Africa Guardian

The undeniable Beauty of Zanzibar

Zanzibar is the most famous island in Africa. The beaches are among the best on the continent, the underwater coral reef has the most bizarre colors, life is laid-back and there is plenty to do on the island itself.

Did you know that Zanzibar is officially called Unguja and that the famous American singer John Legend was born here?

Zanzibar is the perfect place to end, or start a safari trip. The island is rapidly becoming more popular among travelers, but has so far managed to retain its unique character. Hopefully that will remain the case, but one thing is certain. A trip to Tanzania without visiting Zanzibar is actually not possible.

Tremendous things to do in Zanzibar Island

However, a beach holiday to Zanzibar does not have to mean that you spend whole days on the water with a cocktail in your hand. Zanzibar has a lot of cool activities that you don’t want to miss! We are happy to take you along in the – as far as we are concerned – ten best activities that you can do in Zanzibar.

The underwater bedroom and luxurious 5 star hotel treatments

Discover the underwater world

Adjacent to a white sandy beach you will often find clear blue water. On Zanzibar, however, you will find a completely different world below sea level. It is choking here with beautiful tropical fish and colorful coral. If you are comfortable in the water, it is undoubtedly worthwhile to go snorkeling or even diving.

Zanzibar is even known as one of the best dive sites in the world! The water is nice and warm, the visibility is good and you look your eyes out.

Mnemba Atoll

The best dive site on the island is Mnemba Atoll. This is a small island off the coast of the village of Mnemba, in the northeast of the island. Many diving schools visit this location. Do you prefer snorkeling? Often the diving schools also take snorkelers on board!

TIP ♥ – the best time to explore zanzibar’s underwater world is September to March. The water is then calm and the visibility under water is very good.

Rest on the most beautiful beaches

Almost everywhere on the coast of Zanzibar you will find beautiful beaches. Of course, there are a number of them that stand out here. If you have a longer time to spend at this tropical destination, it can be interesting to visit several beaches!

One of the most beautiful beaches on the island is Nungwi Beach. This beach can be found in the North of Zanzibar and is now the most important tourist place on the island. You will find a lot of good accommodation here that is often located directly on the beach.

Visit Stone Town

Are you a bit tired of the bright sun and are you looking for a more active use of time? Then be sure to visit Stone Town. Stone Town is the old center of the capital Zanzibar City. The old town is fully in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

You can wander around here for hours without a purpose alone. Walk around, stroll around at all the shops and get to know the locals! If you are looking for souvenirs, this is also the right place to go.

Sultan’s Palace

If you would like to learn more about the culture of Zanzibar, the Sultan’s Palace is a beautiful destination. It is one of the most visited sights in Stone Town. Until the middle of the last century, the Sultan’s Palace was really the residence of the Sultan of Oman and Muscat when they stayed in Zanzibar.

TIP ♥ – today it is an interesting museum that tells you more about the history of Stone Town.

The Old Fort

Another important attraction in Stone Town is The Old Fort. It is also sometimes called the Arab fortress. This is the oldest building and a major attraction for the old town.

In the 17th century, the fortress was built by the Omanis to defend the island against the invasion of the Portuguese. Later the fort was used as a prison and barracks.

House of Wonders

The House of Wanders was built in 1883 as a palace for Sultan Barghash. This large, white building dominates stone town’s waterfront and is one of the city’s best-known landmarks. It is one of the largest buildings on the island, even today.

Visit Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park

In addition to culture and beautiful beaches, you will also find wildlife in Zanzibar! You can visit the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park. It’s not as big as the other parks in Africa, but definitely worth a visit.

The park is about 50 square kilometers in size and you can take a beautiful walk through it. You will find the park in the south at Chwaka Bay and it is home to the famous red colobus monkey. This monkey is seriously threatened with extinction and can now only be seen on Zanzibar.

You will also find several other species of monkeys like red colobus and sykes monkeys, divers and more than 40 different species of birds.

Discover Prison Island

The official name of the island is Changuu, but it is more commonly known as Prison Island. You will find this island about half an hour by boat from Zanzibar. In 1893 it was built to serve as a prison, and in 1923 finally used as a quarantine for people affected by yellow fever.

It is now a sanctuary for giant tortoises! You can take a closer look at it and this is a special experience. They weigh up to 200 kilos on average! If you are on the island you can also explore the marine life. It’s beautiful.

Watch the sunset from the ocean

Everyone loves a beautiful sunset, and Zanzibar can certainly offer it. However, it is even more special to watch the sunset from the water! You can book a special – luxury – cruise that you take with you over the water.

This often includes a luxury buffet and everything you could wish for. If you are looking for a more special experience, you can also choose to go on the water in a traditional dhow boat. These are a bit similar to the sailboat as we know it.

Book a kitesurfing lesson

I am a bit biased because I am an avid kitesurfer myself, but if you have the time, the money and the courage, invest in a lesson in kitesurfing. It is now a paradise for kitesurfers. There are a number of schools in Paje where you can learn kitesurfing if you would like.

It is a great sport and Paje with the calm and warm water is a great place to learn it!

Visit a unique market

If you are looking for a nice market you have some choices on Zanzibar. The Darajani market in Stone Town is a traditional market where you can eat a lot. The locals often do their shopping here.

Think of vegetables, meat, fish, spices but also substances. It’s a lively market that takes you fully into local life! For the real fish lovers, the night market of Forodhani is interesting. You will mainly find freshly grilled fish, meat and vegetables here.

TIP ♥ – market opens at the end of the afternoon in Stone Town and is always very busy. This market is especially interesting if you want to take a look at the local cuisine!

Look for the humpback whale.

You know by now that snorkeling and diving in Zanzibar is one of the best activities you can do here. If you happen to go to Zanzibar between July and November, you might be in for a more special experience.

In these months you have a chance to spot the humpback whale! This swims for several months few years along the coast of Zanzibar. This giant mammal is impressive to see, both from above and below water.

If you have the chance, we definitely recommend booking this excursion.

Special places to spend the night on Zanzibar

Zanzibar is in many ways a special island to visit. In addition to the fact that it has one of the best dive sites in the world to offer, you can also go there for a holiday to rest.

Zanzibar is also often chosen as a destination for a honeymoon. There are countless accommodations to be found on the island ranging from low-budget options to the most luxurious resorts.

Best times to visit the beautiful Island

The best time to visit Zanzibar is from June to October during the cool, dry season. Another popular time to visit Zanzibar is from November to March, but then it can get very hot.

The best time to visit Zanzibar is from June to October

Are you coming here to dive? Then September to February are good months.

Rainy season

The months that you can better skip are March to May and November.

Location

Edson Baraukwa | gideonedson@gmail.com