Plan your trip
Zanzibar Travel Guide
Zanzibar is an archipelago off the Tanzanian coast, and the main island, Unguja, is what most people mean by the name. It is small enough to cross in under two hours, which means you can base yourself on one beach and still see everything worth seeing.
How long do you need?
Seven nights is the sweet spot: one or two in Stone Town, the rest on a beach. Five nights works if you keep to one base. Ten to fourteen nights lets you add a mainland safari or split between two coasts.
Choosing your side of the island
The north, around Nungwi and Kendwa, has the least tidal movement and therefore swimmable water all day. The east coast, from Kiwengwa to Jambiani, has a large tidal range: enormous white-sand flats at low tide and a turquoise lagoon at high tide. The south west is where the boat trips leave from, and Stone Town is the cultural base.
What to book before you arrive
Airport transfers, the first night's accommodation and any tour that runs to a fixed schedule, such as Safari Blue or Mnemba snorkelling, are worth arranging in advance. Everything else can be organised once you are on the island.
Getting around
Private transfers are the norm between the airport and the beach areas. Car hire makes sense if you want to explore independently, and taxis work for short hops. Distances look small but roads are slower than the map suggests.