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A beautiful but underrated island off the coast of Africa, where a pint of beer is just £1.40. Zanzibaris a Tanzanian archipelago in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small islands and two large ones

Zanzibar has been revealed as among the top trending travel destinations for 2026 by the travel experts at Away Holidays, who have seen a notable increase in customer interest and bookings over the last few months. It has emerged as one of the most in-demand Indian Ocean destinations for UK travellers, with enquiries up 32% year-on-year, and is increasingly positioned as the new white-sand alternative to the Maldives, particularly for honeymooners. According to Away Holidays, a pint of beer costs an average of £1.40. The capital is ZanzibarCity, located on the island of Unguja. Its historic centre, Stone Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Indo-Arabian architecture and Swahili heritage.

Important architectural features in Stone Town include the Livingstone House, the Old Dispensary, the Guliani Bridge, Ngome Kongwe, and the House of Wonders. The town of Kidichi features the Hamamni Persian Baths, built by immigrants from Iran in the 1800s.

The islands are home to the rare primates - Zanzibar red colobus, the Zanzibar servaline genet, and the critically endangered Zanzibar leopard. Forested areas such as Jozani are inhabited by monkeys, bushpigs, small antelopes, and African palm civets.

The archipelago's main industries are spices, raffia, and tourism. The main spices produced are clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut, and black pepper. The Zanzibar Archipelago, along with Tanzania's Mafia Island, is sometimes locally referred to as the "Spice Islands".

Zanzibar has a tropical monsoon climate, and being near the equator, the islands are warm year-round. It has a mean daily high of 34C in March, with mean daily lows of 24C.

There are indirect flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Birmingham, often stopping in Dubai, Doha, and Nairobi before arriving at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.

The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the Tanzanian border with the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique, due to attacks by groups linked with Islamic extremism.