Zanzibar is a jewel of an island,
set in the warm clear shallows of the Indian Ocean and edged in pure white sand
beaches and tropical flowers.
Of course, a visit to Stone Town
wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Forodhani Gardens: by day a
beautiful park, complete with flowers and sea views, and by night a lively,
buzzing street food market. It’s best to check out the stands where the locals
are queuing, sample what’s on offer but do take the usual food precautions.
Finish your evening with a quiet drink – or a sweetly refreshing
freshly-pressed sugar cane and lime – on the rooftop of your accommodation or
in a little bar.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that
sunbathing is the only thing to do here. But you’d be wrong. Yes, you can sunbathe
for your entire holiday – the blue, blue skies are worth it – but you’d miss
out on so very much more.
Explore Stone Town
Take the opportunity to have an
adventure in Stone Town, Zanzibar City’s old town area with its long heritage
of blended cultures and lively history. Its unique mix of architectural styles
– Indian, Arabic, European, Persian and African – built with coral stone give
it a complex flavour. You can take a guided walk or explore the narrow
alleyways, past finely carved doors and balustrades and visit the mosques,
churches and public buildings that tumble down to the harbour.
Spice it up
Zanzibar is also known as “The Spice
Island” and you’ll soon see why. The growing conditions are perfect for a range
of spices that in the old days, and now, were coveted by Europeans and the rest
of the world. Zanzibar is famous for its spice trade, and it’s fascinating to
take a spice tour to really get the feel of one of Zanzibar’s chief – and most
fragrant – industries.
Zanzibar was once the world leader
in clove production and had been a leading producer of cinnamon and nutmeg,
too, from the 19th century onwards; many of these spices were imported
initially from Asia and by the Portuguese but Zanzibar has made spice
production its own and you can take a range of tours to see how the spices are
grown and harvested.
Spice tours take usually take you
outside Stone Town to a shamba (spice farm) where you’ll be guided through the
scented crops and shown how the spices are harvested and prepared. The aromas
are out of this world as you taste a variety of fragrant spices such as
lemongrass, turmeric, vanilla, chilli and black pepper as well as the Big 3 –
clove, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Prison Island, as its name suggests,
has a sad history as a penitentiary for rebel slaves and as a quarantine area,
but these days it’s a beautiful half-day out and certainly worth a visit. Also
known as Changuu Island, it lies just off Stone Town and is a half-hour boat
ride away. Prison Island is a nature reserve with an abundance of wildlife and
it’s most famous for the Aldabra Giant Tortoise, and some of these wonderful
creatures are over 100 years old.
Cruise by dhow
The only way to cruise around the
beaches, sandbanks and islands of Zanzibar is by traditional wooden dhow, a
small sailing ship with a centuries-old heritage of journeying across the
Indian Ocean. Small enough to jump from for a quick snorkel in crystal waters,
but large enough to have a little space to sit and enjoy the breeze, dhows are
perfect to help you see Zanzibar. A trip by dhow is a snorkeler’s dream –
especially if you visit the Mnemba Atoll Marine Reserve at the north east of
the island, which has rich reefs packed with tropical fish and there are safe
places to snorkel. You’ll see moray eels, stingrays, turtles and lionfish and
there’s also a dive wall with even more sea life to marvel at.
Watersport activities
It’s obvious that Zanzibar with its
superb beaches and crystal waters is great for swimming, but did you know that
the coastal topography and the wind patterns make Zanzibar the perfect place
for a range of watersports, for beginners and experts alike?
If you’ve never tried kite surfing
then head for Paje Beach on the east coast. The traditional Swahili-style
village is strung out along the white sand beaches and the sea breezes. The
warm water and wide shallows are perfect for learning the sport. At night, the
beach becomes a social club with relaxed games of soccer for locals and
travellers alike, and after a hard day’s kite surfing you can sit back at dusk
at one of the many beachfront bars with a Kilimanjaro or Safari beer – or, of
course, a freshly-pressed papaya juice – and watch the stars slowly emerge.
Head over to Nungwi Beach with its
calm waters, great for wakeboarding and waterskiing. If you know that you have
no talent for the “finer” watersports and just want to laugh yourself silly,
then try a ringo – sitting in a giant doughnut skimming the water at 30mph,
bumping your friend in their ringo and basically trying not to take a dip! From
Nungwi you can also try your hand at parasailing. From 300m up in the balmy air
you’ll get superb views of the coral reefs, the beaches and villages all around
this area of coastline and all you have to do is relax.
Dine at The Rock
You only have to take one look at
The Rock restaurant to realise that this is no ordinary restaurant. It’s
perched on a little rock island, a short swim or boat ride from Michamvi Pingwe
beach on Zanzibar’s south east coast. It’s a chilled-out place but with the
class and style of a posh restaurant and of course, there are those unique
views.
And perhaps amidst all this activity
you’ll get a chance to sunbathe, too!
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