For Stone Town and the beaches together. Few places in the Indian Ocean put a World Heritage town of coral stone and carved doors within an hour of white sand and warm water. The history is heavy and worth facing, and the island pairs easily with a safari on the Tanzanian mainland.

Which side of Zanzibar is best to stay on?

The west for calm water, sunsets and easy access to Stone Town; the south-east for the long pale beaches and a quieter, more local shore. On the south-east coast the tide goes out a long way, so swimming depends on the hour. Many visitors split a stay between Stone Town and one coast.

When is the best time to visit Zanzibar?

June to October, when it is dry and cooler, with January and February a good second choice. The long rains fall from March to May and the short rains in November and December. The island is warm all year, so rain is the only real consideration.

How do you get to Zanzibar?

By air to the airport 9 kilometres south of Stone Town, with connections through Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Johannesburg among others, or by ferry from Dar es Salaam to the harbour in the old town. There is no road or bridge from the mainland. Hotels on either coast can arrange a transfer.

Boutique Hotels in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Where to stay in Zanzibar

The choice is between the coasts. The north can be swum at most states of the tide and has more rubbish on its beaches than it should, so we would leave it to others. The west is calmer, has the sunset and is close to town; the south-east has the long white beaches and a tide that goes out a long way. On the west, at Kama, 15 kilometres from Stone Town, Zanzi Resort spreads thatched villas with their own pools through six hectares of garden, with a spa on the cliff edge and dinners on the jetty. Bush babies and monkeys come through at dusk, uninvited. Members book at rates we hold for the Club.

On the south-east coast, at Dongwe, Ocean Boutique Hotel takes adults only, with a raised pool deck over the Indian Ocean and a restaurant on the sand. It is the better base for the Jozani Forest and its red colobus monkeys. It is also a long way from town and, at low tide, from the sea.

How to see Stone Town

Go early, and on foot, since the lanes leave little choice. The Old Fort, built by the Omanis, is the place to begin. Christ Church and the monument and museum beside it take an hour and should not be left out. The carved doors are the thing to look for, rounded at the top if Indian and square if Omani. The House of Wonders, the ceremonial palace of 1883 and the first building in East Africa with a lift, lost much of its front during renovations in December 2020, so ask whether it has reopened. Freddie Mercury's birthplace has its followers. Stay on for the evening market in the Forodhani Gardens, where the grilled seafood is the reason to leave late, and the water in front of you is where the yacht's masts stood until 1912.

When to go

June to October is cooler and dry and the best run of months for the beach, and January and February are hot and bright. The long rains fall March to May and the short rains November to December. Tide tables matter on the east coast, where swimming depends on them, so ask before you plan the day. Ramadan moves through the calendar and changes the island when it comes. The Zanzibar Commission for Tourism says eating, drinking and smoking in public by day are restricted. Beachwear stays on the beach and in the hotel at any time of year, and shoulders and knees are covered in the lanes.