Russian tourists are just beginning to discover Zanzibar, although many have heard about it since childhood. Remember Chukovsky: “We live in Zanzibar, in the Kalahari and the Sahara…”? To tell in detail about this small corner of our vast Earth, one article will not be enough, but you can characterize the charming island of Zanzibar in just a few words - “Hakuna matata!”, Which translates something like this: “live, enjoy what you have, do not think about problems. This is the whole meaning, spirit, way of life of the islanders and the very atmosphere of Zanzibar, into which everyone who comes here plunges.
Zanzibar Island: where is it?
Zanzibar. Next to it, on the northwestern side, there is a slightly smaller island of Pemba and many very small, mostly uninhabited ones. Another landmark for those who travel a lot - Zanzibar is located approximately therethe same as the Seychelles, only to the west, closer to the mainland, from which it is separated by only 40 km of water surface. Previously, Zanzibar was called Unguja, but even now many locals call it that way.
How to get there
You can get to the island of Zanzibar from the continent by air and by water. There is a small airport that receives planes from Tanzania, some African and European countries. Of course, there are no direct flights here from Moscow. You need to fly to the mainland of Tanzania to the capital's international airport. Flights are operated by several airlines, including Swiss, Qatar Airways, and Emirates. In Dubai, a stop is necessarily made for connection, moreover, the Emirates airline offers accommodation for the night, while others simply wait for the desired flight at the airport. A flight from Moscow to one of the two capitals of Tanzania - Dar es Salaam - lasts from 10 hours, a ticket costs from 45 thousand rubles (it can be cheaper with discounts). There is a second local airport in Dar es Salaam, from where flights to Zanzibar are carried out. The ticket, according to the latest data, costs 65 dollars. The road from one airport to another takes about an hour. In addition to aircraft, there are passenger ferries to the island from the mainland, starting in the capital's port.
A few words about history
Once the island of Zanzibar was the outskirts of the continent, but in the Miocene part of the land was lowered, and the outskirts received "independence". The local tribes living here were engaged in fishing, hunting and other harmless crafts, until in the 10th century people appeared on the island. Persians. They introduced the local population to Islam (it is still the dominant religion in Zanzibar) and actively engaged in the slave trade, catching their live goods in the jungle. In the 16th century, the island was ruled by the Portuguese, who took over the baton of the slave trade from the Persians. A fierce war began against the new colonizers in the 17th century. By the middle of the 19th century, a sultanate was established in the country, which existed until 1964, when the long-suffering Zanzibar proclaimed the long-awaited independence. In the same year, he became part of Tanganyika, which changed its name to Tanzania (so that it had something from Zanzibar). The island has remained autonomous, has its own flag, its own customs, its own way of life, even its own president.
Neighbouring islands
In this area of the Indian Ocean, the island of Zanzibar is the largest, but not the only one. The second largest and most competitive island in terms of tourism is Pemba, located about 45 km north of Zanzibar. It is rich in interesting sights and excellent beaches. There is also a small airport here, but it is more convenient to get here by water. There are only a couple of inhabited islands in the water area - Uzi and Tumbatu, located 2 km from Zanzibar. The islands are quite small, up to 10 km long. Their isolation is largely due to the multiple corals that make it difficult to get to them. For the same reason (sharp corals around) other islands of the water area remain undeveloped. Very similar in name to Pemba, the islet of Pnemba (Mnemba) is also located from Zanzibar just twokm, only from the ocean. It is tiny in size - only 5 hundred meters in diameter, but very interesting for divers. As a private property, Pnemba is only open to elite tourists.
Climate
Zanzibar Island is located just south of the equator line. The climate here is subequatorial, with distinct rainy seasons. There is no heat, which in theory should be at the equator, in Zanzibar. This is facilitated by fresh breezes, bringing a pleasant coolness. In African summer, the air temperature during the day averages +30 +32, at night +24 +25. The temperature of the ocean water off the coast is + 24 + 26, that is, for a holiday from November to March, this is a paradise place. But during the rainy season (from March to May and from September to November), sometimes there are such downpours that it is impossible to stick your nose out into the street. In Zanzibar, this time is called the low season. Many hotels and restaurants then close, and the remaining ones cut prices by half or more. But there are years when, during the rainy seasons, the sky pours quite little, and the rest is quite comfortable.
Beaches
The Bounty ad was filmed in six locations, and could only choose one - the island of Zanzibar. Photos give an idea of what white sand is on the local beaches, but it’s hard to imagine how gentle and soft it is, like powder. The color of the water in the photo is turquoise blue, and it really is. Add to the silent picture rustling palm branches, fresh ocean breeze, unobtrusive chirping of birds - and here they are, the beaches of Zanzibar. There are no noisy water parks with water slides here yet,jet skis, catamarans, "bananas" and other amenities of leisure inherent in seaside resorts. Maximum entertainment - a volleyball net and a surfer's board. But the beaches of Zanzibar, especially on the eastern side of the island, have their own peculiarity - the ebbs and flows. The ocean can “leave” the coast for more than a kilometer, which is not very pleasant for vacationers, but it is used to the maximum by local citizens who collect everything that can be used on the bare bottom. On the beaches from the mainland, the tides and low tides are almost not noticeable, so holidays there are more popular. A good place where you can spend time without problems is the village of Kendva. In addition to it, the beaches of Pongwe, Uroa, Jambiani, Nungwi, Kiwengawa, Chwaka are popular.
Plant world
Tanzania is famous for its unique natural we alth. The island of Zanzibar, separated from the mainland several millennia ago, boasts plants and animals that have long disappeared in other regions of Africa. That is why the island of Zanzibar, and with it the entire archipelago, is considered a natural reserve. What is curious: on the island, virgin nature, represented by the Jozani forest, and man-made nature, which includes huge plantations of spices, coexist peacefully. What is not grown here! Cinnamon, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, ginger, coffee, cardamom, pepper. These and dozens of other spices that we use in our kitchen can be seen and tasted on tours organized at the plantation. And in the virgin forest grow mangrove trees, date palms, dozens ofcreepers and hundreds of other plants, large and small. To walk through this corner of nature, be sure to wear trousers and high shoes, because you will have to walk not along asph alt paths, but along paths barely visible in the thickets.
Animal world
Who dreams of getting to the uncharted islands, Zanzibar is what you need. The animal world here is unique. In the hotel where you stay, as well as on the streets of the city and, of course, in the forest, you will be accompanied by bright and leisurely-lazy, large and small lizards. There are a lot of them on all the islands of the archipelago. Exotic butterflies fluttering over exotic and ordinary flowers will please the eye here. Dozens of birds can be seen in the treetops and on the coast, many of which are very rare and live only in Zanzibar. Among them are spotted pigeons with red plumage, hornbill, Fisher's toucans, a total of 47 species. Animals include colobuses - cute monkeys that live in the Jozani Forest, macaques - petty thieves pulling all the food that tourists have left unattended for a while, leopards that try not to catch the eyes of tourists, antelopes, flying dogs living on the island of Graves, cobras, black and green mamba, whose bite is 100% fatal, and, of course, large turtles. To see them, you need to make a trip to a nice island, where there used to be a prison and exile for patients with yellow fever. The island is called Prison Island. A tour here will cost about $100. Speaking of the animal world, one cannot fail to mention dozens of coral fish, whichcan be seen among the reefs. Clownfish, parrotfish, barracuda, bonito to name a few.
Tours
Besides trips to spice farms and Prison Island, visiting Stone Town is a must for anyone visiting Zanzibar. The photo shows one of its main highlights - a carved door. Do not be surprised, this amazing place is famous for its unique doors. In addition to them, in Stone Town, the palace of one of the former sultans of Zanzibar, called the House of Miracles, is of interest. It attracts mainly by its appearance, and the “miracles” at the time of its construction were an elevator, a water tap, electric light bulbs. In Stone Town, you should definitely see the Persian baths, the museum located in the palace, the Malindi mosque, the Shakti temple.
Food
Stone City is not to be missed not only because of its relics, but also because of the best eating places on the island. Of course, they are in other places, but experienced tourists and guides know that in the cafes and restaurants of the Town they cook tastier, feed more satisfyingly, and dishes, even European cuisine, even local, are much more digestible for the stomachs of Europeans. The most common dish in Zanzibar is pilau rice, which is eaten with leek salad. It is also worth trying sorpotel (stewed with spices pork, beef tongue, heart, liver), ugali porridge, mchicha salad, lobster, lobster, fish and meat cooked in an unusual way with the addition of spices in the most fantastic combinations.
Hotels
Rest on the island of Zanzibar necessarily involves accommodation in a hotel. Their choice is unusually wide - from modest "guest-houses", for example, "Beit al-Chai", to upscale hotel complexes providing rest at the European level, for example, "Hilton Resort Zanzibar". Hotels are located along the entire coastline, as well as in Stone Town. In the high season, it goes without saying, prices are twice as high as in the low season. Also, prices depend on the location of the hotel and on the category of rooms. The Coffee House Hotel is interesting, where each room has the categories “standard”, “luxury”, “deluxe” that are not familiar to everyone, and the names of coffee varieties are “espresso” (the easiest from $ 75 per duck), “mocchiato” (more spacious and more expensive) and so on. You can book a room in any hotel through a travel agency or on your own, which is much cheaper.
Additional information
The islands of Zanzibar belong to the Republic of Tanzania, but are part of the autonomy of Zanzibar. Although 60% of Tanzanians are Christians, Islam prevails on the island, which brings its own characteristics to the way of life and behavior of the Zanzibaris. For example, most of them do not welcome photography. It is also undesirable in public places (in the market, in shops, just on the streets of cities) to wear too revealing outfits. In terms of crime, Zanzibar is a relatively quiet place, but walking alone at night away from public places is not recommended. It is also not recommended to flaunt in jewelry and in every possible way show your goodfinancial situation. When entering a mosque or a private house (if you are invited), you must take off your shoes. Smoking in public places in Zanzibar is prohibited, and kissing and hugging is disrespectful to others.
A few more features of the island:
- here they speak Swahili (all) and English (not all);
- money needs to be changed only in official institutions (bank, hotel, airport);
- credit card payments are accepted here only in some hotels and shops, they do not issue cash;
- yellow fever vaccination for those coming from Russia can be omitted;
- tap water cannot be used even for washing and brushing teeth;
- spices, clothes, paintings, crafts, jewelry are brought here as souvenirs, and tanzinite is especially valued.
Zanzibar Island: reviews
Those who were lucky enough to be here consider a long flight as an insignificant disadvantage of the holiday.
Featured Pros:
- gorgeous nature;
- fabulous beaches;
- good weather (high season);
- nice hospitable locals;
- interesting excursions;
- cozy hotels of different price categories;
- real exotic.
