Stone Town in 3 days

✈️ Getting There

● The main ways people reach Zanzibar are either by ferry or by plane. So the first option is by ferry. If you are flying to Tanzania's capital, Dar es Salaam, or if you are coming from other parts of Tanzania with a bus, you can take a direct ferry to Zanzibar City, which takes around two hours. The second option is just to fly directly to Zanzibar City, which is the main island airport, and all the international planes land there. 

Stone Town

● Stone Town in Zanzibar is a captivating and culturally rich destination with its labyrinthine streets, ornate wooden doors, and a harmonious blend of African, Arab, Indian, and European influences. This historic city offers a unique and picturesque experience, making it a must-visit for those seeking an authentic taste of Zanzibar's rich history and vibrant culture. Because of its rich culture, Stone Town is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most people spend only one or two days here, but in my opinion, there are definitely interesting things to do here, so it's worth spending at least three days in the city. These are the things I did during the days: 

Darajani Bazaar

@Kokustravel

This is where you go to get your suvenier spices. The market provides you a sense of everyday life in the city. There are so many items being sold there, from spices to seafood that has just come straight from the ocean.

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Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral

@Kokustravel

The old slave market is an important historical site for African slave trading. Until the British closed it down in 1873, Stone Town was home to one of the world's last open slave marketplaces, presided over by Arab traders. You should definitely visit the market to learn about the local history. The price is around 5$.

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St Joseph's Cathedral

@Kokustravel

A beautiful cathedral showing how culturally diverse is the island.

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Freddie Mercury's House In Zanzibar

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If you like Queen music, you should know that Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar. You are welcome to visit his little residence, which is filled with various artefacts he has collected during his life.

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Old Fort Stone Town

@Kokustravel

The fort was built in the 17th century by the Portuguese, but as history and ruling changed, the fort passed through the hands of numerous different island occupants. There are now numerous souvenir shops there, and activities are held on a regular basis inside the fortress.

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Shiv Shakti Temple - Hinduu Temple with cute towers

@Kokustravel

A perfect example of all the cultures that are mixed on the island.

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Horizon Palace Hotel

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They have a nice rooftop from which you can see Stone Town.

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Prison Island

@Kokustravel

Tortoise, tortoise, tortoise. Despite its name, Prison Island has never served as a jail due to a variety of historical factors. This place is now overrun by tortoises, the oldest of which is 198 years old. You can feed them, scratch their heads, and take pictures with them. This was without a doubt one of my favourite things to do in town.

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Nakupenda Beach

@Kokustravel

A lovely sandbank that appears during the day when the tide is low. If you ask your hotel, they will most likely give you recommendations on how to organise a boat trip to the island. The visit to Nakupenda Beach is usually paired with an excursion to Prison Island. The price of visiting both sites is usually between 20$-40$.

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● You can definitely walk around Stone Town on your own and see so many interesting things, but I recommend taking yourself on a walking tour around the city so it wouldn't feel so much like a huge labyrinth. I did my tour with GuruWalk, which was free, and I had a nice time. 

18 Free Walking Tours at Zanzibar | GuruWalk

www.guruwalk.com

🥘 Where to eat?

● Through the days, I got to explore quite some different places in town. These are my top picks:

Beach House Zanzibar

@Kokustravel

Great place for sunset drinks. The food is fresh and tasty. The decoration creates a true beachhouse feeling.

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Africa House Hotel

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It can be a perfect place to see the sunset and grab a drink.

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Archipelago Waterfront Zanzibar

@Kokustravel

The meal is of good quality, and along with it, you will hear the waves, see children dancing on the beach, and smell the ocean. It is certainly a beautiful mix.

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Harbour Indian Kitchen by Chili & Lime

@Kokustravel

If you're looking for a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, this is the place to go. The rates are really low when compared to the majority of the places in Stone Town, and the food quality is truly exceptional. I tried a couple different curries here and was not disappointed.

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Secret Garden

@Kokustravel

This is a higher-end restaurant with a tourist focus, but it is still worth a visit if you want to spend an evening in style. The restaurant is very beautiful, with so many pants, and if you're lucky, they have live music evenings, so if you hear there's a concert going on at Secret Garden, you should definitely go.

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Cape Town Fish Market Zanzibar

@Kokustravel

Another stunning location for a sunset. I really enjoyed this restaurant because the costs were reasonable for the location and the meal quality was excellent.

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Stone Town Cafe

@Kokustravel

This was my main breakfast spot. There were a lot of differed options to chose from, they served the food quickly, and the pricing was affordable, especially for a backapcer.

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Night Food Market

@Kokustravel

Nigh Food Market is the place to go if you want to try something new. There are so many different cuisine alternatives that your head will spin. The vendors will try to persuade you to take a tour of the market but will most likely end up showing you their food stand, which is really nice because you get to see all the different foods you can taste here. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, don't worry, you will find something to eat, I know I did ;).

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🛏️ Where to stay?

STONE TOWN HOUSE

@Kokustravel

A Simple but a lovely place to stay if you are traveling solo and you want to meet some people. The best thing about this place was manager who was so knowlagmebe abou the whole island and helped me with tso mant thing unrelated to my stay. So if you are satring your trip in Zanzibar and feel a bit woried this is the best place to come as you will get all the tips and advices fromt the staffIf you're travelling alone and wish to meet some folks, this is a simple but nice location to stay. The finest thing about the hotel was the manager, who was quite knowledgeable about the entire island and assisted me with numerous matters unrelated to my stay. So, if you're planning a vacation to Zanzibar and are nervous about being in a new place, this is the place to go because the staff will give you all the suggestions and guidance you need.

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Want a more detailed itinerary of Zanzibar?

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Travelling slowly for 2 weeks in Zanzibar

The easiest way to describe Zanzibar is that it’s just like PARADISE. I travelled slowly through Zanzibar for 2 weeks, and I had the most amazing, chilled time that you can imagine. The island looks exactly like the pictures you see online, and I would say, in some cases, even better. The majority of the time I spend just eating and chilling on beaches, so here is some inspiration for you to do the same. 🖱️ Don't forget to click on the place to see my personal notes.

Backpacker • Car-free • Female Solo • Vegetarian • Vegan • Digital Nomads • Adventure • Budget • Foodie • People & Culture • Relaxation • Sustainable/Eco • Slow Travel

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