Zanzibar is made up of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands. It is located in the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast. Zanzibar Island (known locally as Unguja, but as Zanzibar internationally).
It is characterized by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs, and the magic of historic Stone town - said to be the only functioning ancient town in East Africa. Zanzibar's local people are an incredible mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of her colourful history.
Islam is the dominant religion, and practiced by most Zanzibar’s, although there are also Christians and Hindus. Fishing and agriculture are the main economic activities in the country. It is the largest producer of cloves.
Getting to Zanzibar
Frequent ferries, about five per day -- make the crossing between the port of
Dar es Salaam, on the Tanzanian mainland, and Zanzibar. It takes about 75 minutes. The slowest is overnight.
Flights: There are no direct flights from the USA to Zanzibar. KLM, Kenya Airways, and North West Airlines offer fares to Zanzibar from a range of East, Central and West USA cities. Stopovers are in Nairobi or Dar-es-Salaam.
From Europe, the principal carriers to Zanzibar include KLM (stopping over at Kilimanjaro, Dar-es-Salaam, Nairobi and/or
Mombasa).
By road :Unguja Zanzibar and Pemba are small islands, and thanks to a wealth of transport and (relatively) good roads, traveling around them is quite easy. The options at Zanzibar include renting a vehicle.
Accommodation in Zanzibar
Bandari Lodge is one of affordable
hotels in Stone Town, just 100m from the port. It offers good-value accommodation in airy clean rooms with net and fan. Facilities include a common lounge area and paperback book swap service.
Bottoms Up Guesthouse Named after the attached disreputable bar, this place is hard to find in the narrow alleys between the Spice Inn and the House of Wonders.
La Gemma Dell Est
Set in exotic, tropical gardens on the North West coast of Zanzibar, the resort is a mere 55 minute drive from Stone Town and a 65 minute drive from the airport. This luxurious, environmentally friendly resort was designed to melt with its magical surroundings, offering guests a pristine view over the Indian Ocean.
Mapenzi Beach Club
Mapenzi is located on the east coast and occupies an area of 4 hectares blessed with a long white sand beach and a beautiful tropical garden. This resort offers an all inclusive deal - all meals, drinks and more - representing great value for money.
Blue Bay Beach Resort
Bluebay Beach Resort is located on the East Coast on the finest beach on the island of Zanzibar. The hotel is only a 35 minute drive from the airport and offers a wide range of facilities. The bedroom cottages are all built on rising ground overlooking the gardens, pool, more than 1000 palm trees and pristine white beach and azure sea. The coral reef offers particularly warm and safe swimming.
Breezes Beach Club and Spa
This four star beach hotel, located on the South East coast, is ideal for a romantic getaway. Nominated for the prestigious World Travel Awards in the category “Africa’s Leading Resort”, this family owned and run resort is proud to be considered as one of the five finest resorts in Africa.
What to see in Zanzibar
Stone Town is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar. It’s a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses. You can spend many idle hours and days just wandering through the narrow streets and alleyways. Most of the houses that can be seen today were built in the 19th century when Zanzibar was one of the most important trading centres in the Indian Ocean region.
Zanzibar's white beaches lapped by the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean provide you with the perfect place to relax soak up the sun and take a break. The beaches in Zanzibar are a paradise, interspersed with fishing villages, where the people live a simple way of life. There are more than 25 fantastic beaches in Zanzibar, and some are so peaceful and remote that the only noise breaking the silence is likely to be the ocean.
To the north of the island is a road lined by banana palms, mangroves and coconut trees. It is a good place to see traditional craftsmen at work. It also offers a variety of water sports and a dive centre. Zanzibar has also small offshore islands ideal for a day-trip.
