Sophie-May Williams
Published November 29, 2025 8:30am
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Bombshell beaches and cosmopolitan culture await on Zanzibar (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
Palm trees laden with fresh coconuts. Rippling azure ocean. Ivory sands, velvet to touch.
Perhaps you’ve painted a mental picture of the Maldives, but this divine scene is Zanzibar, an enchanting island 35km off Tanzania on Africa’s East Coast.
With bombshell beaches, a cosmopolitan culture influenced by African, Arab, Indian and Persian traditions, and a spice trade that dates back to the 1st century AD, Zanzibar is one of the most fascinating places on Earth. That, and it enjoys 300 days of uninterrupted sunshine each year.
Named one of the world’s top island destinations in 2024, the archipelago saw a record 16.4% increase in tourism in 2023, with 638,498 international tourists descending on its shores.
But does this Indian Ocean paradise live up to the hype? Metro spent two weeks exploring Zanzibar’s coast and cities to find out.
Getting our bearings
The locals in Zanzibar are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
After touching down at Zanzibar International Airport, we took a taxi to Stone Town, the capital. It’s a 15-minute drive that costs $20 (£16).
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Before we go further, a word of caution on currency: Zanzibar accepts both US dollars and Tanzanian Shillings. While many hotels, restaurants and taxis accept and advertise that you can pay in dollars, we found it best to stick to local currency.
Often, if you pay in dollars, you’ll get Shillings in return, but it might not be the correct change. Also, be aware that ATMs are scarce in Zanzibar, and usually charge between 5-10% withdrawal fees, so it’s a good idea to order Shillings before you travel.
To save cash, you can take a dala-dala straight from the airport. This public mini-bus is not only a cheap way to travel around the island, it’s also an incredible experience. For just 400 Tanzanian Shillings (the equivalent of 13p), you can live like the locals do. It won’t be the most comfortable journey of your life; dala-dalas can get very crowded, but it’s worth it.
Dala-dala buses are a cheap and cheerful way to get around (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
Zanzibar is an archipelago off the coast of Tanzania (Picture: Metro)
Zanzibar’s best beaches
Your first beach experience in Zanzibar will be one you never forget. Ours was Kendwa, in the far north of the island. With crystal-clear water, white sand and Instagrammable sunsets, it was recently voted the best beach in Africa (and the fourth best in the world).
I can honestly say I had one of the best swims of my life here. From the temperature of the water to the panoramic tropical views, the saying ‘pictures don’t do it justice’ felt apt.
Up next was Nungwi, just 12 minutes further north. While Kendwa had more of a chill vibe, perfect for relaxing after a long journey, Nungwi felt more like where the party starts. Still, the beach was unspoiled, and we spent many hours in one of our favourite beach bars, Kajibange, beers in hand watching the world go by.
Zanzibar is cheap; a bottle of Kilimanjaro or Safari, the island’s local beers, averages around 7,000 TSh (£2.20). Pair that with a seafood coconut curry at 20,000 TSh (£6.40), and you’ll be paying less than a tenner for dinner.
@klaranohelovaWhich one do you like the most?🏝️ Let me know! #zanzibar #fyp #foryou
♬ Glue – Bicep
By night, Nungwi comes alive, and tourists share the 2.5km coastline with locals who have stayed out of the scorching sun during the day. Young boys play football barefoot, and children splash about in the ocean. Life is slow and simple here.
Our final beach destination was Paje, on the east of the island, known as the ‘kite surfing capital of Zanzibar.’ Thanks to consistently strong winds and shallow waters, people flock from all over the world to experience Paje’s perfect water sporting conditions.
It’s here that you’ll encounter ‘beach boys,’ young men who belong to Tanzania’s Maasai tribe. During high season, they travel to Zanzibar for work, selling handmade bracelets and trinkets from ‘pole pole’ shops, which translates to ‘slowly slowly’ in Swahili.
Zanzibar, a slide of Indian Ocean paradise (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
A melting pot of culture
From the coast to the city, no trip to Zanzibar is complete without a visit to Stone Town, the birthplace of Queen’s legendary frontman, Freddie Mercury. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the capital is a melting pot of cultures and an important stop on the East African trading route.
It’s in Stone Town that Arab influence is most obvious, with narrow streets, elaborate wood-carved doors and fragrant spices at every turn. Along the harbour, a street food market springs up after sunset, with vendors selling fresh shawarmas and kebabs for as little as 5,000 TSh (£1.50).
But despite its joie de vivre, Stone Town has a dark past. One of the largest and last open slave ports in the Indian Ocean, Arab slave owners once controlled the shore. It wasn’t until 1897 – six decades after Britain passed the Slavery Abolition Act – that Zanzibar officially outlawed the heinous trade.
Stone Town is a boisterous city steeped in history (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
Zanzibar’s Swahili food is incredible; one of our favourite meals was a chicken coconut curry and octopus that cost just 40,000 Tsh (£12) (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
How to get to Zanzibar and best time to go
There are no direct flights from the UK to Zanzibar International Airport, and the 7,388km distance means tickets don’t come cheap.
We flew from London Heathrow to Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and then onto Zanzibar with Ethiopian Airlines. All in, the journey took around 13 hours. You can also fly from other UK airports including London Gatwick and Manchester with airlines such as British Airways, Kenya Airways and Qatar Airways.
Return flights in January, the start of the ‘short dry season’, where temperatures range between 29°C and 32°C, start from £550. January to March also tend to be a little quieter than the main dry season of June to October, so if you’re looking for bargains, now is the time to go.
If you’re after full sun, clear skies, and warm ocean perfect for swimming and snorkelling, you’ll want to avoid April, May, and potentially November and December. While the former is the wet season, where tropical, long rains are expected, the latter months make up the short rainy season, where quick shower bursts are common.
An uncertain future
There’s no denying that tourism is the leading contributor to Zanzibar’s economy — and it’s accelerating, fast.
As of May 2024, tourism-related activities increased the archipelago’s current account surplus to 506.9 million US dollars, up from 389.1 million US dollars the year before.
But beyond the postcard beaches and year-round sunshine, it would be remiss to ignore the price this place is paying for popularity.
Plastic pollution is a growing concern in coastal areas. Similarly, the unprecedented boom in hotel construction risks destroying natural habitats, deforestation, mangrove damage and eroding coastlines.
We saw evidence of rapid expansion on a sunset cruise around Nungwi and Kendwa. As we listened to locals playing Swahili music on traditional Djembe drums, it was hard to ignore the half-built hotels and luxury resorts mushrooming along the shore.
Despite an influx of tourism, Zanzibar still has high poverty rates (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
Overtourism and rapid development threaten the island (Picture: Sophie-May Williams)
And, after chatting with locals – and repeat travellers who have witnessed the changes in recent years – it’s clear this gentrification isn’t as welcome as investors would like.
One British man, who wished to remain anonymous, last visited Zanzibar in 2022, but had previously holidayed in the same beach hostel for years. He told Metro the island had become more commercialised since his last trip.
He said he knew locals who were offered millions by development firms to leave their homes to make space for a new luxury resort; for the love of their island, he said they turned them down.
Metro’s verdict
Zanzibar really does live up to its ‘paradise’ reputation.
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From ethereal landscapes and delicious food to some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, we hope that in years to come, this exquisite island isn’t stripped of its natural beauty.
Go now, and see it at its best.
Where to stay in Zanzibar
For unparalleled views of the beach, complete with friendly staff and paradise vibes, Fuhara Beach Rooms in Kendwa should be your go-to. Fuhara means ‘happiness’ in Swahili, and the hotel definitely lives up to its name. Rates start from 201,896 TSh (£65).
For water sports enthusiasts, Ebb & Flow in Paje is where it’s at. Offering both hostel-style dorms for long-term stays, plus private rooms for those passing through, here you’ll meet like-minded travellers all hungry for adventure. Aquaholics, a surf school located on Paje Beach runs the hotel and provides surfing and kite-surfing courses, as well as different water sports activities for all abilities. Rates start from 211,991.07 TSh (£67).
Looking for an authentic atmosphere? Shaba Boutique Hotel in the heart of Stone Town is perfect.
With ancient timber interiors and a blend of traditional African, Indian and Arabic paintings, murals, and artefacts, the hustle and bustle of city life awaits you as soon as you step out of the front door. Rates start from 217,038.48 TSh (£69).
You’ll notice that the majority of hotels and hostels (like the ones above) all fall within a similar, affordable price range. But if luxury resorts adorned with private swimming pools are your guilty pleasure, then Be Zanzibar, the 5* hotel in Jambiani, will set you back around 727,734 TSh (£232) per night.
Hotel prices correct as of February 2025.
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This article was first published in February 2025 and has been updated.
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