Diving and snorkeling
One of the most exciting dive areas in the world, with coral reefs and plunging walls, colourful shallow-water fish and large pelagics, including tuna, barracuda, rays, turtles, sharks and eels. You can book a full PADI course, or just paddle around with mask and fins.
Spice tour
A fascinating half-day or day drive around the thickly wooded interior of Zanzibar island, showing you where spices come from and how they are picked.
Beaches
Zanzibar has some of the longest, whitest, most idyllic beaches we’ve seen, with swaying coconut palms and warm, turquoise, tidal waters. The quieter beaches (e.g. on Pemba) are covered with wonderful shells – though, sadly, you are not allowed to take any home
Water-sports
Windsurfing, water-skiing and sea-kayaking are available at the larger resorts, but only when the tide is in
Wildlife
If you’re not gamed out from a mainland safari, you can spot red colobus monkeys in Jozani forest or swim with dolphins at Kizimkazi. There is an excellent birdwatching everywhere – sunbirds, rollers, herons, egrets and flying foxes
Shopping
The narrow alleys of Stone Town are lined with craft shops and souvenir stalls: colourful fabrics, wooden bao boards, leather sandals, handwoven baskets and jewellery are some of the things to take home
Sightseeing
The scattered ruins of Sultan’s palaces (Maharubi), slave chambers (Stone Town / Mangapwani) and Persian baths (Kizimbani) are the best of the Arab remains in and around Stone Town, which itself has a decidedly faded grandeur. The evocative, ruined Shirazi capital of Mafia, Kua, can be visited by boat