Tourist attractions in Zanzibar
Tourist attractions in Zanzibar : Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of the United Republic of Tanzania located off the Eastern Coast of Africa, the Archipelago is a charming and mysterious destination composed of Pemba and Unguja as the main islands and the Stone City as the capital. Zanzibar has a rich history of being a trading outpost and a colony, the island is also an ideal destination for millions of travelers seeking for a tropical beach vacation and an encounter with the abundance of marine life living in the clear waters of the island.
Zanzibar comprises of several breathtaking attractions and sites/places to visit during your travel for an amazing and memorable experience.
STONE TOWN
Stone Town is the capital of Zanzibar and a UNESCO Heritage Site on Zanzibar Island, Stone Town is the historic heart of Zanzibar with bewildering maze of streets and alleyways that form the westernmost tip of Zanzibar Town.
The heart of The Stone Town mostly consists of a maze of narrow alleys lined by houses, shops, bazaars and mosques, since most of the streets in this town are town are small, the town can only be explored on foot / The streets are narrow for cars and the only crowd you can find in town is caused by bicycles and motorbikes. The architecture of Stone Town features distinctive features which are a result of a mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian, European and Africans traditions. The traditional buildings have a baraza, a long stone bench along the outside walls used as an elevated sidewalk in case it rains and verandas protected by carved wooden balustrades. These buildings have finely decorated wooden doors with rich carvings and bas-reliefs. Each of the door on Zanzibar’s historic buildings has a unique story to tell, it is said that the door reflects a social status and religion of the family residing in the house.
The name Stone Town comes from the ubiquitous use of coral stone which is the main construction material in the building of the town, this gives the town a characteristic reddish warm color. Getting lost in the narrow streets of the Stone Town is an experience of its own, your sense will be awaken by the smell of street food including chapattis, samosas and roasting com among others. You will encounter the local people selling fruits and all kinds of aromatic species, you will also come across locals playing Bao (traditional board game). Taking a walk in the Stone Town generally offers you an insight in the lifestyle of the local people.
ZANZIBAR NIGHT MARKET
Zanzibar Night Market is another attraction on Zanzibar Island held in the Forodhani Gardens, the gardens known during day changes their face completely once the sun sets. During the night, the gardens are filled with food stalls being set up by the locals welcoming you to get a taste of the different dishes of the Zanzibar cuisines.
Zanzibar Night Market is a perfect place to socialize with the local people while savoring the local cuisine, the dishes in the market will be a delight to your sense. Dishes served at Zanzibar Night Market vary from the traditional Zanzibar Pizza to Fala fels, sea food skewers and coconut bread, also make it a point to tryout Urojo – a thick mango and tamarind soup and the delicious sugar cane juice.
PRISON ISLAND
The Prison Island is a remarkable place on Zanzibar Archipelago and a must visit during your travels to this beautiful island, the prison Island is on the Changuu Island just off the coast of Stone Town. The prison Island was a place where the slaves were detained and at a certain point the place served as a place of quarantine, the prison was established in 1890 and its from this prison where this island got its name.
The Prison was established as to operates a full prison for the slaves however, upon the completion of the construction, the plan was never put into action instead it was used as a place to quarantine people who were diagnosed with yellow fever. The Prison Island is also a home to giant tortoises which were brought to Zanzibar island hundreds of years ago from the Seychelles, the oldest tortoise at the island is known to be about 192 years old.
During your visit to the Prison Island you will take a 5 minute walk across the Island giving you a tour in the ruins of the former prison and you get to view the turquoise ocean.
The Prison Island is situated in a boat ride of about 20 – 30 minutes from the Stone Town, the island is accessed using a mysterious rustic wooden bridge hovering a few meters above the water.
JOZANI FOREST
Jozani Forest also known as the Jozani Chwaka Bay national park is a 50 square kilometers park and the only park on the island of Zanzibar, after spending time on the beaches of Zanzibar, Jozani Forest is an ideal spot to make your next destination on the island. The forest is famously known for being a home to the unique and playful Zanzibar red colobus monkey, an endangered species.
Jozani Forest is also a home to sykes monkey, bush babies, nocturnal Zanzibar tree hyrax, over 50 species of butterfly and 40 species of birds among others which you will encounter.
SPICE TOUR IN ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar is famous for its spices and it is because of these spices that it is called the Spice Island, spices have played an important role in the history and development of Zanzibar Island. A spice tour is a must do during your travel to Zanzibar Island, the spice tour is a 3 hours experience offering you an opportunity to visit the organic spice farm, meet with the local farmers and learn more about the spices and their history. Some of the spices you find on Zanzibar Island include cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, garlic, lemongrass, turmeric, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg and many more. While on the spice tour, you will have an opportunity to taste Swahili dishes, seasonal fruits and the famous local spiced tea and at the end of the tour you will be able to bring home some spices with you.
THE ROCK RESTAURANT
The Rock Restaurant is a remarkable and iconic site on Zanzibar Island situated in the south-east coastline of Zanzibar, the restaurant sits on a rock opposite Michanwi Pingwe beach . The Rock Restaurant is situated in a prime location offering a spectacular panoramic view over the Indian Ocean, on a low tide you can reach the restaurant by foot. On high tide you can be picked up by the restaurant’s stuff boat.
The Rock Restaurant serves freshest sea food and fish and the restaurant’s specialties include
- The Rock Special served with Lobster, Cigal, King prawns, octopus and calamari all on the grill
- Stewed Rock Lobster served with Cous-cous with greens, ginger and lime
- Grilled Lobster served with salad and scarab potatoes
The Rock Restaurant is one of the most photographed restaurants in the world.
MNEMBA ISLAND
Mnemba Island is an exotic island in Zanzibar, this single small island is located about 3 kilometers off the northeast coast of Unguja – the largest island of the Zanzibar Archipelago. Mnemba Island is a roughly triangular shaped island of about 500 meters in diameter and about 1.5 kilometers in circumference, the island is surrounded by an oval reef seven by four meters in extent.
Mnemba Island is a private island only accessed by guests of the one and only luxury hotel on the island, however the real fun on this island is underwater in the reef surrounding the Island. Mnemba Island is a very popular destination for diving and snorkeling, the turquoise waters, the colorful reef and the myriad of fishes will give you unforgettable experience.
BEACHES AND WORLD CLASS WATER SPORTS
Zanzibar is filled with numerous white crystal beaches ideal for a tropical gateway, Zanzibar lies approximately 20-25 kilometers off the coast of mainland Tanzania with more than 25 beautiful, white, palm fringed beaches with warm sea waters. Some of the beaches in Zanzibar include Paje Beach, Nungwi beach, Kiwengwa beach, Matemwe beach, Kendwa beach among others.
Beaches in Zanzibar are perfect destinations for world-class water sports offering you an opportunity to explore to under water, some of the water adventures in Zanzibar include fishing, taking a cruise on a traditional dhow, kayaking, parasail, kite board, diving, snorkeling, jet-skiing and wind surfing.
THE LOCALS
Zanzibar is inhabited by hospitable and friendly people and if you a traveler who is curious about the local people and their culture then Zanzibar is an ideal destination to visit, while on your travel to Zanzibar it is very easy to make friends . It is as easy as just saying Jambo meaning “Hello”, this is the way to greet and be greeted on Zanzibar Island.
Through interacting with locals, you will be able to learn about different cultural practices of the local people by visiting Matemwe Village, Jambiani Village and Nungwi village. You will also engage in conversations which will help you understand the history of the local people.
ZANZIBARI CUISINE
Zanzibar Cuisine is a grand attraction on Zanzibar Island and a must try during your travel to this fascinating island, the Zanzibar Cuisine is a mixture of many different foreign influences of the Indian, African, Arabian and Portuguese. The cuisine is a perfect blend of flavorsome chapattis and curries, pilau, fresh fish and sea food among others.
During you visit to Zanzibar island make it a point to tryout some of the Zanzibar cuisine and its new flavors, however be cautious of where to eat from. The safest places to tryout the local cuisine is at the hotel, the Stone Town Night Market (here avoid fish and sea food) and at recommended restaurant.
Some of the dishes to try out include a coconut curry broth filled with toppings (toppings range from eggs to meat skewers and falafels to peppers).
