Top 15 Boat Tours in Zanzibar

1.Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 882 reviews · 6 - 9 hours · from $39Our pick

Boat from Stone Town to Prison Island and Nakupenda sandbank for turtle time, snorkeling, and a seafood BBQ lunch, plus free beach hours.

“everything about the tour was up to standards, from the punctuality in the hotel pick-up, safe and comfortable transport, captain and guides were super attentive, very friendly, lunch was delicious and fresh, plenty of seafood options, lobster, calamari, octopus, tuna. The excursion to Changuu (prison island) was very informative, Nakupenda was a piece of paradise. the boat that took us was a one motor boat, it takes about 30' to get to changuu, maybe 10/15' to Nakupenda and another 15' back to stone town. you won't even feel the time passing as the views are breathtaking. Milano and P. Pequeno (forgot his name, Duma or Dima, can't remember) are absolut…”

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2.Prison Island & Nakupenda Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 554 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $35

Sail to Prison Island and Nakupenda Sandbank for tortoises, snorkeling, and a seafood BBQ lunch, with a guided dhow day trip from Stone Town.

“Amazing experience! And please keep singing Jambo Bwana at the end of the trip, it really adds authenticity to the overall experience”

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3.Sunset Dhow Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 141 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · from $19Best value

Sunset dhow cruise from Kendwa and Nungwi on a traditional wooden boat with live drumming, fruit snacks, and hotel pickup.

“Brilliant trip, the drummers and staff were amazing! Bring swimwear! You have to enter the sea to get on and off the boat which was really fun! 😁”

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4.Mnemba island Snorkeling & Boat Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 132 reviews · 6 hours · from $47

Snorkel at Mnemba Island from Zanzibar with boat transfers and lunch in about 6 hours. Private viewing, coral, fish, and great service.

“Abdul showed us a great time. We got good dolphin sightings and snorkeling, fish fruit and lunch were delicious.”

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5.Sunset party cruise in Zanzibar with BoomBoom Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 76 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $25

BoomBoom Boat Zanzibar sunset party cruise from Nungwi, 3.5 hours of music, disco lights, a swim, fruit and water included.

“Loved it! Great fun but chilled party vibes. Met some great people too! Music was awesome!”

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6.Full-Day Blue Lagoon and Sandbank Boat Tour from Zanzibar ( Safari blue)

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 35 reviews · from $100

Zanzibar City day tour by traditional dhow to Kwale Island, Safari Blue sandbank, and Niamembe Island. Snorkeling, lunch, and baobabs.

“A nice trip , where we seen beautiful places . The sea food was very nice too. Our Gide was very nice & professional.”

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7.Private Sail to Pungume Sandbank with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · 4 - 6 hours · from $85

Private sail to Pungume Sandbank near Kizimkazi for dolphin-spotting, snorkeling, and a seafood BBQ lunch with hotel pickup.

“Really the best tour we did in Zanzibar. Highly recommended!”

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8.Sunset Dhow Cruise Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 22 reviews · from $39

Stone Town sunset dhow cruise on a traditional Arabian boat, with snacks, soft drinks, and music as you glide past landmarks.

“Really enjoyable time, but it lasted about 1 hour and 20 minutes, not 2 hours as advertised”

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9.Catamaran Sunset Cruise in Stone Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $100Top rated

3-hour catamaran sunset cruise from Stone Town with snacks, beer and wine, snorkeling gear, and small-group comfort on the Indian Ocean.

“Everything was just perfect, from the communication to the welcoming and attentive crew and spotless catamaran.”

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10.Kwale Island Dhow Sailing Tour from Zanzibar with Seafood Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 18 reviews · from $98

Traditional dhow sail from Zanzibar to Kwale Island with snorkeling, sandbank tides, mangrove lagoon swims, and seafood lunch.

“Terrible experience from booking thru final contact. No confirmation from provider who apparently showed up 2 hours late after I had made other arrangements for the day and Viator is unwilling to offer a refund even after providing proof!( shame on them!) and would not advise anyone to book this tour at all!”

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11.Mnemba Boat Trip Dolphins Adventure trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 13 reviews · 6 hours · from $65

Swim and snorkel around Mnemba Island from Zanzibar, with dolphin spotting chances plus three reef stops, fruit, and hotel pickup.

“Super !! Nous avons nagez avec les dauphins puis sommes allés à MNEMBA banc de sable magique !!”

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12.Zanzibar Dhow Cruise day adventure, sea sports at Kwale Island, very memorable

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $135

Zanzibar dhow cruise with snorkeling, a sandbank break, Kwale Island seafood BBQ, and a 500-year-old baobab tree for up to 20.

“The Positive: Beautiful sights with nice lunch The Negative: The tour was overall unorganized. The name of the tour did not match the name of the company who sanctioned the excursion. Following our arrival to our meeting location by our private driver, there was no one Read more”

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13.Private Sunset Dhow Cruise in Stone Town Zanzibar

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 10 reviews · from $89

Private sunset dhow cruise from Stone Town in Zanzibar with pickup, snacks, and a photogenic 2-hour sail past famous island spots.

“The hotel pickup was delayed because the driver went to the hotel next door but the ride was comfortable and convenient. The boat ride was stunning, although getting onto the shore through rocks was very difficult in a long dress. The crew offered light snacks and refreshRead more”

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14.Private Catamaran – Stone Town Islands & Sandbanks (5 hrs)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $1,300

Private catamaran from Stone Town to Prison Island and Nakupenda sandbank, with snorkeling gear, standout meals, and sunset views.

“Amazing team, amazing experience! So professional and fun ! Well done! Team was friendly and service was good, they were flexible and made sure we had fun! Will join again for sure!”

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15.Dolphin and Turtle Tour with Sunset Cruise at Nungwi Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · from $100

Dolphin snorkeling at Mnemba, a turtle swim at Baraka Aquarium, then a Nungwi sunset dhow cruise with snacks, water, and photo moments.

“Para empezar nuestro guía Nasser fué fantástico! Sabe hablar español, fué muy amable con nosotros. La recogida puntual con coche privado y aire acondicionado. Nos fuimos a ver delfines, lástima que hubiera más de 20 barcas detrás Read more”

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