Stone Town & around
Top Tips
To explore the town, your best bet is to catch a guided city
tour run by one of the many local operators – ask your
hotel for recommendations. Your second option is to get the
excellent map by Giovanni Tombazi, available at the airport and
many shops locally, plus a guide book or print-out of these pages,
and do it yourself.
A word of advice: don’t visit Stone Town try on your first
day – you’ll be tired, hot and disorientated. Its
subtle, run-down charms work much better at the end of your trip.
Our favourite places to stay in and around the town can be found on
the Places To Stay tab.
back to topSights
The Waterfront
The centre of attention is the waterfront by the Forodhani
gardens and jetty. Overlooked by the House of Wonders and the
Arab fort, it’s the gathering point for tourists and seasoned
travellers, for bracelet-selling touts and costumed Maasai
warriors. To the north is the commercial and passenger port, with
wooden jahazis (cargo dhows), tiny shuttle-boats and modern
container ships all anchored alongside each other.
House of Wonders
Three tiers of colonnaded facades give this former Sultan’s
Palace, now immortalised as the first building to receive
electricity on Zanzibar, a grand, colonial appearance. Inside its
magnificently studded doors is a new museum; outside sit 3
Portuguese cannons. Also called Beit el Ajaib.
People’s Palace and Museum
50 years older than its neighbour, to which it was once joined by
high-level walkways, this whitewashed palace was built for Sultan
Said in the 1830’s, and partly destroyed in the 1890’s.
It now houses memorabilia from the Said dynasty, including a room
dedicated to Salome, the princess who eloped to Germany with her
trader husband.
Old Arab Fort
Built around 1700 on the site of a Portuguese chapel, and over the
years serving as a prison, a railway depot and a tennis club, it
now houses a café, an open-air theatre and several craft
shops.
Slave chambers
It’s worth paying your tuppence to see the two low cellars
where hundreds of slaves were crammed, awaiting sale or
transportation.
back to topShopping
Covered market
On Creek Road / Darajani Street: stocks everything from old sewing
machines to fruit you won’t recognise (unless you’ve
been on a spice tour). If you buy any food, wash or cook it
thoroughly!
Zanzibar Gallery
Kenyatta St: one of the former homes of Freddie Mercury (singer
from Queen), it stocks the best range of postcards, books,
calendars, films and other souvenirs; not surprising, as it’s
run by the family of acclaimed photographer Javed Jafferji.
Zanzibar Curio Shop
A fantastic antique and curio shop run by the Akbarali family with
hidden treasures upstairs and in a warehouse nearby, telephone
022302077.
Restaurants
Tower Top
The rooftop restaurant of 236 Hurumzi, is the
classic place for dinner, though it’s not cheap. Next door,
on the ground floor, is the less well-known Kidude. For
details on both, see our hotel review.
Mtoni Marine Centre
Offers the best seafood in town, except that it’s not in
town, but a 5-km drive to the north in the grounds of the Sultan's
summer palace. There's a choice of 3 venues, including a sushi bar
and a sports cafe as well as the original candlelit
seafront
restaurant. In 2006 GQ magazine voted this one of the 25
sexiest spots in the world for dinner on the beach. Tel 024
2250117; 07844 19905
Sweet’n’Eazy
At the seaward end of Kenyatta St, offers a much better selection
of Thai and African dishes than its name suggests. We enjoyed
delicious seafood soups, fish brochettes / curries, and fruit
fritters; but missed out on live music night (Thursday) which is
supposed to be a hit. Tel 0747 416736.
Blues
On the Forodhani jetty, and sister to the synonymous restaurant in
Cape Town, has an unbeatable location and an adequate selection of
seafood, pizzas and grills. Tel 0741 328509.
Pagoda Chinese Restaurant
Makes a refreshing break from Swahili seafood and curries, if
you’re staying a long time. Tel 024 2234688 / 0747
411168.
Africa House
Facing southwest from Shangani point, is the favoured venue for a
sunset cocktail, and its formerly mediocre reputation for food has
improved with the arrival of a new chef. Tel 0255 774 432340
La Fenice
Comes highly recommended by several readers. Tel 0255 777 411868
back to topSpice Tours
The tour usually starts with a quick look around Maharubi
Palace just to the north of Stone Town. Of the many ruined
ex-Sultan’s palaces, this is probably the most atmospheric,
with lily-covered water tanks, hammams galore, and accommodation
for about 100 of Sultan Bargash’s concubines – though a
fire in 1899 accounted for most of the latter.
Next to the palace is a dhow harbour, where you can still see these
traditional wooden boats being hand-made, using good old fashioned
tools, patience and a lot of skill.
You will then enter one of several spice farms, some of which are
government-run and demand a small entrance fee.
First off, you’ll see how they climb palm trees here:
by tying a coconut-rope between their feet and hopping straight up
the trunk, their arms embracing it as they go. Some of the more
athletic young men perform remarkable feats of strength, while
others sing an improvised solo, usually based on ‘Jambo
bwana’ and featuring the words ‘Hakuna matata’ at
frequent intervals. Back on terra firma, you’ll be offered
the sweet-salty juice of a coconut, and while you drink it the
leaves will be torn and woven into all manner of embarrassing gifts
for you: tie, hat, sunglasses, bracelet... A tip is expected, and
deserved.
Next, your guide will show you around the plantations of
pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon, to name but a few. To
discover what goes into those small jars on your kitchen shelf and
how it is harvested is absolutely fascinating. A taste of pineapple
and jackfruit – the largest tree-growing fruit, similar in
taste to lychee – keeps you going to the next farm.
A light lunch is included in most tours. At the end of the
tour you can buy spices in all shapes and sizes, including a
variety set packaged up in a coconut.
Do check what is and isn’t included in the price before
setting out; and make sure you can understand your guide’s
fluent, but sometimes garbled, English (not always obvious for
non-native English speakers).
back to topIslands near Stone Town
There are several small islands visible from the waterfront of
Stone Town, not much more than wooded humps with, at low tide, a
necklace of yellow sand around them. The easternmost (on the right
as you look out to sea) is Chapwani, a private
island with pleasant bungalow accommodation for those who prefer
some peace and privacy after the hassle and noise of Stone
Town.
The two to its left (west) are Bat island, named after the
fruit bats which sleep in its trees by day; and Prison
island, which – you guessed it - used to be a prison. You
can take a day-trip on a dhow to one or both of these, or even wade
across there from Chapwani at very low tide.
Further left are three sandbanks, Pange, Murogo and Nyange,
which are also accessible by dhow from Stone Town.
But the most interesting island of all is Chumbe,
reached by private boat from Mbweni. This rocky isle dominated by a
tall lighthouse has been designated a coral park, and boasts a
wonderful array and density of tropical fish and crustaceans for
the snorkeller. It is only open to guests of the eco-resort, or to
day-trippers by arrangement.