Stone Town

Stone Town boasts a rich history as a centre of the early modern spice trade, which connected East Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean and South-East Asia as far as China. Portuguese invasion and control of the Swahili Coast in the late 16th century ended the golden age of the archipelago, although the Omani Arabs returned to power less than a century later. The legacy of these various influences and colonisers is still visible in Stone Town to this day.

Today, many of the winding streets and high townhouses of old Stone Town remain unchanged. Visitors can walk between the sultan’s palace, the House of Wonders, the Portuguese fort & gardens, the merchant homes, and the Turkish baths of the old city, and feel as though they have stepped back in time. For those wanting to further explore the history of the region and the spice trade, day-long spice tours to working plantations offer opportunities to observe the cultivation of cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and other spices that have made the island famous.

The port city of Zanzibar - comprising old Stone Town & Ng'ambo (the new city) - dominates the west coast of Zanzibar island. Being close to the city, the surrounding beaches of Mangapwani and Bububu are typically very busy as a result. While a night or two in Stone Town is well worthwhile, we advise travelling to east or northern coast of Zanzibar for your beach extension.