Prison Island is just off
the coast of Stone Town and it’s a quick 10 minute boat trip
from the old town’s waterfront. Just negotiate a ride with any
of the waiting boats and remember to take an additional US$4, which
is the entrance fee on to the island. Take the correct amount -
there’s never any change.
It’s fringed with a lovely white sand beach and a small coral
reef, making it ideal for a spot of snorkelling and sunbathing. You can hire masks and fins once you’ve landed.
The island, also known as Changuu, was first used by Arab slave merchants
to detain unruly slaves, before the British built what was intended
as a prison for Stone Town in 1890. The building was never
used as a prison, though later it did become a quarantine station
for Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda and what was then Tanganyika.
Today Prison Island is known for its excellent views of Stone Town
and for its giant tortoises imported from Aldabra in the Seychelles
in the late 19th century. They stand up to a rather staggeringly one
metre high, could feasibly be hundreds of years old, and are frequently
seen copulating!
From Stone Town, Prison Island is an excellent half day
trip. Ogle the sexually-charged tortoises, swim and snorkel,
and eat lunch at the island’s small restaurant that only has
one thing on the menu - fish, chips, and salad.
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