Zanzibar is an archipelago located off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. Of the three main islands that make it up, Unguja, mistakenly called Zanzibar, is the most famous. The other two are Mafia to the south and Pemba North. The capital, Zanzibar, with its approximately 250,000 inhabitants, is located in Unguja and consists of Stone Town, the Old Town (and its oriental-style architecture) and the New Town (a new town with more modern architecture). This island concentrates most of the tourist facilities and is also surrounded by about twenty islands. But Zanzibar is not just a state of Tanzania, it is half of its identity.
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This country was born from the merger of Tanganyika (mainland province) and Zanzibar, forming the current name of Tanzania. We are not talking about desert islands here, but about a large population of 1.7 million living on two large islands, Unguja and Pemba. The Zanzibaris therefore inherit a prosperous past as a former protectorate of Oman, rich in spice (mainly clove) cultivation and a strong identity that regularly prompts them to express their desire for independence. But Zanzibar is above all a dream destination between Africa and the East… not so easy to understand. Here are some tips to stay successful.
Choose the right island
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Unguja
If Unguja is the easiest, it is also due to the fact that the international airport is located at the gates of the old city. International flights arrive there daily and even Air France has recently served the spice island. Unguja has a very large hotel offer for all budgets and all sizes. Over the last twenty years, the offer has grown significantly, from huge lodges with more than 200 rooms to boutique hotels with just a few rooms. In short, there is something for everyone.
Pemba
To get to Pemba you have to take a little extra flight from Unguja. From the mainland, after the safari, which will take place mainly in the north of the country, you will also have to stop in Unguja. As a result, Pemba is much less developed and has fewer hotels and related facilities. Less prestigious than Unguja, this island is nevertheless not without interest. Its local life, between farming and fishing, villages and seabeds make it an optional stop, but often more expensive and in some ways a little less welcoming than its big sister.
Mafia
The mafia in the south is even more secretive. Equipped with a few rare hotels, it still shelters about 40,000 people. Those who choose the mafia do so mainly for the dive. The beaches there are less spectacular, but the seabed is very unique, hosting whale sharks every year. Aside from these sensational dives, reserved for experienced divers, few travelers attempt the adventure.
Don’t miss Stone Town!
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Stone Town is the old town of Zanzibar. It is made up of a wide maze of narrow streets, dotted with old Omani palaces of varying maintenance and rusting tin roofs. But an undeniable charm emerges from this city. Not going to Stone Town means missing out on the very essence of the island. From Forodhani’s night market to the terraces of the famous Mercury Bar, from hotel balconies where soft music escapes to streets littered with the day’s hunt, Zanzibar Stone Town rarely beats the buzz. He’s not sweet, but he’s real. There is little romance here, but the humid heat, the sea, the narrow and dark streets and the sudden beauty appear to those who do not expect or hope for it.
Do not miss. see the city from the sea, take a sunset dhow (traditional boat) and dine amidst the crashing of the waves and the buzz of the city… Or dine on the rooftop terrace of the fabulous Emerson Hotel.
Don’t fantasize about the beach
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The beaches are often beautiful in Zanzibar and especially on the east coast. A long stretch of powdery white sand that runs north to south across the island. To the southeast the beach, so flat and clean, becomes a cycling track, it’s so wide… This makes for great scenery. But… Zanzibar has a tide. Real tides that bite the beach or make it infinitely large. And if the beauty of the beaches is beyond doubt, people rarely swim there. Indeed, the sandy shore is also shallow. So we’ll be knee-deep in water for a very long time to prefer hotel pools or charming addresses that still exist.
If sea bathing is your absolute goal, you should wait for sea trips or very high tides. Or plan a short walk. But you will probably be disappointed. you will have to accept that the beach is wild, imperfect, strewn with seaweed that plies its trade elsewhere. You will have heat, landscapes, sea, beauty… It’s not bad, right?
Our favorite beach. Bwejuu beach is located in the southeast of the island. A great spot for kite surfers, the beach is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful on the island. Not far from there is the famous restaurant The Rock… A local attraction that has become the most Instagrammed restaurant on the island.
Go
Air France serves Zanzibar from October 2021 with two flights per week, direct from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Count from €600 including VAT for a flight to the island.
Source: Le Figaro
I’m Ashley Mark, a news website author for Buna Times. I specialize in writing articles about current trends and breaking news stories. With my passion for uncovering the truth behind every story, I strive to bring readers the most up-to-date information available.