Overview
Prison Island (Changuu locally) is a small island about 20 minutes by boat from Stone Town, used in the 19th century to quarantine enslaved people and later as a yellow-fever isolation station. Today it's a sanctuary for over 100 giant Aldabra tortoises - some over 100 years old - introduced from the Seychelles in the late 1800s, which visitors can touch and photograph up close. The surrounding reef offers good snorkeling for tropical fish and coral, and a small beach club serves lunch. Tortoise admission $5. About 20 minutes by boat from Stone Town harbor.
Opening Hours
Boat trips typically 09:00-16:00
Travel Tips
Bring snorkel gear to make the most of the reef. You can feed the tortoises pumpkin leaves, and watching them react when you touch the shell is charming.
Hotels near Prison Island (Changuu Island)
Hotels and guesthouses in Zanzibar, Off Stone Town, Zanzibar
Other attractions in Zanzibar
Stone Town
A UNESCO World Heritage old town famed for its labyrinthine alleys and intricately carved wooden doors.
Nungwi Beach
A northern Zanzibar beach famed for snow-white sand and crystal-clear water - one of the world's best beaches.
Spice Farm Tour
A hands-on visit to farms growing clove, cinnamon, vanilla, and many other spices.
Jozani Forest (Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park)
Zanzibar's only national park, home to the endangered red colobus monkey.
Kendwa Beach
A calm white-sand beach next to Nungwi, famed for Zanzibar's full moon party.
Forodhani Gardens Night Market
A nightly seafood market on Stone Town's waterfront.