A Complete Guide for Exploring Stone Town in Zanzibar

With pristine beaches, lip-smacking food, and a lot of historical places to visit, Zanzibar is an ultimate travel destination. Ideal for both families as well as honeymoon couples, if ever you are planning a trip from Dubai to Tanzania, then you must include a few days in Zanzibar, or even if you plan an entire trip to Zanzibar alone.

From families with young kids and older parents to groups of friends and honeymoon couples, this amazing destination has something for everyone, and the best of all of this is Stone Town. Listed among the World Heritage Sites, if you are visiting Zanzibar, then you must reserve a couple of days or at least an entire day to explore this amazing location. In this blog, Yup Africano will share a complete guide for exploring Stone Town in Zanzibar. So read this blog post till the end and do share it with your friends and family who are visiting Zanzibar anytime soon.

Related Read: Unveiling 9 Breathtaking Islands That Deserve a Visit in Tanzania

Some General Tips for Safety and a Happy Travel Experience

As with any popular destination, you must follow some essential tips when visiting Stone Town in Zanzibar, as doing so will not only make your travel safer but also enhance your experience. Follow the below shared general travel and safety tips:

• • Bargain and Haggle with Vendors

When buying anything from the Stone Town market, always bargain and haggle. Never take the first offer that is made to you. Similar to every popular tourist destination, prices for local things and souvenirs are multiple for tourists.

• • Always Carry Cash

Tanzania is still an undeveloped nation, and outside of private resorts, you will find it difficult to use your visa or master card. So always carry cash when exploring Stone Town and other local markets. Carrying cash in local currency is much preferred, as is the case in most African cities; however, you can also carry US dollars and euros, as they are very commonly accepted. You can book customized Dubai tours with Yup Africano and seek guidance about cash and cards from the experts.

• • English Language Works in Zanzibar

The majority of tour guides and operators speak a greater variety of languages, but English and Swahili are the two most commonly spoken languages. So you and your family or friends can visit Zanzibar and explore Stone Town without hesitance or language barriers.

• • Dress Modestly

Women should cover their legs and shoulders, and men should dress modestly as well. Since the majority of people in this country are Muslims, it is important to respect cultural customs and conventions to avoid drawing undue attention to oneself. Therefore, exercise caution when selecting your attire and choose to dress modestly. When you book your customized group trips in Dubai for Zanzibar with Yup Africano, our experts will give you further advice on how to dress and what to avoid.

Where to Stay in Zanzibar?

When booking holiday packages from Dubai to Tanzania, you can ask Team Yup Africano for accommodation options, and our experts will show you all the places that fit various budgets.

Near Stone Town, you will find numerous small and cozy hotels that have been converted from traditional Swahili-style cottages. These are the best accommodation options when visiting Stone Town. Apart from this, there are luxurious hotels and accommodations from groups like The Taj, Hyatt, and others.

Also, read about the best places to stay in Zanzibar.

What to Do in Stone Town?

There is so much to do in Stone Town that one or two days won’t be enough. Yup Africano shares a brief list of things you can do in one or two days at maximum when visiting Zanzibar from Dubai for the first time.

• Explore the Alleyways

The narrow streets and alleys of Stone Town are full of history and stories, and if you are going there without a checklist or an itinerary, then getting lost in the alleyways is the best thing you can probably do on your vacation to Zanzibar from Dubai. While exploring the area and absorbing the local way of life, you can marvel at the architecture of stunning yet dilapidated buildings.

• Book a Guided Walking Tour

A guided walking tour of Stone Town is a terrific way to see sights you might otherwise miss. One of the best things is that you can book this guided walking tour in advance while booking your Tanzania safari package from Dubai at attractive prices. With this walking tour, you will learn about its history, traditions, and culture. At Yup Africano, we suggest you opt for a formal guide tour from your hotel instead of accepting offers from strangers on the street.

• Go Shopping
  

Who doesn’t enjoy retail therapy? Even men in this day and age of social media flaunt their shopping and make videos of shopping hauls. When visiting Stone Town in Zanzibar, how can anyone say no to shopping? While shopping excursions aren’t a part of your Zanzibar tour packages from Dubai, you can certainly make arrangements for a guide for your shopping trip with Yup Africano.

Among my favorite local shopping spots are the incredibly affordable vegetables and woven handicrafts at Daranjani Market. The women’s cooperative Moto + Dada Shop and the exquisite and elaborate wooden chests at Abeid Curio Shop are other local must-buys. Even if you don’t want to buy, we suggest you at least visit these places and explore them.

• Visit Notable Destination in Stone Town
  

When you plan a Zanzibar holiday from Dubai, don’t forget to visit other notable destinations in Zanzibar and Stone Town. You can explore the very somber history of the ancient slave market by going to the Old Fort. Other places to visit are the Old Dispensary, the Palace Museum, and St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

To make your trip better, go through our Complete Guide for Planning a Vacation to Tanzania from Dubai.

• Watch Locals Perform Acrobatics
  

At dusk, watch the young locals perform acrobatics in the water. Many people, both locals and tourists, crowd the beaches to watch as the local boys and girls launch themselves off the cliff, competing with one another with the most impressive flips, dives, and twists. The happiness and laughter combined with the stunning African sunset is a very unique scene.