This exotic island in the Indian Ocean is a popular destination for Europeans, who like to combine their stay with visiting other places in Tanzania. Paradise beaches and beautiful weather encourage especially to visit in November and March, when the season is coming to an end and there are fewer tourists, but not yet the rainy season.
Called the “spice island”, Zanzibar is the largest in Tanzania and also in the archipelago named after it. Located in the Indian Ocean, it has an area of 1658 km2 and is inhabited by 622,000 people. Tourism plays an important role here, but the name “spice island” is also not accidental – cloves and coconut palm are grown here. Fishing is also very important. The largest city is Zanzibar, which has over 495 thousand inhabitants. The currency here is the Tanzanian Shilling. Upon arrival we have to move our watches two hours forward in relation to the time in Poland
Throughout the year, temperatures in Zanzibar are very high. Day and night last roughly equally – east around 6 a.m. and west after 6 p.m. The rainy season begins in April and lasts until the end of June. This does not mean that this time has to be extremely boring, but there is no guarantee about the weather – the advantage, however, are lower prices. What attractions are worth filling your vacation program in Zanzibar?
The local Stone Town was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as an example of fusion of many cultures – African, European, Indian and Arab. Tight construction makes the traffic here moves on foot or by bicycles and motorcycles. It used to be one of the main centers of human trafficking between Asia and Africa. It is worth deciding on a trip in the footsteps of this shameful practice from years ago
There is also an interesting fact connected with Stone Town. It is here that he was born on September 5, 1946. Farrokh Bulsara, much better known to the world as Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the group Queen. While visiting the city, you should also go to a typical African market to feel the atmosphere of life here
Writing about the attractions of Zanzibar, it’s impossible not to mention the possibility of taking a wooden boat out to the local reefs – in order to dive and admire the richness of the underwater life. Sea turtles and dolphins, among others, can be found here. In this way we will also visit other islands of the archipelago
Where do cloves come from? How is the coconut palm grown? We can find out and see it with our own eyes during a trip to Zanzibar. We will also come across pepper growing here, as well as turmeric. Plantations are visited with a guide, who tells about properties of particular plants, which you can also touch or try.
Great weather, warm oceanic water of blue color – undoubtedly favourable to rest on one of the many beaches of Zanzibar. A perfect place for blissful laziness, but not only. Water sports are also popular here – especially kitesurfing
Zanzibar’s only national park is designed to preserve the rainforest in as unaltered a form as possible. The biggest attraction, apart from dozens of species of butterflies, birds and tall baobabs, are the endangered Red Colobus monkeys
Built on an island that can only be reached on foot… at low tide. The unique location of the restaurant and its beautiful setting on a real rock harmonizes with the menu served to customers, which also has an outstanding local character – local fish and seafood reign here
Photo by Alexander Osipenko/unsplash
