Prison Island

Description

Transfer to Prison Island by speedboat, just 25 minutes from Stone Town.

This island once belonged to a wealthy Arab merchant who used it as a detention center for disobedient slaves during the dark era of slavery. After the abolition of the slave trade in 1873 under the rule of Zanzibar’s third sultan, a prison was built—but it was never used as such; instead, it served as a quarantine station for cholera cases occurring along the East African coast. From various locations, patients were brought to the island—originally called Changuu—for treatment. Later, it was also used to house prisoners of World War II.

Today, the island boasts a fantastic white‑sand beach and a spectacular forest home to a wide variety of birds as well as peafowl and giant tortoises. The island is also renowned for its rich marine life, making it an ideal spot for scuba diving and snorkeling.