A short boat ride from Stone Town sits Changuu Island, more commonly known to visitors as Prison Island — a small island that's become one of Zanzibar's more popular half-day excursions, combining giant tortoises, snorkelling, and a history that's worth understanding rather than glossing over.

A Complicated Past

Despite its nickname, Changuu was never used to hold ordinary prisoners in large numbers. In the 19th century it functioned as a holding site connected to Zanzibar's role in the slave trade, before later being used briefly as a quarantine station for infectious diseases. The buildings on the island today — including the structure that gives it its "Prison Island" name — date largely from this later period rather than from a working prison in the conventional sense. Visitors interested in Zanzibar's slave trade history more broadly can find fuller context at sites in Stone Town itself, including the former slave market and its memorial.

The Giant Tortoises

Changuu's main draw today is its population of Aldabra giant tortoises, introduced to the island in the 19th century as a gift from the Seychelles and now a protected, managed population living in an enclosure on the island. Some individuals are reported to be over a century old, and visitors can walk among them and, at some sites, feed them under supervision — a rare chance to get close to a species usually associated with Seychelles rather than Zanzibar itself.

Snorkelling and the Beach

Beyond the tortoises, Changuu has a small beach and a fringing reef suitable for snorkelling, making it easy to combine the historical and wildlife side of a visit with some time in the water. Because it's a short, well-established boat trip from Stone Town, it works well as a half-day addition to time spent in the old town rather than requiring a separate excursion day.

Fitting It Into a Zanzibar Trip

Prison Island pairs naturally with a day in Stone Town — a morning or afternoon at Changuu alongside sightseeing in the old town itself, including the slave trade sites for a fuller historical picture. Quintrip's Zanzibar holiday packages are generally based at beach resorts, so a Stone Town day including Prison Island is typically arranged as an excursion rather than bundled by default.

Planning the Trip

Zanzibar's high season runs from June through October and again over December, when conditions are driest and generally calmest for the short boat crossing to Changuu. A Quintrip consultant can help build a Stone Town and Prison Island day into a broader Zanzibar itinerary, along with current pricing across the package range.

FAQ

Was Prison Island actually a prison?
Not in the conventional sense — it was used as a holding site connected to the slave trade in the 19th century, then later as a quarantine station; the buildings that give it its name date largely from that later period.

Where did Changuu's giant tortoises come from?
They were introduced from the Seychelles in the 19th century as a gift, and the population is now protected and managed on the island.

Can you swim or snorkel at Prison Island?
Yes — there's a small beach and a fringing reef suitable for snorkelling alongside the tortoise enclosure.

How do you get to Prison Island?
By a short boat trip from Stone Town, making it a straightforward half-day excursion.

Is Prison Island included in a standard Zanzibar package?
Not typically — it's usually arranged as a local excursion from Stone Town rather than bundled into a beach resort package.

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