Zanzibar is an island soaked in rich history and culture. For hundreds of years, travelers and traders have waxed lyrical about Zanzibar’s idyllic beaches and its Moorish capital Stone Town, all interwoven with the intoxicating aroma of spices.&nabs; Zanzibar is just a short distance across the Indian Ocean from mainland Tanzania, of which Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part.
For many, it is the Indian Ocean beach experience that has the greatest lure: palm-lined stretches of powder-white sands, warm waters and coral gardens teeming with marine life. From adrenalin sports to simple seaside fun, sipping downers to deep-sea diving; some of the islands’ most magical moments definitely happen in and around the sea.
Stone Town is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar and little has changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses. Stone Town has brought together many different elements of the cultures of Africa, the Arab region, India, and Europe over more than a thousand years. You can spend endless hours just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, absorbing the years of history.
The Northern part of Zanzibar is known for its vibrant beach life, bars and restaurants and spectacular beaches. Zanzibar’s northern cape is peppered with sandy coves, each with iconic palm trees and glittering turquoise waves.
Centred on the neighbouring villages of Nungwi and Kendwa, this is Zanzibar’s most lively location. Once the heart of the island’s dhow-building industry, the ramshackle fishing villages of the north are steeped in tradition and nautical heritage. Impressive dhows are still hand-crafted on the beach, but sunbathers, dive schools, mukuti-thatched restaurants and wandering curio sellers are more common beach sights these days.
Generally considered to be a more peaceful part of the island, the East Coast offers laid-back beachfront lodges and a distinctly slower pace. Small, smart, personal hideaways offer understated sophistication and panoramic ocean views. Striking architecture with stylish touches; sweeping bays and secluded coves. For most people, their quintessential image of Zanzibar is its East Coast. Boasting an almost continuous expanse of palm-fringed, picture-perfect beach; it’s arguably Zanzibar’s greatest attraction.
There are several villages dotted along the East Coast, each with its unique offerings. Your hotel will be able to arrange day tripsto small islands or to the coral reefs. Professional PADI diving schools offer a full range of scuba diving with professionalequipment.
Zanzibar’s most exclusive retreat can be found just off the North-East Coast at Mnemba Island. Mnemba Island Lodge is unquestionably the very best of Indian Ocean rustic exclusivity: a place where the term ‘barefoot luxury’ is reality. Nestled on a tiny private island, surrounded by marine reserve, it is impossibly beautiful in its simplicity and location.
Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) is an award-winning private nature park, 13 km Southwest of Zanzibar. The Park was developed in 1991 when the formerly uninhabited Chumbe Island was recognised to be one of the last pristine coral islands in the region. The reserve now includes a fully protected coral reef sanctuary, forest reserve, education centre and state of the art ecolodge, designed to have zero impact on the environment. The spectacular coral reef is home to 90% of East Africa’s hard coral species and400 reef fish species. Wildlife on and around the island includes the coconut crab, green turtle, Ader’s duiker and humpback Whale.
Vulputate parturient ullamcorper porttitor malesuada sed tortor
Vulputate parturient ullamcorper porttitor malesuada sed tortor
Vulputate parturient ullamcorper porttitor malesuada sed tortor
Vulputate parturient ullamcorper porttitor malesuada sed tortor