schools of reef fish all live here. Snorkellers can see most of it from the surface. Dive operators in Nungwi and Paje run daily trips. Between June and September, dolphins are almost guaranteed.

Nature

Jozani Forest & Red Colobus Monkeys

Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is the only place on earth where you can see the endangered Zanzibar Red Colobus monkey in the wild. These rust-coloured primates are completely habituated to human visitors. The forest boardwalk through the mangroves is an hour well spent.

Prison Island & Giant Tortoises

A 25-minute boat ride from Stone Town, Changuu Island (Prison Island) holds a colony of Aldabra giant tortoises — some over 100 years old — originally gifted from Seychelles in 1919. Walking among them is surprisingly moving. The island also has a beach, snorkelling and the ruins of a 19th-century quarantine station.

Take Home

What to Shop in Zanzibar

From artisan workshops to open-air markets — things worth packing an extra bag for.

🌿

Zanzibar Spices

Vacuum-packed cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla from the island's spice farms are the definitive souvenir — the same produce that made Zanzibar the centre of the Indian Ocean trade for 200 years. Buy from spice farms directly, not tourist shops.

🧣

Kanga & Kikoi Fabric

The kanga is a printed cotton rectangle used across East Africa as wrap, headscarf and baby carrier — usually carrying a Swahili proverb. Kikoi is a heavier striped weave. Both are light, inexpensive and incredibly useful. Get them at Darajani Market in Stone Town.

🚪

Miniature Carved Doors

Zanzibar's iconic carved wooden doors — with brass studs, chain motifs and arch-top frames — are one of the great art forms of the Indian Ocean trade world. Quality miniature replicas are widely available in Stone Town and make extraordinary conversation pieces.

🎨

Tinga-Tinga Paintings

The vivid, graphic painting style invented in Dar es Salaam — animals, village scenes and fantasy creatures rendered in bright acrylic on board. Tanzania's most recognisable contemporary art form, available from street artists in Stone Town.

Explore

Top Attractions in Zanzibar

The places everyone tells you to visit — and they're right.

01 · Food & Culture

Forodhani Gardens Night Market

Every evening at sundown, Stone Town's seafront gardens transform into an open-air night food market where vendors grill fresh seafood, make Zanzibar pizza and serve urojo soup by lamplight. One of the great street food experiences in East Africa.

02 · Adventure

Paje Beach & Kite Surfing

The southeast coast gets consistent Indian Ocean trade winds June–September, making it one of the best kite surfing spots in Africa. Even non-surfers come for Paje's beautiful tidal flat and quiet beach bar scene.

🐬

Kizimkazi Dolphin Swimming

The southern tip of Zanzibar is where spinner and bottlenose dolphins gather in the early morning. Boat tours from Kizimkazi offer snorkelling alongside them — success rates are high in season.

🏰

Old Arab Fort (Ngome Kongwe)

Built by Omani Arabs between 1698–1701, this is the oldest surviving building in Stone Town — now a cultural centre with an open-air amphitheatre hosting live music on summer evenings.

🎸

Freddie Mercury Birthplace

Farrokh Bulsara — Freddie Mercury — was born in Stone Town in 1946. His childhood home is now a boutique hotel and small museum. A pilgrimage for Queen fans.

🏄

Pingwe Blue Lagoon Snorkelling

The east coast's shallow tidal flats and reef patches offer accessible snorkelling — particularly at high tide around Pingwe's Blue Lagoon where the coral is close to the surface.

Taste & Culture

Food, Rituals & Zanzibar's Soul

Eat with your hands. Watch the ceremony. Understand why people keep coming back.

Swahili Coast HeritageArab & Omani InfluenceIndian Merchant HistoryIslamic ArchitectureSpice Trade LegacyTaarab MusicEast African Coastal Culture

“In Zanzibar, every carved door has a story — of a merchant who came from Oman, an architect trained in Gujarat, and a craftsman whose name was never written down but whose work is still standing.”

Zanzibar Pizza

Nothing to do with Italian pizza — this is a crispy, egg-based street crepe folded around minced meat, vegetables and cheese, made to order at Forodhani Gardens every evening. One of the great street foods of East Africa.

Urojo (Zanzibar Mix)

A rich coconut and mango soup served with bhajias, cassava chips, boiled eggs and lime juice — deeply savoury, faintly sweet. Available at Forodhani Gardens and local tea houses.

Grilled Lobster & Seafood

Rock lobster, red snapper, tuna and octopus all appear on local menus for a fraction of what you'd pay in Europe. Best version: simply grilled over charcoal at Forodhani Gardens, dressed with lemon and chilli.

Zanzibari Pilau & Biryani

Rice cooked in ghee with cardamom, cloves, cumin and cinnamon, served with slow-cooked meat. Richer and more aromatic than its mainland cousin — comfort food from the spice trade era.

Before You Go

Essential Facts

Everything an Indian traveller needs before booking a Zanzibar trip.

Getting There

✈️

~6 hrs via Dar es Salaam or Nairobi

Non-stop from major Indian cities

Weather

🌤️

27–32°C, warm year-round

Budget / Couple

💳

₹80,000–1.8L / couple / week

Flights, hotels & activities included

Visa for Indians

🛂

Visa on Arrival (Indian passport)

Traveller Questions

Zanzibar — Frequently Asked Questions

Real questions from Indian travellers, answered by our Zanzibar experts.

Do Indians need a visa to visit Zanzibar?

Yes. Indian passport holders require a Tanzania tourist visa, which is available as a Visa on Arrival at Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ). The fee is USD 50 (~₹4,200) for single entry. Alternatively, apply for an e-Visa online at tanzaniaimmigration.go.tz before travel.

How do you get to Zanzibar from India?

There are no direct flights from India to Zanzibar. The two main routes are via Dar es Salaam (DAR) on Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, or Air Tanzania — total journey time around 10–13 hours — or via Nairobi (NBO) with a connection to ZNZ. Return fares from Bangalore typically cost ₹35,000–55,000.

How much does a Zanzibar trip cost from India?

A 7-night Zanzibar trip for a couple costs ₹80,000–1,20,000 on a budget (guesthouses, local food), ₹1,20,000–1,80,000 for mid-range beach resorts, and ₹2,00,000+ for luxury properties on Nungwi or Kendwa. Flights from India are the biggest cost component — ₹35,000–55,000 return per person.

What is the best time to visit Zanzibar from India?

June to October is the best season — dry, sunny, and ideal for diving, snorkelling, and beach days. Temperatures stay around 27–30°C. December to February is a secondary dry window. Avoid March–May (long rains) and November (short rains) when beach activities are limited.

What are the top things to do in Zanzibar?

The top experiences are: Stone Town UNESCO heritage walk and Forodhani night market; Nungwi and Kendwa beach days (most beautiful beaches); a Spice Farm Tour (cloves, cinnamon, vanilla grown here); Mnemba Atoll snorkelling and diving (one of Africa's best reefs); Jozani Forest for the rare Red Colobus monkey; and Prison Island for giant Aldabra tortoises.

What currency is used in Zanzibar?

The official currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS), but US Dollars are widely accepted at hotels, resorts, and tourist activities. Carry USD cash from India — you'll get the best exchange at authorised money changers in Stone Town. Carry TZS shillings for local markets and street food.

Ready to Go?