Zanzibar Island is known as Africa’s tropical paradise, offering the world’s most beautiful beaches. Here, you find miles and miles of white sandy beaches dotted with palm trees, surrounded by the clear azure water of the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar is part of the Zanzibar Archipelago together with Pemba Island and many other smaller islands. Zanzibar Island offers a laidback beach life, but also a large variety of activities, a colorful culture and a deep history. You can go on a spice tour or explore the amazing coral reefs and swim among tropical reef fish. Zanzibar Island has all the ingredients to make a memorable holiday.
Things to Do in Zanzibar:
There are several places to visit and things to do while in Zanzibar. The Islands are an excellent hideout for tourists who desire a serene and quiet place to explore the Indian ocean and all that it has to offer. Zanzibar offers amazing beaches, a great nightlife, restaurants and many other fun activities as follows;
Attend Zanzibar Festivals:
Zanzibar is a multicultural island with many exciting cultural festivals that you might enjoy if you’re visiting. One of the most popular events is the Sauti za Busara music festival, held every February in Stone Town. This festival lasts several days and features many African musicians who come to entertain the crowd not forgetting the Zanzibar International Film Festival, one of the largest in East Africa. It started in 1997 and takes place over two weeks in July, celebrating talented artists in music, film, and the arts with awards plus the Zanzibar Beach and Water Sports Festival is held in Jambiani. This festival invites everyone in the community to join in or compete in various water sports and the Culture Musical Club is open year-round and showcases the best Swahili orchestras and traditional Taarab music.
Visit the Kuza Cave:
The Kuza Caves are one of the most interesting but rarely visited tourist attractions in Zanzibar. The caves are found in the village of Jambiani and are believed to be sacred by the communities living close to it. There is a small well within the caves which is said to have healing power. Some of the locals and individuals from mainland Tanzania visit the caves to swim in the well and hopefully get cured of their sicknesses. The scenery around the caves is spectacular and supports an amazing collection of birds. If birding is not your thing, you can instead go and see troops of monkeys enjoying the trees in the area.
Visit The Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park:
To see the rare Red Colobus Monkey and visit the Zanzibar Butterfly Project this park covers an area of about 6,200 acres and is made up of mostly forest. Jozani forest was declared a national reserve in the 1960’s. The park offers a welcome break from beach life and stands out for its breathtaking scenery and biodiversity. Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is home to the rare and endangered Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey. This monkey is endemic to the island and only 2,500 individuals remain. Conserving them has generally been successful but the fact that they are only found in the island makes them very prone to extinction.
Visit the Beaches:
As already mentioned earlier, Zanzibar has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Each island has unique beaches with interesting activities on offer. The beaches in the western part of Zanzibar provide some of the most beautiful sunsets while those in the south are known for having a high concentration of dolphins. Nungwi is arguably the best and most beautiful beach in Zanzibar. It’s white sands and beautiful turquoise waters will impress almost anyone who visits it. It has a variety of accommodation facilities, clubs, bars and restaurants and is where most of the island residents go to for the best parties and beach experience. The other popular beaches are Kendwa (known for its nightlife) and Paje on the eastern side of the coastline. All the beaches have beautiful white sands and waters which are excellent for swimming and diving. In order to visit all the beaches in a short time, it is important to choose a hotel that is strategically located to allow easy accessibility to the different islands. All beaches in Zanzibar are free to the public.
Prison Island:
Also known as Changuu Island was left untouched until it was inhabited by the Arabs in the 1860’s. The island was used as a temporary shelter for slaves who were considered rebellious or with potential to lead revolts. The slaves were kept there before being sold abroad. The Island was also used to quarantine those who got sick during yellow fever epidemics. When Zanzibar became a British protectorate, the Island was bought from the Arabs and a real prison was built. The prison was never used on completion and has now been turned into a beautiful resort. In 1919, four giant Aldabra tortoises were introduced in the island as a gift from a British Governor in the Seychelles. By the 1950’s their numbers had increased to the hundreds. Trafficking in later years reduced their numbers considerably but have recovered ever since the government built a large enclosure to keep them safe. Some of the Tortoises are believed to be over 100 years old. After spending time petting and touching the tortoises, you can go swimming on the beach and admire the amazing landscape and bird-life including the amazing peacock. To reach the island from Stone town, you will need to hire a boat and embark on a journey that takes 30 minutes.
Visit Stone Town:
Its attractions and meet the local people: Stone town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the cultural Center of Zanzibar. The town is found in the main island of Unguja and gets its name from the 19th century buildings whose architecture was influenced by European, Arabic, Indian and Swahili settlers. Because of its Arab and European background, Stone Town has a history that is well documented. Taking a tour of the town is a great opportunity to understand the history of the island’s inhabitants spanning different eras. The town is located at the very heart of Zanzibar and was once an important stopover for both general merchandise and slave traders moving to and from the mainland. Stone Town has is characterized by very narrow streets, bazaars, ancient architecture and several mosques.
Go On a Sunset Dhow Cruise:
Hire one of the dhows (wooden boats) and head to the ocean as you watch the town/Island disappear from the horizon. Most of the dhows ensure that there are enough supplies for the day including delicious snacks, sea food (grilled fish, lobsters, octopus and calamari) and drinks to keep everyone excited and happy. A Dhow cruise will allow you appreciate the sheer beauty of the Indian ocean, and usually starts from the main Island all the way to Kwale Island and Fishing villages like Fumba. Once you reach these islands or fishing villages, you can go ashore and explore the area or climb old baobab trees. During the cruise, you may spot dolphins, swim along the beautiful green lagoons, fish or snorkel along the coral reefs and mangroves.
Visit The Nungwi Masaai Village Market and Local Community:
The Masai Market in Nungwi village is an excellent spot for buying local souvenirs, clothes and paintings. The street market offers an opportunity to meet the locals and strike friendly conversations about business and life in the island. While touring the village and market, you will observe their unique dressing styles, traditional homes, bazaars, schools and playgrounds to get an idea about the kind of life lived by the island dwellers. After visiting Nungwi Village, you could also check out the night food market for a taste of the local cuisines. These night markets crop up every evening as local chefs begin preparing roasted meat, pizza, samosas, sugar cane juice and sea food from the roadsides.
Swim With Humpback Dolphins:
The best place to swim with dolphins is on the small fishing village of Kizimkazi. Dolphin tours are organized using boats/dhows. Tourists board the boats and go out into the ocean in search of the dolphins. The tours can be organized as a group or in private. Dolphin tours also offer opportunities to observe other sea creatures, large sea fish, prawns and lobsters. After swimming with the dolphins, guests are normally taken to a smaller island for a meal that may include fried prawns, calamari, pilau rice and tropical fruits. The dolphin tour starts at 10:00pm and ends by 5:00pm.
Swim With Turtles:
The best Turtle Aquarium in Zanzibar is the Baraka National Aquarium. Most of the turtles are brought into the facility after being caught in fishing nets. Most come to the Centre when young or injured. They are taken care until they can be released back into the ocean. The Turtle Aquarium in Zanzibar offers visitors a chance to swim with turtles. Visitors are also allowed to visit and take photos of the totals.
Kitesurfing and Exploring the Lagoons:
The calm beaches, great weather and flat lagoons of Zanzibar allow for great Kitesurfing experiences. April, May and November have no strong winds hence offering the best Kite-surfing experiences. The best Kitesurfing spots are found on the Eastern part of Zanzibar. Apart from Kite surfing, some companies and resorts offer tourists and opportunity to explore the lagoons at the Chwaka Bay using small boats. The best method to explore and pass through the lagoons is by paddle boarding on small boats.
Accommodation:
Zanzibar offers a wealth of lodges, hotels and resorts. It has everything ranging from basic accommodation to ultra-luxury. There are many hotels and resorts to choose from on the main island of Zanzibar (Unguja) and these all vary from mid-range to luxury and even exclusive. Most hotels in Stone town are comfortable, clean and enjoyable to stay in and a place like Matemwe Retreat on the eastern side of Unguja, the Manta Resort on the northern tip of Pemba Island and Fundu Lagoon on the southern part of Pemba.
Best Time to Visit
The most popular time to visit Zanzibar is during the dry season, from June to October and from December to February. However, Zanzibar Island is a great beach destination all-year round. Even during the wet season (mid-March, April, May, November) it is beautiful, since the rain showers don’t last much longer than 30 minutes and the temperatures still remain around 28 C. February is the hottest month in Zanzibar, while July is the coldest. Given its tropical climate, it’s always a good time to visit Zanzibar.
Accessibility to Zanzibar
Zanzibar is located only 15 miles off the coast of Tanzania. Which means that you can quickly and easily fly to the Tanzanian mainland, a flight from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar takes only 20 minutes. You can also combine Zanzibar with a safari on the mainland. The distance from Arusha to Zanzibar is about 420 kilometres which involves ferry crossing.