Zanzibar tourism : Tourism in Zanzibar is among the sectors which have greatly contributed to the growth of the island. Zanzibar island is a beautiful island which is found off the East African coast. The island of Zanzibar is also known as the spice island and it is part of Tanzania. There are many places to visit during a tour of Zanzibar island and they include the following;
- Stone town
Stone town is a historical center in Zanzibar which can be visited during tours around the island for a chance to get to know more about the culture of the people of Zanzibar.
Tours around Stone town involve walking along the narrow alleyways, seeing the beautiful architecture around such as the carved doors and also visiting different places such as the Darajani market, the old slave market, the house of wonders, the Old Fort, the palace museum, the Forodhani market among others.
The tours around Stone town can take about half a day of going to the different sites around the town.
- spice plantations
Zanzibar island is also a destination which is known for plantations of spices such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla among others.
Tours to the spice plantations can be combined with a visit of the Stone town. The spice plantations can be visited with a local guide and involve getting to know how the spices are grown, packaged and you can also taste the local food prepared using the spices.
- Zanzibar beaches
When in Zanzibar, you can also visit the different beaches on the island and enjoy relaxing on the white sand beaches.
The different beaches of Zanzibar include Nungwi beach, Kendwa beach, Bwejuu beach, Paje beach, Michamvi beach, Kizimkazi beach, Kiwengwa beach, Jambiani beach, Matemwe beach, Pongwe beach among others.
The beaches are found on different parts of Zanzibar such as Nungwi which is found in the northern part of the island, Kendwa is found in the north western part of the island, Matemwe is found in the north eastern part of the island, Kiwengwa and Pongwe are found in the eastern part of Zanzibar, Kizimkazi is found in the southern part of Zanzibar, Bwejuu is found in the south eastern part of the island.
- Menai bay
Another place to visit when in Zanzibar is the Menai bay which is located on the south eastern part of Zanzibar island.
Menai bay has coral reefs, mangrove forests and is a designated conservation area found on Zanzibar island. Sea turtles are also bred on Menai bay and other endangered species are also looked after in Menai bay.
The Menai bay can be accessed by taking a dhow from Zanzibar and activities which are carried out around the destination include swimming, snorkeling and also dolphin tours which involve seeing humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins.
- Jozani forest
The Jozani forest is another place to visit when touring Zanzibar and it is home to the red colobus monkeys.
Jozani forest is found in the south eastern part of Zanzibar island and it is part of Jozani Chwaka bay national park which is the only national park in Zanzibar. Activities which are carried out at the destination include nature walks or mangrove walks. There are also sykes monkeys in the forest as well as various bird and butterfly species.
The destination can be visited from 07:30 am to 5:00 pm and it is open daily.
- Changuu island
Changuu island is another place to visit when in Zanzibar island and it is also known as the Prison island.
Giant Aldabra tortoises can be seen during a visit of Changuu island which can be accessed by taking a boat from Stone town to Prison island which takes about 30 minutes. Things to do when visiting the island include snorkeling, swimming, taking a walk at the beach among others.
Activities of a variety are also carried out when visiting Zanzibar island and they include dhow cruises, snorkeling, wind surfing, diving, biking, visiting the Maasai market, spice farm tours, swimming with the dolphins, kite surfing, attending festivals and so much more.
Zanzibar island can be visited at any time for tours however the best time to visit the island is during the dry season from June, July, August, September and October. There are two seasons experienced in Zanzibar including the rainy season and the dry season, Zanzibar tourism.
Rains in Zanzibar are received during the month of March, April and May and it also rains in November and December. Tourists avoid the rainy months when considering the time to travel to the island and tours in the rainy season involve interacting with few tourists. However, the rains also favor some activities like wind surfing, diving among others.
Zanzibar island can be accessed by flight and also by ferry from Dar es Salaam. The airport which is used during tours to the island is Abeid Amani Karume international airport which is used for both domestic and international flights.
Different kinds of travelers can go to Zanzibar island such as adventurous travellers, solo travellers, groups, families, couples among others. Zanzibar is a safe destination for tourism and travel throughout the year.
Facts about Zanzibar to know before going on a tour to the island include that the language commonly spoken on the island is Swahili; Zanzibar island is located off the East African coast, Zanzibar has diverse cultures, the currency used on the island is Tanzania shillings and US dollars are also accepted, Zanzibar is an archipelago in the Indian ocean among others.
