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Tanzania🇹🇿 | attractionsMaruhubi Palace RuinsStone colonnade, ruined bathhouse, mango garden, sea edge | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Maruhubi Palace Ruins
🌟 Highlightattraction ranked #7
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Maruhubi Palace Ruins is a quick, cheap detour from Stone Town, so you can fold it into a single morning without planning a thing. The ruins sit just north of Zanzibar City on the island of Unguja, in Tanzania’s semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago. Crowds stay thin, the entry fee is small, and you can wander the broken colonnades and the overgrown garden at your own pace. Don’t expect a restored palace: there is no roof, little signage, and not much to buy but a coconut. What you get instead is tall stone pillars, a ruined Persian-style bathhouse and a seafront view that makes for great photos. History fans and photographers will love it. Anyone wanting interior rooms, exhibits or a big adrenaline hit should skip it.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 Tanzania Travel Guide.


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✨ Why go?
Ranked #7 attraction in TanzaniaWhat sets this place apart

Maruhubi Palace Ruins gives you a concrete look at the Omani Sultanate that once ran Zanzibar, without the queues you find at bigger Stone Town sites. The palace was built for the sultan’s harem, and the leftover stone colonnade still shows the scale of the place. Walking the grounds takes only a short while, which makes it easy to pair with other sights.

The second reason is the site itself. The Persian-style bathhouse and its water channels show how the palace once worked, and the ocean edge of the garden gives a calm break from Stone Town’s tight lanes. Photographers get dramatic pillars against open sky.

For a country route, it works as a useful history marker. Alongside Stone Town’s palaces and slave-trade sites, it fills in the story of how the Omani sultans lived, built and eventually … read more 👉
Maruhubi Palace Ruins gives you a concrete look at the Omani Sultanate that once ran Zanzibar, without the queues you find at bigger Stone Town sites. The palace was built for the sultan’s harem, and the leftover stone colonnade still shows the scale of the place. Walking the grounds takes only a short while, which makes it easy to pair with other sights.

The second reason is the site itself. The Persian-style bathhouse and its water channels show how the palace once worked, and the ocean edge of the garden gives a calm break from Stone Town’s tight lanes. Photographers get dramatic pillars against open sky.

For a country route, it works as a useful history marker. Alongside Stone Town’s palaces and slave-trade sites, it fills in the story of how the Omani sultans lived, built and eventually lost their grip on the island. If you care about the story behind the beaches, this is a good stop.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. The Stone Colonnade: Tall, weathered pillars are what remains of the palace’s main structure and the image most visitors come for. They frame the sky and make the best photos on site.
  2. The Persian-Style Bathhouse: Ruined bathing rooms and a water system hint at the luxury once enjoyed by the sultan’s household. Look for the channels and the remaining arched sections.
  3. The Palace Foundations: Low walls and floor outlines let you picture the layout of the original three-story building. Walking them gives a sense of scale that photos miss.
  4. The Overgrown Gardens: Once planted with ornamental trees, the grounds still hold mango trees and other greenery. They make a shady spot for a rest.
  5. The Seafront Edge: The palace was built facing the water, and the coastal side of the grounds gives a breezy view
… read more 👉
  1. The Stone Colonnade: Tall, weathered pillars are what remains of the palace’s main structure and the image most visitors come for. They frame the sky and make the best photos on site.
  2. The Persian-Style Bathhouse: Ruined bathing rooms and a water system hint at the luxury once enjoyed by the sultan’s household. Look for the channels and the remaining arched sections.
  3. The Palace Foundations: Low walls and floor outlines let you picture the layout of the original three-story building. Walking them gives a sense of scale that photos miss.
  4. The Overgrown Gardens: Once planted with ornamental trees, the grounds still hold mango trees and other greenery. They make a shady spot for a rest.
  5. The Seafront Edge: The palace was built facing the water, and the coastal side of the grounds gives a breezy view over the sea. It is a calm spot away from Stone Town’s traffic.
  6. The Ruined Entrance Areas: Remains of the approach and surrounding walls show how visitors once arrived. They are quiet corners for a closer look at the old stonework.
Maruhubi Palace Ruins costs only a small entry fee, and wandering the gardens and the coastal edge is the cheapest part of the visit.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

🌤️ When to go?Choosing the right time of year

  • June to October (cool, dry): Zanzibar’s driest stretch, with highs of 28 to 31°C (82 to 88°F) and lower humidity, so walking the ruins and the Stone Town waterfront is comfortable. This is also peak season, when beds fill and prices climb 20 to 40 percent.
  • December to February (hot, dry): Highs of 31 to 33°C (88 to 91°F) with heavy humidity. Expect busy beaches and the highest prices around Christmas and New Year.
  • March to May (long rains): Downpours turn the garden paths muddy and many guesthouses cut rates by a third or more. Temperatures stay at 27 to 31°C (81 to 88°F), and crowds are thin.
  • November (short rains): Brief afternoon showers, fewer visitors, and mid-range prices.
Daylight runs about 11.5 to 12.5 hours all year, so go in the morning before the heat and tour buses arrive.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: below average for travelingAPRApril: below average for travelingMAYMay: fair for travelingJUNJune: excellent for travelingJULJuly: highly recommended for travelingAUGAugust: highly recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas and accommodation options

Stone Town is the smartest base, because Maruhubi Palace Ruins sits just 3 km (2 miles) north of it and the area packs in the most hostels and guesthouses on the island, plus the best social scene for solo travelers.

The Shangani and Forodhani waterfront side puts you near the night food market, rooftop bars and the ferry port. It is lively and walkable, and the easiest place to meet other backpackers over dinner. Expect noise from mosque calls and late bars.

The Mkunazini and Kiponda lanes, deeper in the old town, are quieter and cheaper, with family-run guesthouses and courtyard dorms. The … read more 👉
Stone Town is the smartest base, because Maruhubi Palace Ruins sits just 3 km (2 miles) north of it and the area packs in the most hostels and guesthouses on the island, plus the best social scene for solo travelers.

The Shangani and Forodhani waterfront side puts you near the night food market, rooftop bars and the ferry port. It is lively and walkable, and the easiest place to meet other backpackers over dinner. Expect noise from mosque calls and late bars.

The Mkunazini and Kiponda lanes, deeper in the old town, are quieter and cheaper, with family-run guesthouses and courtyard dorms. The alleys are confusing after dark, so arrive by daylight on your first evening and take a taxi if it is late.

The Malindi quarter, near the port, suits early ferry departures and has budget rooms and local eateries. The streets are more residential and less polished.

Beach hostels at Nungwi and Paje are about an hour or more away by road, so they are better for a longer stay than for visiting the ruins.
Best hostels in Tanzania


Best quality hotels in Tanzania

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)Money, prices, and spending tips

Maruhubi Palace Ruins costs a budget traveler about US$38 to 55 a day when based in Stone Town, with the entrance fee a small part of that.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance feeUS$5 to 8Foreign adults pay a higher rate than residents. Payment is in shillings or dollars at the gate.
Accommodation (high season)US$12 to 25Dorm beds or basic private rooms in Stone Town. Low season drops to US$8 to 18.
FoodUS$6 to 12Street snacks and Forodhani grills cost little. Sit-down seafood costs more.
Local transportUS$1 to 3Dala-dala minibuses run along the northern road for under US$1. A taxi or tuk-tuk from Stone Town is about US$3 to 6.
Guide (optional)US$0 to 5Site guides appear informally. Agree a price first.
Water and extrasUS$2 to 3Bottled water and a juice stop nearby.
Total Daily BudgetUS$38
… read more 👉
Maruhubi Palace Ruins costs a budget traveler about US$38 to 55 a day when based in Stone Town, with the entrance fee a small part of that.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance feeUS$5 to 8Foreign adults pay a higher rate than residents. Payment is in shillings or dollars at the gate.
Accommodation (high season)US$12 to 25Dorm beds or basic private rooms in Stone Town. Low season drops to US$8 to 18.
FoodUS$6 to 12Street snacks and Forodhani grills cost little. Sit-down seafood costs more.
Local transportUS$1 to 3Dala-dala minibuses run along the northern road for under US$1. A taxi or tuk-tuk from Stone Town is about US$3 to 6.
Guide (optional)US$0 to 5Site guides appear informally. Agree a price first.
Water and extrasUS$2 to 3Bottled water and a juice stop nearby.
Total Daily BudgetUS$38 to 55Based on high season rates and public transport.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQTraveler FAQ

Maruhubi Palace Ruins needs 30 to 45 minutes for the grounds, the standing columns and the old bathhouse. Combine it with a half day around Stone Town, since it lies only 3 km north of the center. Add a nearby stop such as the Mtoni Palace ruins for a fuller morning.
For many travelers, Maruhubi Palace Ruins is a fair stop at roughly US$5 to 8 per foreign adult. The 19th-century palace of Sultan Barghash burned in 1899, and what remains is mainly columns, a bathhouse and a mango-shaded garden. Skip it if you dislike ruins, but history fans and photographers get good value in under an hour.
Reaching Maruhubi Palace Ruins from Stone Town takes about 10 to 15 minutes by taxi or tuk-tuk, costing around US$3 to 6. Dala-dala minibuses on the road north from Darajani market pass nearby for under US$1. You can also walk the 3 km in 40 to 50 minutes, though the midday heat is punishing.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Tanzanian attractions near Maruhubi Palace Ruins

Explore more nearby:

  • Mtoni Palace Ruins—Roofless baths, coral-rock shell, Princess Salme, courtyard trees| 0 km away
  • Palace Museum—Sultans' reception rooms, royal bedrooms, Salme exhibit, seafront balconies| 3 km away
  • Princess Salme Museum—Salme's house, guided rooms, royal portraits, memoir display| 3 km away

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We 💚 feedbackParting advice and final tips

Maruhubi Palace Ruins pairs easily with a Stone Town morning, so I would go there first and then head into the old town for the palace museum and the markets. Bring water and a hat, as shade is limited, and keep the visit short. Pair it with a beach afternoon to round out the day.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in Tanzania. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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