10 things to know about Zanzibar

Zanzibar is also known as Unguja

Zanzibar is also referred to as Unguja and is an island which is found on the Indian Ocean. The island is in time zone GMT +3.

There are many beautiful beaches in Zanzibar

Aquatic species are of a variety around the many beaches of Zanzibar which are famous for their white sands and turquoise waters. These beaches are found in the northern, north west, north east and western parts of the island.

The different beaches of Zanzibar include the following Nungwi beach, Paje beach, Kendwa beach, Kizimkazi beach, Matemwe beach, Kiwengwa beach, Bwejuu beach, Jambiani beach among others.

Some of these beaches are isolated compared to others which are popular among tourists during the year. Apart from the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar, the island also has a variety of aquatic life such as bottlenose dolphins, green turtles, humpback whales, sea horses and many others.

Stone town is in the heart of Zanzibar

Tours around Zanzibar also include visiting the famous Stone town located in the heart of the island. Visiting stone town is not complete without acknowledging its historical buildings that have been maintained over the years dating back to the 18^th century.

Stone town is found on the western coast of the island and is known for its alleyways and a number of activities which are carried out around the town include visiting the Forodhani gardens market where a variety of local foods are prepared and sold for a taste of the local cuisines.

Other locations around Stone town include visiting the Prison island where you will see giant tortoises, visiting the palace museum, visiting the former slave market, visiting the house of wonders or the national museum of Zanzibar among other places.

Spice plantations

Zanzibar island is also referred to as the spice island where a number of spices are grown such as cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, pepper and many others.

These different spices were sold in Zanzibar which was famous for its various spices which were traded. The spices also have different uses such as for cooking, preserving food and were also given as gifts.

Guided tours around the spice plantations of Zanzibar are carried out during visits to Zanzibar as the tourists learn more about the different spices.

Zanzibar is part of Tanzania

Zanzibar is part of Tanzania which is another popular tourist destination in East Africa. Safaris to the mainland of Tanzania are combined with tours to the island.

The currency which is used in Zanzibar is Tanzania shillings and in tourist areas such as hotels and other forms of accommodation, US dollars are accepted. Flights to the island may also be charged in USD for foreign tourists.

The language which is spoken on Zanzibar island is Swahili although the island boasts of various cultures.

Zanzibar can be accessed by flight and by ferry

Getting to Zanzibar during a safari can be done by plane or by ferry or boat. The ferry departs from Dar es Salaam to the Zanzibar island. Using the ferry is an exciting experience which is also favorable for tourists with a limited budget for transportation to the island.

The ferries which got to Zanzibar island operate daily and they include Ms Sepideh, Sea bus or Azam ferry service, sea express, Mv seagull, sea star or Zanfar ferries, flying horse Zanzibar among others.

Direct flights to Zanzibar are few but from Dar es Salaam, one can get a flight to Zanzibar or Pemba island. Different airlines offer flights to the island and the main airport of Zanzibar is Abeid Amani Karume international airport.

While on the island, modes of transport used to get to different destinations include the dala dala and for pick up from the airport guests are picked up by the hotels and driving is done on the left side of the road.

Muslim community of Zanzibar

Keep in mind to wear beach clothes in the right places during a tour around Zanzibar which is made up of mostly the Muslim community. This helps to show respect to the culture in Zanzibar which emphasizes decent dressing and this can be seen in the local women who wear kangas which are made from local fabric and cover the body from head to toe.

Drinking alcohol around Zanzibar during a safari is mostly in the large resorts and fancy restaurants while the smaller Muslim owned restaurants do not sell liquor. These restaurants serve drinks like spicy tea and other soft drinks.

Zanzibar is found on the Indian ocean

Zanzibar is an island on the Indian ocean and a number of beaches, hotels, restaurants, bars, resorts are found along the coast.

Activities which are carried out on the Indian ocean include swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, kite surfing, boat rides, fishing among others. Many tourists visit the island during the year to enjoy relaxing under the shade of the palm trees on the white sand beaches of Zanzibar.

Slave trade in Zanzibar

Zanzibar has a history in slave trade and the slaves were sometimes made to work in the spice plantations and others were taken to Persia, Arabia and other countries.

The slaves were sold in the market in Zanzibar as well as other items such as ivory and cloves. Slave trade was carried out in stone town which was one of the last slave markets which was closed in 1873.

Visits to the slave market are part of the experience which is offered to tourists to learn about the history of the island during their safaris to the island of Zanzibar.

Favorable climate of Zanzibar

The climate of Zanzibar is tropical climate and the island experiences two rainy seasons during the year from March to May and also in November and December.

Zanzibar experiences high temperature during the year and the best time to visit the island is during the months of June, July, August and September and also in January and February.

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