Zanzibar is home to some of the most beautiful, idyllic destinations on the continent of Africa. With turquoise waters, soft white sands beaches and mouth-watering local food , there are many simple reasons to be attracted to this serene archipelago.
Located off the coast of Tanzania, the top attractions include magnificent beaches like Paje, Kiwengwa and Nungwi. Beaches of Zanzibar provide the best tourist experiences with stunning palm trees, tropical blue seas and best accommodation facilities.
With families travelling together, the emphasis is on safe, comfortable and affordable accommodation. As mentioned, Zanzibar hosts millions of travellers every year. New beach lodges are making a name for excellent customer service..One such family lodge is Hakuna Majiwe Beach Lodge.
The island can provide the best value for money when toured completely. Interesting sites include visits to the historical Stone Town, Jozani Forests and Spice Islands.
Situated at 35km south east of Zanzibar, this dense coastal rainforest covers an area of 50 square kilometers. This is the only national park in the archipelago and home to thousands of Red Colubus Monkeys. These beautiful and rare primates are only seen on this island. As you tour the park, your family will delight in watching these creatures jump from one tree to other and groom and care for their young. It’s truly an experience not to be seen elsewhere.
Over the years, the monkeys have become used to being photographed with humans around them, and thus carrying your DSLR is definitely a plus. The creatures were once endangered for extinction, but now with the support of conservation groups and initiatives, the population has increased to over 2,500 monkeys in the forest.
The closest beach to the forest is Paje beach and thus is easily accessible from there. However many taxis are directly available to ride to the park with a nominal fee. Speak your local agent or hotel staff for arranging a tour.
We bet if you were to go unguided in the maze type alleys of town, you would certainly be bound to get lost! If you have multiple days on your holiday, then it is worth staying in Stone Town for a night to explore the local culture, markets, mosques, tiny shops and sultan’s palaces! Touring is sure to get you to admire the history of Arabian influences on this bustling town! It is recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Place.
The famous Darajani Market is bustling with vibrant locals who sell everything you would expect to buy in an East African market; food, clothing or a whole lot of many other things. Mornings are preferably the best time pay a visit as you also get to see the fish auction! It’s a Kodak moment, but before pulling out your cameras, always seek permission as some may be fine with photography, some may not be and some may ask money for it – but ideally it will avoid upsetting anyone!
As the name implies, this was a sub-island a little off the port of Zanzibar island and different versions of stories depict that it was meant to be home to the criminals and offenders of the islands, and some say it was used during colonial times to keep the slaves over there. While there may be some realities to these stories, the interesting fact is that it is also home to some of the most beautiful species of giant tortoises!
Taking a break from the beach for a day or two, is certainly a great idea. Along with Stone Town and Prison Island, this Zanzibari archipelago is sometimes called as ‘The Spice Island’! Enjoy a tour of the spice market of Zanzibar with different spices that are grown on this fertile land. You can savour the fresh aroma of saffron, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin (sometimes known as the Gold of Zanzibar). These are just a few samples of the spices that spread through the island, all with intriguing smells.
This tale gets finished here, and we have not even made mention of House of Wonders, Dolphin Tours, Old Fort, Dispensary of Zanzibar – but that can follow in next series of our Zanzibar tour! For more information, stay tuned on this space for details about other holiday destinations!
About The Author: Hiral is a Digital Marketer by day and reader by night. Love to travel a lot, foodie, addicted to social media and games. Hiral writes frequently on matters across hospitality, travel and Digital Marketing. Recommends to stay at Hakuna Majiwe Beach Lodge while visiting to Zanzibar.