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Africa

ZanzibarTanzania

Indian Ocean sandbars, spice farms and the coral-stone alleys of Stone Town.

The vibe

BeachyScenicRomanticFamily-friendlyAction-packed

Derived from Zanzibar’s strongest Destination DNA attributes.

Where is Zanzibar?

Map showing the location of Zanzibar, TanzaniaZanzibar, Tanzania is in Africa. The marker shows its approximate position.
Simplified location map: Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa.

Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago in the Indian Ocean, a short way off the East African mainland.

At a glance

Country
Tanzania
Region
Africa
City size
Large city
English
Low

Why you might like Zanzibar

  • Beach
  • Diving
  • Island
  • Warm & sunny
  • Surfing
  • Food

Zanzibar's east coast has pale sand and shallow turquoise water shaped by big tides, while the north around Nungwi swims well all day. Stone Town is a UNESCO-listed maze of Swahili, Omani and Indian architecture, and dhow trips and reef diving fill the days.

Zanzibar in facts

Country
Tanzania
Region
Africa
City size
Large city · ~1.9M residents

Island resident population · UN World Urbanization Prospects and national statistics offices, 2024

English proficiency
Low · 479/800

Country-level score · EF English Proficiency Index 2025

Why Zanzibar stands out

  1. Stone Town's mixed Swahili, Arab, Persian and Indian architecture reflects its history as a major trading port.

  2. Zanzibar was historically central to the spice trade, and spice farm tours remain a common activity.

  3. The island's east coast beaches sit along a shallow reef lagoon with dramatic tidal swings.

  4. Zanzibar is an archipelago off mainland Tanzania, reached by short flight or ferry from Dar es Salaam.

Good to know

  • Zanzibar has two rainy seasons, a long one from March to May and a shorter one around November.
  • Stone Town and the east-coast beach areas offer quite different experiences, historic and cultural versus coastal resort.
  • As a majority Muslim island, modest dress is appropriate outside of beach resort areas.

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