Zanzibar, Tanzania
Best places to shop in Zanzibar
4 markets, malls and shopping districts in Zanzibar — what to buy, when to go, and the tourist traps to avoid at each one.
Last updated 2026-08-11
1. Stone Town: Gizenga Street and Kenyatta Road
Photo: Alex Levis · Pexels License · source
The old town's shopping lanes — Zanzibari carved doors and chests, kanga and kitenge cloth, Tingatinga painting, silver and spices.
Where: BazaarMap: Open in Maps Best time: Monday to Saturday 09:00–19:00; quieter Friday middayCost: Budget–Mid
2. Darajani Market
Photo: Luganosamwel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The island's main market — spices, fish, fruit, and the clove and cardamom trade that gave Zanzibar its name.
Where: MarketMap: Open in Maps Best time: Daily 07:00–18:00Cost: BudgetTip: Cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and vanilla are the island's produce. Buy them whole and sealed, and check the price per kilo before bagging.
3. Spice farm tours and shops
Photo: Sara Er · Pexels License · source
The plantations inland from Stone Town — tours showing the spices growing, with farm shops selling directly.
Where: Street ShoppingMap: Open in Maps Best time: Daily 09:00–16:00Cost: Budget–MidWatch out Some 'spice tours' finish at a shop with prices several times those at Darajani market. The tour is worthwhile; buy the spices in town.
4. Forodhani Gardens night market
Photo: Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
The waterfront evening food market — grilled seafood, Zanzibar pizza, sugarcane juice and craft stalls.
Where: Night MarketMap: Open in Maps Best time: Nightly from about 18:00Cost: BudgetWatch out Seafood is displayed uncooked and priced by the piece, with the total sometimes rising after cooking. Agree the price and count the pieces before anything reaches the grill.
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