Zanzibar

Even though Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, it still has its own identity. The people who live there choose to call themselves Zanzibaris, and they choose their own leaders and run the country. The Portuguese were in charge of Zanzibar at first, but the Arabs took over later. For hundreds of years, the islands were ruled by Arabs under the power of the Sultan of Oman.

This is why Islam is the main religion on the island. In the end, though, the British drove the Arabs off the island. Because of this, foreigners living on the island and marrying natives changed its design and culture. African-Swahili and Arabic societies have a big impact. The people on the island are more traditional and conservative than those in central Tanzania, though, because Islam is a big part of Island life.

Zanzibar Island is a great place to relax on the beach and enjoy a variety of activities. It also has a lively culture and a long past. Stone Town, which is on the main island, is an old business district with Islamic and Swahili elements. The town has small streets with minarets, carved entrances, and buildings from the 1800s, like the House of Wonders, which used to be the sultan’s home.

Nungwi and Kendwa, two of Zanzibar’s other islands in the north, have long beaches with great hotels all around them. You can go on a spice tour or explore the beautiful coral reefs and swim with tropical reef fish while you’re on the island. Zanzibar Island has everything you need for a great beach trip.

The tourism, spices, and raffia businesses are what keep Zanzibar’s economy going. The islands are known for their cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper. This is why the Zanzibar Archipelago and Tanzania’s Mafia Island are often called the “Spice Islands” by locals. However, Zanzibar’s tourism business is fairly new. Thanks to government marketing, the number of visitors rose from 19,000 in 1985 to 376,000 in 2016. Five ports and the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport join the islands. The airport can hold up to 1.5 million people a year.

Zanzibar also has a maritime environment that is important for fishing and growing algae. The island has important marine habitats that help fish populations in the Indian Ocean grow. The island is also home to the rarely seen Zanzibar red colobus, the rare Zanzibar servaline genet, and the almost dead Zanzibar leopard. The tourism and fishing businesses, on the other hand, are putting more pressure on the Zanzibar Archipelago. There are also bigger problems, like climate change causing the sea level to rise.

Things to see and do in Zanzibar

Check out Jozani Forest.
One of the best places to visit in Zanzibar is the Jozani Forest. The bush is where the Zanzibar red colobus monkey lives in the wild. The Jozani forest is in Stone Town, in the southeast of the island. It is one of the greenest places in Zanzibar. In the Jozani bush, it’s easy to get lost and then find the monkeys. There are many wildlife trails that go through beautiful forests, and red colobus monkeys aren’t afraid to be seen.

There are many bird species, animals (like bush pigs, suni antelopes, elephant shrews, aders duiker), primates (like red colobus monkeys), and reptiles (like snakes, lizards, and chameleons) in Jozani Forest. You can walk on a boardwalk through the mangroves and through the swamp forest. Make sure to cross the street and check out the Mangrove Forest after seeing Jozani. I think you should go to Jozani Forest before 9 a.m. because after that, buses full of tourists come and crowd around the monkeys.

Walk around Stone Town.
One of the most exciting things to do in Zanzibar is to take a walk through Stone Town, which is on the main island. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It got its name from the houses that were built there in the 1800s and had European, Indian, Arabic, and Swahili influences. The town has a very long past because of its location. Walking around the town lets you learn about its culture and meet the people who live there. The town of Stone Town is in the middle of Zanzibar and is the island’s main hub because of its ideal position.

Stone Town grew from a small fishing village to the largest trade hub on the island. The island was colonized by many countries, such as Portugal, Oman, and Great Britain. As a result, Stone Town has a lot of different cultural impacts, from Arab and Indian traders to British colonists. But the island became its own country in 1963, and it still is its own country today.

There are bazaars, small streets, and old buildings in the town. There are many interesting places to visit in Zanzibar, such as the Kidichi Persian Baths for Sultan Said, the Anglican Church Cathedral, the Peace Memorial Museum, the Makasurani Graveyard for the Arab Rulers, and more.

Take a tour of spices.
Zanzibar is one of the biggest spice makers in Africa and is known as the “Spice Island” because it grows so many different kinds of spices. Some of the spices that are grown on the island are cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. In the 1600s, Portuguese traders brought spices to Zanzibar.

As part of the tour, you will go to spice farms with a guide who will explain how the spices are grown, made, and used. Spices, tropical fruits, and plants like turmeric, vanilla, coconut, black pepper, papaya, chile, jackfruit, oranges, cassava, and nutmeg will also be available to smell and taste. While on the trip, you’ll stop at a spice stand to buy fresh spices in bags.

Go to the Seaweed Center.
A group of women from Zanzibar run the Seaweed Center. They make everything from smoothies and drinks to organic soap and oils using the seaweed that grows in large amounts along the beaches of the ocean. During your walk of the Center, you will get to know the women who work there and see how they make the things they sell. You will also get to try a seaweed smoothie and see how it tastes. You can help the women at the Zanzibar Seaweed Center by buying some of their tasty treats while you’re there.

Take a Dhow cruise at sunset.
Take an evening dhow cruise to see more of the ocean. On most dhows, these boat rides are long enough to keep everyone interested and happy. Around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m., the dhow tour leaves. from Froddhani Garden on Stone Town’s seafront and sails along the historical coast, where you can see dolphins in the water, fishing towns, and the beautiful sunset. You can also get snacks, fruits, seafood, grilled fish, and drinks on board.

For the day, there are tasty snacks, drinks, and seafood like grilled fish, crabs, octopus, and calamari. When you get to these islands or fishing villages, you can walk around and look at the sights or climb up old baobab trees. You might see dolphins and swim with them during the trip.

Go to Cheetah’s Rock.
You have to see this if you love nature while you are on holiday in Zanzibar, Africa. A lot of famous animals from Tanzania live on the cheetah’s rock, like cheetahs, lions, zebras, striped hyenas, and other important African species. The building gives visitors a taste of what they can expect when they go to Tanzania’s amazing animal parks. While you interact with and feed the animals at the Center, a trained guide will tell you interesting things about each one. The Cheetah’s Rock is in Kama and is open from 2 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

Snorkeling
Some of the best places in the world to swim are on Zanzibar. Some of these places are Mnemba Island, Tumbatu Island, Kendwa Reef, Prison Island, and Stone Town Reef. When you go snorkeling around Zanzibar, you can see more than 350 different kinds of fish and other sea animals. Wearing a diving mask and swimming in cold water is part of the experience. The exciting trip will take you to see dolphins, jellyfish, parrotfish, clownfish, stingrays, turtles, squids, coral reefs, and marine life like zebrafish, sea stars, batfish, ribbon eels, and leaf fish.

Go to Prison Island.
Before the Arabs came in the 1860s, Prison Island, also called Changuu Island, was an empty island. It was then used as a brief refuge for slaves who were thought to be rebellious or able to lead revolts. Slaves were kept there before they were sold abroad, and during yellow fever outbreaks, the island was often used to confine people who were sick.

When Zanzibar was taken over by the British, however, the Arabs were forced to sell the island, and a real jail was built there. When it was finished, the jail was never used, and it is now a beautiful getaway.

As a gift, the British Governor of Seychelles gave the island four huge Aldabra turtles in 1919. By the 1950s, there were over one hundred places to visit in Zanzibar. Still, later, trafficking greatly reduced their numbers.

However, they have since grown again since the government built a huge cage to protect them. Some of the turtles are thought to be more than one hundred years old. You can swim on the beach and enjoy the beautiful nature and birds, especially the beautiful peacock, after petting the tortoises. From Stone Town, you have to rent a boat and take a 30-minute trip to get to the island.

Check out Zanzibar’s beaches.
Additionally, Zanzibar has some of the most beautiful beaches in Africa. Each island has its own set of beaches and things to do. The beaches in the western part of Zanzibar have some of the most beautiful sunsets.

The beaches in the southern part of the island are famous for having lots of dolphins. Nungwi is one of Zanzibar’s best and most beautiful beaches. Its beautiful sands and blue seas will charm almost everyone who visits. There are also many places to stay, eat, drink, and party on the island because that’s where most island residents go to find the best parties and beaches.

On the eastern side of the shore, however, Kendwa, which is known for its crazy nightlife, and Paje are also popular beaches. The beaches on Zanzibar are all beautiful, with white sand and clear water that are great for swimming and fishing. To see all the beaches in a short amount of time, it is important to choose a hotel that is placed in a way that makes it easy to get to all the islands. The beaches in Zanzibar are open all year.

Go to the market and community center in Nungwi Masaai Village.

You can look around and buy native souvenirs, clothes, and art at the Masai Market in the Nungwi village. You can meet locals at the street market and have friendly conversations with them about business and life on the island.

You can get a feel for the islanders’ way of life by looking at the Maasai’s unique clothing styles, traditional homes, bazaars, schools, and parks as you walk around town and the market. After seeing Nungwi Village, go to the night food market to try some of the local food. This kind of night market opens up every night as local cooks start making food like samosas, pizza, seafood, roasted meat, and more.

How to Get to Zanzibar

You can take an international flight or a local flight from Arusha, Dar es Salaam, or Kisumu to Zanzibar airport. From there, you can take a taxi to the hotel. You can also take a ship that goes between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar every day. The trip takes about 70 minutes.

Most Ideal Time to Go to Zanzibar
People love Zanzibar because of its beautiful weather, which makes the white sand beaches and blue lakes shine. People can visit the island of Zanzibar at any time of the year, but some months are better than others.

Most people choose to visit Zanzibar between June and October to avoid crowds. With nice, steady weather and bright light reflecting off the Indian Ocean, beach vacations are a lot of fun. This is also the busiest time for safaris in Tanzania, so the Zanzibar Archipelago is a popular place to go after a trip. This tropical island is great to visit most of the year because it always has sunshine and warm weather.

Zanzibar is south of the Equator, so its temperature is mostly the same as Tanzania’s. It is always a little more humid, though, and it rains less in the dry season than in the middle of Tanzania. Most of the time, the wet season lasts from March to April and May. Tropical rain showers happen a lot in the afternoon, and they can be pretty strong on any of the islands. The humidity is high, and the temperature changes every day between the low and mid-30s.

Where to stay in Zanzibar
In addition to its beautiful white sand beaches, Zanzibar has a variety of nice places to stay, from high-end lodges and hotels to cheaper ones. The luxury hotels are of the highest quality and have stunning views of the water. There are some hotel and lodges that are so nice that you might want to stay longer. Also, tourists and backpackers on a budget can find a lot of hotels with nice, self-contained rooms that have views of the beach and don’t cost too much. Here are some of the places to stay in Zanzibar:

A resort and spa on Kilindi Beach

Kilindi is one of the best resorts in Zanzibar and is currently run by Elewana. Kilindi has been turned into one of the best places to stay for two people in Zanzibar by the management. The pavilions at Kilindi are what make the resort unique.

Each one has two private plunge pools, huge bathrooms and beds, and stunning views. It is without a question one of our best Zanzibar hotels. It has a family pavilion and the level of service keeps going up.

The Nungwi Vera Club is on Sunset Beach.
The Veraclub Sunset Beach is one of the best hotels in Zanzibar. It is on the northern shore. This great hotel is on Nungwi island and has its own beach, a pool for everyone to use, and a beautiful park across the street with a restaurant, bar, and covered outdoor space. Most tourists liked the peace and quiet, the beautiful views, the easy access to the beach, the large rooms, and the helpful staff.

The Zuri Zanzibar Hotel is:
The Zuri Zanzibar Hotel & Resort is a big step forward for hotels in Zanzibar. It’s big enough to be called a major hotel, but there are only 55 suites, rooms, and villas spread out among the beautiful grounds and beach. It gives off an air of rich, confident beauty. All of the sections are big, bold, and elegantly made to be comfortable. They come in a range of price points and configurations to suit different needs and budgets.