Looking for a clear Zanzibar map you can save offline? You’re in the right place (updated May 2026). Below is a free high-resolution download, plus everything you need to read the island in one go – where the kite paradise beaches sit, where Stone Town is, how the airport connects to the east coast, and which roads actually work for getting from A to B.
⏱️ Reading time: 4 min
Zanzibar map: distances at a glance
The single most useful thing a Zanzibar map tells you is how far apart things really are. Distances look tiny on screen and feel much longer on the road. Here is what the main routes actually take:
| Route | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Airport (ZNZ) to Paje | 50 km | 60 to 75 min |
| Stone Town to Paje | 50 km | about 1 h 15 |
| Paje to Jambiani | 10 km | 20 min |
| Paje to Nungwi (north tip) | 90 km | about 2 h |
| End to end (north to south) | ~120 km | about 2 h 30 |
Key takeaways
- Free download. Click the map above for the full-resolution version.
- Shape. Zanzibar is roughly 85 km long and 30 km wide, comma-shaped.
- Capital. Stone Town on the west coast, connected by ferry to Dar es Salaam.
- Airport. Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ), 7 km south of Stone Town.
- Main kite beaches. Paje, Jambiani, and Kiwengwa – all on the east coast.
- Drive from airport to Paje. About 1 hour, 50 km, on the only highway across the island.
What’s on the Zanzibar map?
Our Zanzibar map shows the entire main island (Unguja) at high resolution. The features marked are the ones travellers actually need:
- All major beach towns on the east coast (Paje, Jambiani, Bwejuu, Pongwe, Kiwengwa, Nungwi)
- Stone Town and its UNESCO old town district
- Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ)
- Jozani Forest – red colobus monkey territory
- Prison Island (Changuu) and Bawe Island off the west coast
- The main A-roads connecting east coast to west coast
- Ferry terminals for Pemba and Dar es Salaam
What you won’t find: hyper-local detail like restaurant pins or accommodation. Use the map for orientation, then layer local recommendations on top.
Where is Paje on the Zanzibar map?
Paje sits halfway down the east coast, directly opposite Stone Town on the other side of the island. Draw a horizontal line through the middle of that comma-shape: you’ll hit Stone Town in the west, Jozani Forest in the middle, and Paje on the east. It’s the most southerly of the busy east coast beach towns – and the heart of the kite scene. Want to plan your trip around the wind? Check the Paje wind guide for monthly conditions.
What are the best beaches to find on the Zanzibar map?
The east coast (right side of the map) has the long, white-sand lagoons that show up in postcards. The west coast (left side) is more mangrove and tidal flats, with Stone Town as the main attraction. Beach-by-beach on your Zanzibar map:
- Paje (east, middle). Kitesurfing capital. Shallow protected lagoon, biggest concentration of kite schools.
- Jambiani (east, south of Paje). Quieter and longer than Paje – same conditions, less developed.
- Bwejuu (east, north of Paje). Similar to Jambiani, mostly hotels.
- Pongwe and Kiwengwa (east, north-east). Beach resort zone. Good for non-kite travel partners.
- Nungwi (north tip). White sand without the reef – swimming is consistent at any tide. No kite scene though.
- Stone Town (west). Not a swimming beach, but the cultural and logistical centre.
Reading the Zanzibar map: the four regions
Once you can split the island into four chunks, the whole map makes sense in about ten seconds:
| Region on the map | What’s there | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| East coast (right side) | Paje, Jambiani, Bwejuu, Pongwe, Kiwengwa | Kitesurfing, white-sand lagoons |
| West coast (left side) | Stone Town, ferry port, tidal flats | Culture, history, sunsets |
| North tip (top) | Nungwi, Kendwa | Swimming at any tide, resorts |
| Centre | Jozani Forest, spice farms, the main road | Day trips, getting across the island |
Stone Town anchors the west coast. It is the island’s only city, the ferry link to Dar es Salaam, and where almost every road eventually leads. It is not a swimming beach, but on the map it is the hinge that connects the airport in the south to the beach roads heading east. If you land at ZNZ and drive to Paje, you skirt the bottom edge of Stone Town on the way out.
How do you use the Zanzibar map to plan a trip?
Three rules of thumb that travellers learn the hard way:
1. The east coast is tidal. The lagoon you walked across at 9 AM might be a kilometre of water at 3 PM. Plan beach activities around tide times – especially for snorkeling. 2. One main road across the island. The A7 from Stone Town to the east coast. Allow 60 to 75 minutes from airport to Paje on a good day, two hours if it rains. 3. Distances look short but feel long. 30 km from Paje to Nungwi is a 90-minute drive. Roads are fine but slow. Pole Pole.
For kiters specifically, focus on the southern east coast (Paje, Jambiani, Bwejuu). For non-kiters joining you, the north tip (Nungwi, Kendwa) has the calmest swimming.
How long does it take to drive across Zanzibar?
End to end, north to south on the main road, plan 2 hours 30 minutes. From the airport to most east coast destinations: 45 to 90 minutes depending on traffic and which beach you’re heading to. From Stone Town to Paje: 1 hour 15 minutes typically. The map shows the road network clearly, so you can sanity-check any pickup quotes against the actual driving distance.
Frequently asked questions
For the main A-roads, yes. For minor roads and beach tracks the map is indicative – signage on the island is limited and most drivers use offline Google Maps as a backup. If you’re heading to Paje to kite, you only need the main road from the airport, and it’s well marked.
Because of the geography you can see on the map itself: a long east-coast lagoon, protected by a reef, shallow enough for safe lessons, with the trade winds blowing straight onshore for both kite seasons. See why Paje works for the full breakdown.
Yes – but bring the offline PDF on your phone. Mobile data on Zanzibar is decent in towns but patchy on beach roads. An offline Zanzibar map saves you when Google Maps stutters.
Plan your trip with the map
Once you have the map saved, the next step is matching your dates to the kite seasons. Check the seasonal wind guide for monthly averages, then browse our lesson packages or the Kite and Stay bundle that combines accommodation with lessons.
Hakuna Matata – we’ll match your package to your level and your dates. See you in paradise!
