Shopping · Zanzibar · Tanzania
Shopping in Zanzibar
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Mbz1 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Zanzibar is good for spices, Tingatinga paintings, kanga and kikoi fabrics and carved wooden chests and doors. Best souvenirs: Spices, Kanga and kikoi and Tingatinga paintings.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Spices
Where to shop
Stone Town's Gizenga and Hurumzi streets
Craft shops, galleries and boutiques in the old town.
Old Fort
Craft stalls and small shops inside the fort walls.
Beach villages
Small shops and stalls in Nungwi and Paje for fabrics and souvenirs.
Markets
Darajani Market
Spices, fruit and everyday goods in Stone Town.
Forodhani Gardens
The evening food market on the waterfront.
What to buy
Spices
Cloves, cinnamon, vanilla pods and curry blends, sold in sealed packs.
Kanga and kikoi
Printed cotton kangas with Swahili sayings and woven kikoi wraps.
Tingatinga paintings
Bright, naive-style paintings of animals in a style that originated in Tanzania.
Carved wood
Small chests and miniature doors in the Zanzibari style.
Coconut and spice soaps
Natural soaps and oils made by local cooperatives.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Stone Town
Forodhani Gardens night market
Every evening the waterfront gardens in front of the Old Fort fill with food stalls grilling seafood skewers, making Zanzibar pizza and pressing sugarcane juice with lime and ginger, while local boys dive off the sea wall at sunset.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Food
- After dark
- Kids
Historic site · Stone Town
Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe)
Built by the Omanis around 1700 on the site of a Portuguese church, the fort's thick walls now enclose craft shops, a café and an open-air amphitheatre used for performances and festivals.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
Market · Stone Town
Darajani Market
Stone Town's main market on Creek Road sells fish, meat, tropical fruit, vegetables and spices in a covered hall and surrounding streets, and is the terminus for many dala-dala minibuses.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Sugarcane juice and Spiced coffee. Forodhani Gardens and street carts in Stone Town. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Town | $$$ | Coral-stone lanes, boutique hotels, rooftop restaurants and the island's history |
| Paje | $$ | East-coast kitesurfing hub with a shallow lagoon and laid-back bars |
| Jambiani | $$ | A long fishing village of seaweed farms and quiet guesthouses |
| Matemwe | $$$ | Quiet north-east coast facing Mnemba Atoll |
| Kiwengwa and Pongwe | $$$ | Large all-inclusive resorts and quiet palm-fringed coves |
| Michamvi Peninsula | $$$$ | A narrow peninsula with sunset views over Chwaka Bay |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in TZS. Tips are appreciated: about 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added, and tips for guides, boat crews and drivers at the end of a trip.
- Carry cash: ATMs are mostly in Stone Town and a few beach villages, and many small places do not take cards.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in April–May; the busiest months are July–August.
- February: Sauti za Busara music festival in Stone Town (usually February)
- June: Zanzibar International Film Festival (usually June or July)
- July: Mwaka Kogwa — Shirazi New Year festival in Makunduchi (usually July)
Staying near the shops
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Zanzibar?
Spices, Kanga and kikoi, Tingatinga paintings and Carved wood.
+Where is the best shopping in Zanzibar?
Stone Town's Gizenga and Hurumzi streets: Craft shops, galleries and boutiques in the old town.
+What are the best markets in Zanzibar?
Darajani Market and Forodhani Gardens.