Start here
Forodhani is a garden before it is a market. The sea lies on one side, Stone Town on the other, and the change of light brings people into the space between. Families settle on benches; sellers prepare their working evening. A line of lamps and the glow of a grill gradually replace the daylight.
The food belongs to that scene, but it is not the whole reason to come. This is a public place with a history of trade, civic life and restoration. Behind the grills stands the Old Fort, and the smoke from the skewers drifts along the benches where families sit. For the names and origins of dishes, read what to eat in Zanzibar; for a seated meal elsewhere, use where to eat.
The story
A waterfront before a garden. Forodhani occupies ground that once served as the main port and a landing place for Zanzibar's sultans. The seafront was a threshold between the Indian Ocean and the town behind it, rather than an ornamental edge. Restoration accounts record this earlier role. Look towards the Old Fort, then back towards the water: the park's position explains why trade and gathering remain intertwined here. The name points the same way: Forodhani refers to customs, and the gardens sit near the site of the original customs house.
The Jubilee Gardens. Under British colonial rule, the public garden commemorated royal jubilees. Historical accounts distinguish the garden laid out by 1935 for King George V's Silver Jubilee from additions in 1936 for Sultan Khalifa's Silver Jubilee, including the bandstand, pier, fountain and seats. That distinction is more useful than treating every feature as the same age. The 1956 arch, a white concrete arch by the sea built for Princess Margaret's visit, is another reminder that the park has always been a place for public occasions. Historical accounts also describe the pressure that commercial activity later placed on leisure space.
Restoration beneath the surface. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture worked with Zanzibar's government on rehabilitation completed in 2009. Walkways and landscaping were renewed, alongside lighting, sewage, drainage and the seawall. Much of the work was therefore infrastructure that a visitor would barely notice. The project's stated aim was better social and recreational amenities, with economic activity supporting the park's upkeep. Conservation here meant keeping a heavily used place useful. Accounts disagree on the exact inauguration day and the cost of the work, so this page gives neither. The park's upkeep is reported to be shared with NMB Bank under an agreement with the Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority; the signing date is not confirmed.
An evening market in a shared space. Sellers set up around sunset, and the usual offer includes mishkaki, spiced cassava, samosas, fresh seafood, Zanzibar pizza and sugarcane juice pressed with lime and ginger. There are no menus and no fixed prices. The evening combines business with somewhere to meet and linger. Visitors are part of that mixture, alongside the people who use the park without needing a special occasion. The UNESCO status belongs to Stone Town as a whole; Forodhani's value also lies in ordinary use. Leave benches and paths available, keep litter out of the water, and let a conversation happen without turning it into a photograph.
The divers and the camera. The young men popularly called the jumping boys are associated with Makachu, a local diving tradition that has also become performance and paid creative work. The Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority suspended the jumps in December 2024, citing damage to drainage, misuse of waste bins and inappropriate attire. The jumps returned on 1 January 2025 under new rules: contracts for compliant performers, life jackets introduced, with trained members to respond in emergencies, performances from 7am to 10pm in peak season, and women allowed to take part for the first time. That update is dated, so the current position is the first thing to find out before you go. If performers are present, keep clear of their movement, get permission before making close portraits and never pay for a more dangerous stunt. Watch from land; do not join the jumps.
Key facts
| What | A public seafront garden with an evening street-food market |
|---|---|
| Where | Stone Town waterfront, beside the Old Fort |
| When | Arrive before sunset; stalls gather around dusk |
| History | Former port and royal landing place; Jubilee Gardens; rehabilitation completed in 2009 |
| Spending | No fixed prices; agree an itemised total with the seller before ordering |
| Food | Grilled skewers, seafood, Zanzibar pizza, sugarcane juice; eat what is cooked hot in front of you |
| Respect | Share the public space, get permission before portraits, watch the divers from land |
Verdict: go for an hour of atmosphere and a light, informal supper; skip it as a dinner plan if you want a table, a menu or quiet.
How to experience it
Let the evening begin before the meal. Come from a Stone Town guided walk, or simply arrive while there is daylight to get your bearings. By day the gardens are quieter, with cafés, a play park and shaded benches, so a late-afternoon visit is a calmer way to see the space before the market. Stand back as sellers assemble their stalls and watch how the space changes. A local guide can explain the park's history and the ordering process; agree the guide's fee beforehand. There is no reason to commit to a large meal before looking around.
Be clear about the purchase. Find out from the person cooking what an item contains, what the portion is and what it costs. Check whether extras are included, then repeat the total before anything goes on the grill. Decline politely if the answer is unclear. Small cash notes make payment simpler; the wider currency and tipping questions belong to money in Zanzibar. After dark the paths can be crowded, and some sellers and self-appointed guides call visitors over persistently. A polite, firm no is enough; you need not buy from the first stall that waves you in, and it is fine to walk a full loop before choosing.
Use ordinary food judgement. Choose food cooked thoroughly in front of you and served hot. Look for raw and cooked food handled separately, and for clean utensils and preparation surfaces. A busy stall alone cannot establish safe storage or water quality. These principles follow the standard five keys to safer food; the broader preparation questions sit in health in Zanzibar. You can enjoy the market's atmosphere without eating there.
This is general information, not medical advice — consult a travel clinic.
Dress for town and notice the calendar. Follow Stone Town dress and photography etiquette, greet people first and keep paths open. Ramadan changes the rhythm of food service and the sunset meal; visiting Zanzibar during Ramadan sets out what to expect in the year you travel.
Why it matters to how we travel
Right for you if… you are a curious, flexible eater with an evening in Stone Town and enjoy places where daily life carries on around you. Skip it, or keep it short, if you want a seated meal with a menu, dislike crowds or being approached by sellers, or have strict dietary needs that are hard to explain at a grill.
A story-led journey needs room for places that remain part of everyday life. Forodhani gives a beach holiday a different scale: a bench, a seller, the old waterfront and an evening shared with the town. A spice-farm visit or Swahili cooking class can deepen the food thread on another day. The market earns its own unhurried pause.
Journeys to consider
- Shores of Zanzibar — follow the island's town, spice and coast themes. → See the Shores of Zanzibar journey
- Southern Safari & Spice — read about a Tanzania safari followed by the island. → See the Southern Safari & Spice journey