The most beautiful natural sites to discover Stone Town

Prison Island owes its name to an Arab merchant who kept slaves here from Bagamoyo before selling them. A prison was built by the Sultan in 1893, but never used; its ruins can still be seen. The island is home to giant land tortoises, imported centuries ago from the Seychelles. Some are over 100 years old. The trick is to feed them and scratch their necks. There are also free-roaming peacocks, and the beach is superb. Combine with snorkeling around Bawe Island and grilling at the Nakupenda sandbar.

Pungume is an alternative excursion to Safari Blu, popular for decades but overbooked. The advantage of the Pungume excursion is that it's only done by private boat (you don't get stuck on a boat with other people like on Safari Blue), but it's more expensive in a small group. The corals are better preserved, and the seafood is grilled on a sandbar uncovered at low tide (beware of sea urchins), not on an island. A real change of scenery. We leave from Uzi when we come from Stone Town.