Zanzibar Stone Town Guide: Discover Who’s Pushing the Famous Rock & Top Attractions

To experience it objectively and without prejudice,
After nervously wandering the streets for two to three hours on high alert,

We witnessed two female travelers being approached at least ten times—some followers trailed us for blocks pretending to offer “guidance” before demanding payment, others hurled inappropriate comments, while more aggressive ones openly propositioned us with various “entertainment offers.”
Though nothing physically dangerous occurred, the constant harassment created an atmosphere of unease that lingered.

Stone Town’s cultural offerings proved surprisingly limited. We visited just two attractions: the Slave Market (a disappointing $5 experience featuring a single sculpture, an underground dungeon, and some informational displays) and the Freddie Mercury Museum honoring the Queen frontman’s birthplace. As dusk fell, we rushed to meet our driver, passing a lively seaside scene where locals plunged into the turquoise waters and colorful sailboats dotted the horizon.

Truthfully, I couldn’t imagine wearing revealing outfits in such an environment—the unpredictable encounters and grimy, disorderly alleyways made the idea of carefree photo shoots utterly unappealing. The constant vigilance required simply to walk around drained any sense of relaxation or spontaneity from the experience.