Prison Island is on almost every Zanzibar itinerary. It was also the most expensive single thing we did in fifteen days on the island. Here is what you get, so you can decide before a boat captain decides for you.
The short answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Our score | 7 out of 10 |
| What we paid | About US$100 for the trip (boat and island entry), without a guide |
| Time needed | Half a day from Stone Town; the crossing takes about half an hour each way |
| Go if | You like animals and are spending a night or two in Stone Town anyway |
| Skip if | You have only a few days and came for the beach |
What Prison Island is
Changuu, as it is properly called, is a small island half an hour by wooden boat from the Stone Town seafront. The "prison" was built in the 1890s and never held prisoners. It became a quarantine station instead. Today there is a small museum with old photographs, a restaurant and a jetty over very blue water. You can walk the whole island in a few minutes.
The tortoises
Most people come for the colony of Aldabra giant tortoises, descended from animals given by the Seychelles in 1919. Some of them are well over a hundred years old. You walk among them, and nobody rushes you. This was the part we liked best.
A few rules make the visit better for them and for you:
- Do not sit on them and do not lift the small ones.
- Feed them only what the keepers hand out.
- Stroking the neck gently is tolerated. They will stretch towards you for it.
What it costs, and where the money goes
We paid about US$100 for the trip: the boat ride and the island entry, without a guide. We booked the trip through our hotel.
When we checked operator listings in November 2026, the island entry alone was quoted at roughly US$15–22 per person. In other words, the boat is most of the price, and boat prices are negotiable. Compare what an offer includes before you say yes.
How to book
Either through your hotel or directly with boat captains at the seafront near Forodhani Gardens. Whichever you choose, agree three things before you step on board:
- the price,
- whether island entry is included,
- what time the boat brings you back.
Go in the morning. The sea is calmer and it is cooler on the island. Some boats combine the trip with a swim at the Nakupenda sandbank; that only works if the tide is right, so ask.
Why seven and not ten
The tortoises are a real experience and the boat ride is lovely. It loses points on price for what is, in the end, a short visit. For comparison: the activity we scored ten out of ten on Zanzibar, the Tazari Caves, cost us US$15 per person.
Would we go again? Once is right. If you are in Stone Town with a free morning, go. If you have to give up a beach day and a long transfer for it, we would not.
Fits well with
A night or two in Stone Town. Do the island in the morning and the old town on foot in the late afternoon, when the lanes cool down. Our 7-day Zanzibar itinerary puts both on the same day, and Where to stay in Zanzibar explains why a Stone Town night is worth it.
Eighteen places, rated like this one.
The Zanzibar Field Guide has every restaurant, beach club and activity we visited, with our rating out of ten and what we paid, plus three routes and a worked budget. Read the free sample or see what is inside.
By Giada & Serdar. Based on our visit in autumn 2026; entry-fee range from operator listings checked in November 2026. Prices change — agree yours before you board.