Jozani Forest and Salaam Cave Turtle Swim, Zanzibar

Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park

Jozani is the last large stretch of natural forest on Zanzibar and its only national park, protecting around fifty square kilometres of groundwater forest, coral-rag thicket and mangroves in the south-east of the island. It lies on the main road from Stone Town to Paje, roughly forty-five minutes from the capital, which is why a Jozani Forest tour fits so easily into a half day from almost any beach.

The star is the Zanzibar red colobus, a monkey found only here, with a reddish coat, long white whiskers and a habit of sitting calmly in low branches close to the path. Park rangers know where the troops feed and lead a walk of about an hour under the mahogany and fig trees, pointing out Sykes monkeys, birds and butterflies too. Sightings are very likely but, as with all wildlife, never guaranteed; keep your distance and do not feed the animals.

The mangrove boardwalk

Part of the Jozani visit is a raised boardwalk that runs through the mangroves towards Chwaka Bay. It is a flat, easy walk of around twenty minutes, and your guide uses it to explain the strange adaptations of mangrove trees: stilt roots, breathing roots poking up from the mud and seeds that germinate on the branch before dropping into the water.

At low tide the mud below the boards is alive with fiddler crabs and mudskippers; at high tide the water laps the walkway and the whole forest seems to float. It is cooler here than on the beach and a good place for photographs. The boardwalk is included in the park entry, and from the car park it is about thirty-five minutes by road to Kizimkazi for the second half of the tour.

Salaam Cave, swimming with sea turtles

Salaam Cave is a natural limestone cave in the village of Kizimkazi on the southern tip of Zanzibar. Its floor holds a clear pool, and it now serves as a rescue and rehabilitation centre for sea turtles caught in fishing nets, mainly green turtles. The keepers explain how the animals are nursed and released, and the entry fee goes towards that work.

You climb down a short flight of steps and into the water, which is cool, calm and shallow enough to stand in places. The turtles swim right up to you, especially if you hold a piece of seaweed, and children usually never want to leave. Please follow the keepers' instructions and avoid grabbing the animals. Plan on about an hour here including a shower and change afterwards. Swimming with turtles in Zanzibar is as close to wildlife as most visitors ever get.

Kizimkazi and the southern tip of Zanzibar

Kizimkazi is a fishing village with a long history: its mosque at Dimbani contains a carved Kufic inscription from the early twelfth century, one of the oldest pieces of Islamic writing on the East African coast. Dolphin boats leave from its beach in the early morning, and the sea here is the open Indian Ocean, deeper blue than the lagoons of the east coast.

After the cave, our driver brings you back to your hotel; the drive is under an hour to the south-east beaches, about an hour to Stone Town and about two hours to Nungwi or Kendwa. The best time to visit Jozani Forest is early morning, when the monkeys are active and the forest is cool, which is why the tour starts between 8:00 and 9:30 am. Lunch is not included, but simple local restaurants in Kizimkazi can be added on request.