Zanzibar Holidays

Stone Town

This tour takes you through fabled Stone Town, where history appears to stand still.  With visits to the House of Wonders, the Palace Museum (People’s Palace), Dr Livingstone’s House and the Arab Fort amongst others, it is a fascinating look at the essence of Zanzibar.  You will see Zanzibar’s market bustling with activity, winding alleyways, ornately carved and studded doors, two cathedrals and countless mosques!  A trip to the site of Sultan Barghash’s harem at Marahubi should also be included and rounds off an insight into Zanzibar’s huge history and vibrant culture.  Stone Town has some excellent gifts shops with plenty of souvenirs and handicrafts to choose from.

Spice Plantations

The history of Zanzibar would be incomplete without the cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and many other spices which brought the Sultans of Oman and the beginnings of the infamous slave trade.  They can be seen in the plantations just outside Zanzibar town, and a good tour includes opportunities to dazzle the senses with fresh spices.  A detailed description is given about a variety of spices, and their application in cooking and cosmetics.  Visitors will be fascinated by the sheer number of spices produced and their incredible value for many ailments.  This is also the cheapest place to purchase spices and spice oils.

Jozani Forest

The Jozani Natural Forest Reserve is located in the central east region of Zanzibar Island and is home to the rare Red Colobus monkey, which is endemic to Zanzibar.  These monkeys are full of character, and roam freely.  They can also be seen at very close quarters just outside the reserve’s perimeter and are incredibly photogenic.  Jozani is home to other species including Syke's monkeys, small buck and bushpigs.  The elusive Zanzibar leopard (last sited several years ago) is said to feed here at night - perhaps this is why the reserve is only open during the day!  Jozani has an excellent nature trail and the guides are well trained and informative.

North Coast

Tours to the unspoilt north coast always end up at Ras Nungwi, a sleepy fishing village on the northern tip of Zanzibar Island.  It is the dhow building capital of Zanzibar, so you will be able to see the traditional methods of dhow construction in action.  This area of Zanzibar has some fantastic beaches and nearby coral reefs which are ideal for diving and snorkelling.  The local villagers have built a turtle sanctuary where injured turtles and other marine animals are nursed back to health before being released back into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

Kizimkazi Mosque & Dolphin Tour

Situated on the southern point of the island, Kizimkazi fishing village is home to several schools of bottle-nosed dolphins which can often be sighted following a short boat trip from the village.  If you are lucky, you may be able to swim quite close to the dolphins which can be a very rewarding experience.  Kizimkazi is also the site of a 12th century mosque, the earliest evidence of Islam in East Africa, and is worth a visit for both natural and cultural reasons.

Prison Island

Prison Island was once the site of a gaol for misbehaving slaves, the island lies just off the old Stone Town. It is fringed with a beautiful coral reef, ideal for snorkelling, and has a lovely white beach for sun-bathing.  It is also home to a family of giant tortoises, imported from the Seychelles in the late 19th century.  This island is ideal for a day-trip with refreshments available throughout the day.  It also has a small restaurant where you can enjoy freshly caught fish.

WHAT TO DO

Shopping

As you stroll through Stone Town , you will find several shops selling wood carvings, Zanzibari chests, clothes, spices, paintings and antiques.  Many souvenir shops are situated along Kenyatta Road in Shangani, and Gizenga Street behind the Old Fort.

For electronic equipment, textiles, hardware, jewellery and cosmetics, the shopping areas to visit are along Kiponda Street (mainly textiles and jewellery), Market Street (textiles and jewellery), Malindi Street (textiles, cosmetics), Darajani Street (almost everything) and Mchangani Street (mainly hardware).  Tourists are advised not to buy any products related to protected species on the islands, such as sea shells and turtles.

One-Way is the leading branded leisure-wear shop in Zanzibar.  Situated opposite the Old Post Office, along Zanzibar’s Stone Town’s main thoroughfare, it features the widest and most colourful collection of original designs and styles of casual wear, depicting the moods and vibrancy of Zanzibar.

The biggest souvenir store in Zanzibar, Memories of Zanzibar offers the most extensive selection of quality items under one roof, all at reasonable prices.  Situated within walking distance of major Stone Town hotels such as the Serena, Tembo and Dhow Palace, you can count on a pleasant shopping atmosphere and service with a smile.

Paradise Beaches

Zanzibar’s brilliant white beaches lapped by the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean provide the perfect place to relax, to soak up the sun and take a break from some busy sightseeing.

The beaches in Zanzibar are a paradise, interspersed with picturesque fishing villages, where the people live a simple way of life, unchanged over the years.  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.

At the northern tip of the island is Nungwi, approached by a road lined by banana palms, mangroves and coconut trees.  This is the dhow building capital of Zanzibar Island, so it is a good place to see traditional craftsmen at work.  On the west coast of Zanzibar, Mangapwani beach is worth a visit, and to the east are the beaches of Matemwe, Pwani Mchangani, Kiwengwa, Uroa, Bwejuu and Jambiani, all with stretches of beautiful and uncrowded sands.

Zanzibar also boasts several small offshore islands which are ideal for a day-trip.  Prison (or Changu) Island is the most popular with tourists because it is only a short trip from Stone Town.  Originally, it was used by Arabs to detain recalcitrant slaves, and then a jail was built by the British, but it was never actually used.  Visitors to Zanzibar will notice a large population of ancient Aldabra tortoises.  Other islets near to Stone Town are Chapwani, Chumbe and Bawe.

Islands in the Sun

Whilst most visitors to the Zanzibar archipelago visit Unguja, commonly known as Zanzibar Island, fewer take advantage of the fact that this is an archipelago, with several other islands and numerous islets.

Only a few kilometres from Stone Town are several islets such as Chumbe and Chapwani, where good accommodation is available.  Bawe and Prison Islands are good for daytrips with excellent snorkelling available.  Tumbatu Island, off the north-west coast of Unguja is one of the largest off-shore islands but has no facilities for tourists.  Mnemba Island is located near the north-east coast featuring luxury accommodation.  Although Mnemba is a private island, it is surrounded by a rich coral reef, which is great for scuba diving and snorkelling and is visited by several water sports centres in the area.

Pemba is Zanzibar’s sister island.  Despite many years of isolation from the outside world, Pemba is receiving a small but growing number of foreign visitors.  The infrastructure much less than on Unguja, and there are far fewer tourists, but this is seen as a plus by many!  Beautiful beaches, natural forests and outstanding diving are just some of the attractions on offer.  Misali Island, off Pemba’s east coast, is idyllic and excellent for diving.

Mafia, another island in the sun and no relative of the mob, is actually governed by mainland Tanzania but is not far from the Zanzibar archipelago.

Diving

Zanzibar is reputed to have some of the best diving in the world, and the coral reef structures that surround Unguja and Pemba ensure that the marine life is abundant.  Good visibility (20/60 metres) and a year-round average water temperature of 27-degrees ensure that you enjoy your Zanzibar diving experience, and also present an ideal opportunity for learning to dive or upgrading your diving qualification.

There are several dive centres on the island including Zanzibar Watersports and most run courses using the international PADI system of diver education.  This way, the certification you gain in Zanzibar can be used anywhere in the world.

Diving in Zanzibar isn’t restricted to beginners.  Experienced scuba divers can enjoy exciting wall dives, night dives and drift dives.  In deeper waters, lush coral gardens often stretch as far as the eye can see, and large gamefish (barracuda, kingfish, tuna and wahoo) hunt together with large Napoleonic wrasse, graceful manta rays and sharks.  Shallower waters are the playground of tropical fish, including a huge variety of Indo-Pacific marine fauna.

February

The main venue for the Sauti Za Busara Swahili Music & Cultural Festival is historic Stone Town: the grassy side of Zanzibar’s Old Fort (Mambo Club) facing Forodhani Gardens and overlooking the Indian Ocean.  The festival is fittingly described by Ian Anderson in fROOTS magazine as ‘the big club venue most world music festival organisers would die for’.  Freshly grilled prawns, octopus, squid, fish kebabs are all prepared on site, with a bar and stalls selling local crafts.  The main aim of the festival is to showcase the wealth and diversity of Swahili music; many of East Africa’s finest groups participate in this colourful festival.

July

The Festival of the Dhow Countries is now the largest annual cultural event in East Africa, and among the eight major festivals in sub-Saharan Africa.  It is scheduled annually around the first two weeks in July.  The festival celebrates the arts and cultures of the African Continent, India and Pakistan, Gulf States, Iran and the Indian Ocean islands.  It features an international film and video competition, music, theatre and performing arts, workshops, seminars, conferences and other related arts and cultural programmes.  The festival programme is centred in a variety of magnificent venues near the seafront in the historic Stone Town; with a Village Panorama that extends the festival to rural communities;  Women’s Panorama, which provides a focus for women’s issues; Children’s Panorama, which provides for the participation of children and youths.

The Zanzibar International Film Festival draws together countries of the dhow for a celebration of film and music set in the magnificent waterfront of Stone Town on the island of Zanzibar.  This year’s theme (2011) is Hopes in Harmony.  As well as an exciting screening schedule the festival also features parties, live music, performance and DJ sets to keep the party going through the night.

A four-day-long celebration, Mwaka Kogwa is best observed at Makunduchi, a village in the south part of Zanzibar.  The origins of this holiday are Zoroastrian (a Persian religion older than Islam).  It is a celebration of the Shirazi New Year and some of the events include the burning of the hut and mock fights.  These fights are between men who defend themselves with banana stems (in place of the sticks that were formerly used), and this fighting, in which everyone gets a chance, is said to let everyone air their grievances and so clear the air as the New Year rolls in.  As the men fight, the women stroll through the fields singing songs about life and love.  They are dressed in their best clothes and taunt the men after the fight is over.  The festivities vary from village to village but Makunduchi is where the biggest events take place.  All are welcome for the festival because it is a local belief that anyone without a guest for this holiday is unhappy.  The holiday is held every year around the third week of July, but check with a local tour operator to get the official dates.

Zanzibar Cultural Festival takes place towards the end of July each year, shortly after the international Festival of the Dhow Countries.  Drawing cultural troupes from different countries and many from Zanzibar, the festival is marked with strong traditional customs and a rich heritage of culture.  It is decorated with ‘taarab’ music, traditional dances, arts & crafts.  It is held in various venues around Zanzibar Town, as well as incorporating street carnivals, fairs, canoe races and the bull fight from Pemba.

August

Eid-ul-Fitr is the festival at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.  Also known as Eid or Sikukuu (days of celebration, festival or holiday), this festival is a time of giving charity.  The fasting of Ramadan is meant to remind people what life is like for their less fortunate brethren and the alms giving at Eid (known as zakat-el-Fitr) is a continuation along the same idea.  Both fasting and the giving of alms are two of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.  Because the Islamic calendar is different from that of Christians, the dates for Ramadan and Eid change every year by about 10 days so check a local Islamic calendar if you’re looking to visit Zanzibar during Eid.  Ramadan is a holy month in which drinking, smoking, and eating during daylight hours for Muslims is prohibited.  Dress codes should be strictly adhered to.  Some restaurants are closed during this month and outside of town it can be difficult to get any food at all during daytime hours during Ramadan.  All discos are closed during Ramadan.

Eid is a joyful experience and everybody is out and about celebrating.  In Zanzibar the partying continues for four solid days and many open areas around town and in the villages turn into festival venues.  It is a great time to see all the little girls in their new dresses and the boys in their new sneakers/trainers.  The girls wear kohl around the eyes regardless of age, and the boys run around firing cap guns.  There is a general feeling of celebration as people go from house to house visiting friends and relatives and attend taarab concerts and discos at night.  Ramadan lasts for one full cycle of the moon (29-30 days) and is followed directly by Eid, which lasts for four days.  In town, the festivities can be seen at the Mnazi Moja grounds across from the National Museum or at the Kariakoo fair grounds out by the main Post Office.

November

Sport tourism is off with a bang in Zanzibar with the annual International Triathlon and Marathon events scheduled to take place in early November.  Over the past five years, both events have been successful in drawing participants from East Africa, Asia and Europe. Both the Triathlon and the Marathon are Olympic distances and take place in some of Zanzibar’s finest locations.

Eid ul Hajj (also known as Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Kabir) is the high point of the Hajj season when many Muslims go on a pilgrimage to Mecca.  The second celebratory feast of the Muslims is this feast of sacrifice, and Zanzibaris celebrate this three-day event with fervour.  As the name implies, the importance of this festival lies in the sacrificing of certain animals as a commemoration of the prophet Ibraham (Abraham).

The marking of Eid al-Adha celebrates Ibrahim’s willingness to obey God by sacrificing his own son.  Told by God to sacrifice his most valued possession, he came to realise that the dream meant he had to sacrifice his son, Ishmael.  When told of the dream, Ishmael said he must do as commanded.  When the blindfolded Ibrahim took up a knife and made the sacrifice a voice from heaven told him to look down, and he saw that instead of Ishmael lying in front of him there was a ram.  Ibrahim and Ishmael had both survived their test of faith.

The visitor to Zanzibar during this festival will witness the re-enactment of Ibrahim’s obedience by the sacrificing of goats and sheep.  The meat from the sacrificed animal is usually divided into thirds, with one taken by the family, a third given to neighbours and relatives with the remaining third being given to the poor. Along with prayers and sermons, the mutual visiting of friends and family, lavish meals and the giving of presents, this festival is a joyous time in Zanzibar and also marks the end of the Hajj season, where many local pilgrims return from their visit to the holy cities of Medina and Mecca.

Eid is a joyful experience and everybody is out and about celebrating.  In Zanzibar the partying continues for four solid days, with many open areas around town and in the villages turning into festival venues.  There is a general feeling of celebration as people go from house to house visiting friends and relatives and attend taarab concerts and discos at night.  In town, the festivities can be seen at the Mnazi Moja grounds across from the National Museum or at the Kariakoo fair grounds out by the main Post Office.  Because the Muslim calendar is different from that of Christians, the dates for Eid change every year by about 10 days so check a local Islamic calendar if you’re looking to visit Zanzibar during Eid.