Travelling to Zanzibar had been a lifelong dream, which turned into a reality when I visited this magical, mystical archipelago of Islands in September this year. What a fantastic, unforgettable, soon-to-be-repeated experience! Steeped in centuries of history, good & bad, the historical & unique Stone Town is a maze of narrow streets & beautifully carved wood & brass doors, bustling with people & culture. The little villages all over the island are old worldly & peaceful, the locals are warm & friendly, there are spice plantations & forests to explore, and pristine coral reefs for diving. The most heavenly part for me was the beautiful coconut palm fringed beaches & warm, bath-like, turquoise Indian Ocean and the sun rises & sunsets. Sleeping to the sound of the lulling waves every night calmed my spirit & soul. This first blog post explores the ins and outs for travellers, later I will explore the amazing world of Zanzibari Cuisine, a real foodie adventure in itself.
Zanzibar is situated 35km from mainland Tanzania, on the East coast of Africa, 6 degrees South of the Equator. It is warm to hot all year round, with temperatures ranging between 22-29 C in July, & 25-32 C in January. The sun rises and sets around 6am & 6pm all year round. The rainiest months are November, December & April. The busiest tourist months are August, December & January, quietest March to June.
The main island is Unguja, also called the Spice Island for its abundance of spice plantations. It has an international airport, vibey Stone Town and is brimming with resorts. The island was once ruled by sultans & slave traders, and used by missionaries & explorers as a stepping stone to Africa. The most cultural influence left on the island is that of the Arab traders who brought with them exotic spices, produce & cuisine, the Islamic religion & Arabian sailing boats, called Dhows, carved out of wood with a triangular sail, still used today for fishing & transport. Stone Town is named after the limestone & coral rocks from which it is mostly built, and much of the island is built on and around this very hard coral rock, making the gravel roads in the villages quite a bumpy ride!
The first Europeans to arrive in Zanzibar were the Portuguese in the 15th Century. They built the Old Stone fort in 1560 which was used to defend themselves from the Arabs. This is the oldest standing building in Stone Town. Africa has had more than its fair share of exploitation, its estimated that 50 000 slaves passed through Zanzibar slave market each year during the 19th century, along with them many Ivory tusks. In 1964, after the revolution when thousands of Arabs were killed in one day, Tanzania merged with Zanzibar, and Zanzibar is now under the African country’s rule. The resorts are heavily taxed by the mainland government & it seems not much money is put back into building the island’ss infrastructure (roads, water, electricity, sanitation). There is hope for independence soon.
I was based on the East Coast of the Island, firstly in the fishing village of Jambiani, later a little way up the coast in Michamvi Peninisula, Bwejuu & Paje. Michamvi is great for the sunrises & sunsets, both of which you can catch in one day. It is also home to the famous & spectacular Rock Restaurant, without doubt my best eating out experience, location-wise, ever. The Rock is situated opposite Upendo Boutique Resort, with its outdoor bar lounge area & pool right on the beach, another must do place to hang out. The east coast has a lot of wind which, along with the sandbanks, makes for ideal kiting, and keeps everything cool & fresh, plus it keeps the mosquitos away. On that note, while Tanzania is a hotspot for malaria, there have been no reported cases in Zanzibar in the last few years, so if you are concerned about taking anti-malaria tabs, just don’t. Rather use natural insect repellents & if you get sick, go to your doctor. There are very effective tabs you can take once a diagnosis has been made.
Jambiani is a 1 hour taxi ride from Stone Town (between TZS 40 000-70 000 – Note the big price difference! Everything is negotiable and one can usually cut the price in half), or a 2 hour Dala Dala ride at around TZS 2000 (ZAR 13.00) Dala dala is the basic bus for the locals with open sides. It’s fun to do a few times, although can get really full & squashy, especially at peak hour!
There are many accommodation options on the East Coast from Villas to guesthouses, self-catering places & resorts. The beach at Jambiani is simply beautiful. The scenery is ever changing as the tides come in & go out. At low tide, there is a wide sand bank exposed on which one can walk almost as far as the reef, except for the deeper stretch of water between the bank & reef, known as the river. Apart from fishing, seaweed harvesting is the main activity of the locals who use the seaweed to make natural soap in the village. There are village tours one can go on which are cultural tours exploring village life & Zanzibari cuisine. Make friends with a fisherman and spend a day fishing on a Dhow boat, or arrange to buy fresh fish directly from the boats. Octopus seem to be in abundance, if this is your thing.
In the village, one can buy basics and some fresh tropical fruit, eggs & breads. There are also local restaurants to explore! I would always go for the vegetarian options for safety, unless eating in a resort. Paje, a 5-minute drive away, has a bigger supermarket & well stocked bottle store, plus sim cards, airtime and some other essentials. Please note! There are no ATM’s on the east coast, at all. Many of the shops only accept cash so plan wisely. (cash is $US or Tanzanian Shillings) You will need more cash than you think. Your resort & some restaurants should take cards or Pay Pal, just check first. Stone Town is a long, expensive ride away.
As with anywhere in the world, there are hawkers & traders all around & on the beaches. It can get annoying so one learns to not engage. Don’t buy shells, its illegal, & beware of scammers selling trips. Rather book direct with your resort or guest lodging, or see numbers below. There is petty theft so keep valuables locked away, and don’t leave anything near your windows as there is only a wire mesh (no glass) and is easy to break through while you are sleeping. Don’t leave shoes or clothes outside your room at night as there is easy access from the beach.
As this Island is mainly Muslim, it is respectful for women to keep their shoulders & knees covered when walking around the villages & towns. Indian cotton scarves & pants or skirts are cool and appropriately conservative.
I stayed 3 weeks at Uhuru Beach Resort. It is budget accommodation right on the beach, & one couldn’t get a more perfect setting. Your day rate includes breakfast, and there is a fantastic restaurant that does lunches & dinners, serving fresh local Zanzibari food. It also has a beach bar & a live African Jazz band every Sunday. There are many other restaurants along the beach to try offering seafood, local cuisine & pizzas.
PLACES TO STAY (on East Coast)
Coral Rock Hotel, Jambiani (South African owner)
Upendo Boutique Hotel, Michamvi
Zanzibar Papaya Verte, Jambiani (Self-catering)
Kimte Guest House
Whitesands, Jambiani
Meliks Guesthouse
Zanzistar, Jambiani ( very nice, not right on the beach)
Uhuru Beach Resort
Reef & Beach Resort
Makuti Beach Resort, Bwejuu
Teddy’s Place, Paje (Backpackers)
Pwesa Beach Bungalows, Michamvi
Lots of other options on Airbnb…
THINGS TO DO (besides beaching, diving, kiting…)
Changu Island (Prison Island) – A 20-minute boat ride from Stone Town, was once a prison, now a tropical paradise, home to the giant Aldabra Tortoise, duiker Antelope, birds & butterflies, with great swimming & snorkling.
Chumbe Island – A marine national park with 400 species of coral & 200 species of fish, including turtles, this is a must see with amazing diving & snorkelling, day or overnight trips and stay in the eco lodge. Do this trip from Stone Town.
Darajani Market – A bustling market in Stone Town selling fruit, fish, meat, veg, fabrics, spices, wooden curios & jewellery.
Forodhani Gardens – the evening food market for a stroll & bite to eat
Jozani Forest – home to the Red Monkey & Blue duiker, birds & butterflies, and mangrove swamps.
The Old Fort – built in 1560 by the Portuguese
Butterfly Center – a community project which helps to preserve the forests.
Seaweed Center in Paje
The Spice Tour – do this tour from Stone Town, its closer
Snorkeling in the Blue Lagoon & Starfish Tour (boats leaves from Michamvi Beach)
PLACES TO EAT
The Rock, Michamvi
Coral Rock Hotel, Jambiani
Chez Husaan, Jambiani
Upendo, Michamvi
La Taverna, Stone Town (Best Italian in Zanzi)
Zanzibar Serena Inn (Rooftop, Stone Town)
Emerson Spice Café (Rooftop, Stone Town)
House of Spices, Stone Town (Best pasta, gnocci)
Emerson on Hurumzi, for views, Stone Town
Stone Town Café, for lunch
Abyssinian Maritim (Ethiopian restaurant, Stone Town)
TOUR GUIDE YOU CAN TRUST
Rama (Jambiani Eco Tours) – +255 772 746920 (whatsapp)
+255 777 843021 (call)