Changuu — everyone calls it Prison Island — is a small island a short boat ride off Stone Town. The name is misleading in a way that is worth knowing, and the real draw is a colony of giant tortoises, some well over a hundred years old, that you can walk right up to.
The tortoises
The island is home to a group of Aldabra giant tortoises, originally a gift from the Seychelles more than a century ago. They are enormous, slow and completely unbothered by people; you walk among them in their enclosure and, if you like, feed them the greens the sanctuary provides. Several are old enough to have been alive well before living memory — the keepers will point out the eldest. For most visitors, and especially for children, this is the highlight of the day.
The name, and the real history
Despite the name, the island was barely used as a prison. A prison complex was built here in the 1890s, but it ended up serving mainly as a quarantine station for yellow fever and other diseases arriving by ship. The old buildings are still there to wander. It is a quieter, stranger history than "prison island" suggests — worth a guide who can tell it properly.
Snorkelling and the water
The water around Changuu is clear and shallow, and most trips include time to snorkel off the boat or the beach. It is gentle, family-friendly snorkelling rather than a serious reef dive — but the fish are there, and it rounds the trip out nicely.
Put this tour in your plan.
We arrange it with guides we know — one request, one quote, nothing charged here.
Visiting from Paje
Prison Island is reached from Stone Town, so from the east coast it pairs naturally with a Stone Town day: cross the island, take the short boat out, see the tortoises and snorkel, and come back through town. The crossing is quick and calm in normal conditions.
In short: Giant century-old tortoises, easy snorkelling, and a history worth hearing — best paired with Stone Town. We arrange the boat and the day as part of your plan. See experiences and pricing →