Where to Stay in Zanzibar
Best neighborhoods to base yourself in Zanzibar for your 2026 trip — from central hotels to areas within easy reach of Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ).
Best neighborhoods to stay in Zanzibar
Stone Town (UNESCO) + Darajani Market
20 min from ZNZMaze of 19th-century Swahili-Arab-Indian alleys. Carved doors + Sultan's Palace + House of Wonders. Free to wander. 2-3 hours minimum.
Spice tour (clove + nutmeg farm)
50 min from ZNZHalf-day tour into Kizimbani spice plantations — taste cloves, vanilla, cinnamon. USD 20-30. Why Zanzibar is the Spice Island.
Compare hotels across Zanzibar
Filter by neighborhood, price, and rating. Every hotel shown links to live booking — we search across Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda and Hotels.com.
Eat here
Zanzibar pizza (Forodhani). Pilau spiced rice. Mishkaki skewers. Coconut octopus curry. Spiced chai. Konyagi gin.
Local tip
ZNZ is 6km from Stone Town — taxis USD 15-25 (negotiate, no meter), Daladala minibus TZS 500. For 4-hour layovers: Stone Town walk + Forodhani night market. For 12+ hours: add a Spice Tour. Bring USD cash — ATMs unreliable.
Getting to your hotel from ZNZ
Pre-book a fixed-price arrival transfer if you're landing late or with kids — saves the arrivals queue and locks price before you fly.
Getting out of Zanzibar (ZNZ)
Skip the taxi rank and lock in your fare before you land.
Pre-book a fixed-price transfer
Our pickDriver waits at arrivals with your name, tracks your flight, and the price you see is the price you pay. English-speaking, fixed price. No surge, no haggling at 2am.
Check transfer pricesRenting a car in Zanzibar? Compare rentals with free cancellation.