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Last checked: October 2026

Map of Zanzibar, Tanzania: areas, towns and islands

Aerial view of beach hotels and a village along turquoise water on the Zanzibar coast

Snorkelling

From Kendwa: Mnemba Boat Trip and Dolphin Snorkel Adventure

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Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania1 off the coast of East Africa.

Map of the towns and attractions in this guide, numbered as in the list below.

Drawn to scale from the attractions' Google Maps locations.

Coastline and roads: map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Town locations from OpenStreetMap, map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Towns

  1. Stone Town
  2. Nungwi
  3. Kendwa
  4. Paje and Bwejuu
  5. Kiwengwa
  6. Jambiani
  7. Michamvi and Pingwe
  8. Matemwe
  9. Fumba
  10. Kizimkazi

Attractions

  1. Nakupenda Sandbank Google Maps
  2. Forodhani Gardens Google Maps
  3. Freddie Mercury Museum Google Maps
  4. Darajani Bazaar Google Maps
  5. Nungwi Mnarani Aquarium Google Maps
  6. Nungwi Lighthouse Google Maps
  7. Baraka Natural Aquarium Google Maps
  8. Maalum Cave Google Maps
  9. Paje Cave Google Maps
  10. Kuza Cave Google Maps
  11. Mnemba Island Google Maps
  12. Kiwengwa Caves Google Maps
  13. Salaam Cave Google Maps
  14. Kizimkazi Historic Mosque Google Maps
  15. Safari Blue Google Maps
  16. Jozani Forest Google Maps
  17. Jozani Spice Farm Google Maps
  18. Prison Island (Changuu) Google Maps
  19. Chumbe Island Google Maps

Africa and the Indian Ocean

Where is Zanzibar on the world map?

Zanzibar is in Africa. It belongs to Tanzania, a country in East Africa whose coast faces the Indian Ocean to the east3.

Zanzibar was a separate country until April 19641, when it merged with mainland Tanganyika. The islands lie near the equator, so they’re warm all year round1. You’ll find more about Zanzibar and how it fits into Tanzania on the overview page.

Island names

Are Unguja and Zanzibar the same?

Not quite. Zanzibar is the whole archipelago, and Unguja is its main island, the island most people mean when they say Zanzibar Island.

Pemba lies about 59 km north4

  • Unguja is about 85 km long and mostly flat: its highest point is just 120 m1.
  • Pemba, the second-largest island, lies about 59 km4 north of Unguja.
  • The smaller islands include Tumbatu in the northwest, Uzi in the south and Mnemba Atoll in the northeast2.

Unguja and the islands around it are split into three regions4:

  • Zanzibar North4, with its capital at Mkokotoni
  • Zanzibar Central/South4, with its capital at Koani
  • Zanzibar Urban/West4, with its capital at Zanzibar City

West coast

Stone Town and Zanzibar City

Stone Town is the historic centre of Zanzibar City1 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city sits on Unguja’s west coast, north of Dar es Salaam across the Zanzibar Channel5, and also takes in areas such as Michenzani.

Airport about 5 km south of the city2

Aerial view of Stone Town on its point at dusk
Aerial view of Stone Town on its point at dusk

Most people arrive on this side of the island:

  • The ferry terminal is near Stone Town, and ferries usually leave from the Port of Dar es Salaam6.
  • Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) is about 5 km2 south of Zanzibar City.
  • Coastal Aviation lists its Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar flights as running every 30 minutes7.

The Stone Town neighbourhood page covers the old town street by street.

Northern tip

Nungwi and Kendwa in the north

Nungwi is a resort town on the northern tip of the island, and Kendwa is a small fishing village a couple of miles2 away.

Taxi from Stone Town: about 1½ hours2

Read up on Nungwi beach and village or Kendwa before you pick between them.

Quieter coast

Matemwe, Kiwengwa and Mnemba Atoll

Mnemba Atoll lies off Unguja’s northeast2 coast. On the main island, Matemwe is one of the quieter coastal spots8 on Zanzibar.

Long white beach at Matemwe with fishing boats moored offshore
Long white beach at Matemwe with fishing boats moored offshore

In Kiwengwa and Pwani Mchangani, the Daily News suggests visitors try spice tours, dhow cruises and village visits9. See the Matemwe area page and the Kiwengwa beach page.

Fishing villages and kite beaches

Paje, Uroa and Jambiani

Taxi to Paje: about 1 hour2

The villages along this stretch are small, and they’re built around fishing and the sea:

  • Paje: a small village on the east coast, known for kiteboarding2.
  • Uroa: a small fishing village on the east coast, with resorts on its northern and southern sides2.
  • Jambiani: a fishing village that stretches along the beach2.
Wooden direction signpost on Paje beach with a thatched sunshade and the sea behind
Wooden direction signpost on Paje beach with a thatched sunshade and the sea behind

Paje is about 1 hour2 by taxi from the airport or Stone Town. There are separate pages for Paje and Bwejuu beaches, Jambiani village and Michamvi and Pingwe.

Dolphin trips

Kizimkazi and the south coast

Kizimkazi is a small village on the south coast and the starting point for dolphin tours2. Uzi island lies offshore in the south2.

Taxi from Nungwi: about 2 hours2

Kizimkazi mosque from outside: a whitewashed building with a green tin roof among palms
Kizimkazi mosque from outside: a whitewashed building with a green tin roof among palms

Coming down from the north is a long ride: a taxi from Nungwi to Kizimkazi takes about 2 hours2. Down here you can also book a turtle swim at Salaam Cave. The Kizimkazi dolphin village page has the details.

Jozani Forest and the spice farms

Jozani Forest has nature trails, and spice tours run in the Kizimbani area2. If you have a car, you can drive to Kizimbani yourself. This is the Spice Island, after all: Zanzibar was an important stop in the spice trade2.

Dense coastal forest with palms and looping vines in Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park

Day tour · 5.5 hours · GetYourGuide

Zanzibar: Jozani Forest & Salaam Cave + Pickup & Entry fees

4.8 (494 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

Free cancellation · Pickup included

fromUS$80

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Vanilla vines climbing support trees on a spice farm at Dole

Tour · 3.5 hours · GetYourGuide

Zanzibar: The Swahili Spice Experience – Spice Tour + Culinary Journey

4.7 (148 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

Free cancellation · Pickup included

fromUS$32

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There are more things to do in Zanzibar, sorted by area, on the activities page.

Taxis and daladalas

Getting around the island

Wikivoyage rates a taxi or private car2 as the most comfortable way to travel outside Stone Town. Daladalas (minibuses)2 are the cheap option, and they serve every major village.

Taxi to Paje from TSh 50,0002

Route Taxi time Taxi fare from
Stone Town to Nungwi or Kendwa
about 1½ hours2
Ask when booking
Airport or Stone Town to Paje
about 1 hour2
TSh 50,0002 (checked October 2026)
Nungwi to Kizimkazi
about 2 hours2
TSh 80,0002

If you’re driving yourself, expect many police checks, and roads that are sometimes in horrendous condition2. The page on Zanzibar airport car hire covers transfers and self-drive.

Picking a base

The map is the easiest way to choose your base: the old town in the west, the beach villages in the north and east, and dolphin trips in the south. Wikivoyage notes that Zanzibar doesn’t offer much cheap accommodation2, so book early and compare beach hotels area by area.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits

Checked against 9 sources · last checked October 2026
  1. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  2. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  3. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  4. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  5. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  6. Ferryscanner (booking agent) · checked October 2026
  7. Coastal Aviation (operator) · checked October 2026
  8. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  9. Daily News (news) · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 21 October 2026