Zanzibar - The Pearl of Africa
(VLOG included)
Coastal palm woods, white sand beaches, diving in Indian ocean, adventurous water sports or spicy cuisine. That’s all you can experience at one place – Zanzibar. We will tell you how we travelled around this semi-autonomous region of Tanzania and super affordable exotic island.
Our journey to Zanzibar
If you have read our previous articles, you are aware that we lived adventurous experience in the mainland. Now it’s time to relax and enjoy the exotic paradise – Zanzibar. First of all, we had to transport to the Kilimanjaro airport. We took a bus from Moshi, going to Arusha. The suitcases were placed on the rooftop of the bus. To be honest with you, I was afraid and not sure we would see them again. After an hour of travel, the bus dropped us at the crossroad, circa 5 km from the airport. The baggage was alright, don’t worry! The locals immediately started to offer us a lift for extreme prices. Luckily, we got plenty of time, so we decided to walk. After a few hundreds of meters, a random car stopped and wanted to drive us to the airport only for 2 USD. We didn’t hesitate for a second.
At the airport, our baggage was checked 3 times, and the passports were shown at least 5 times. We took the flight to Dar Es Salaam. After landing, we were heading to the port to take the last ferry to Zanzibar. The ticket cost 35 USD, and the voyage lasted 2 hours. When we arrived in Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar, we realised that this was not the real Tanzania. It was full of tourists.
East of Zanzibar
We were planning to travel to the other side of the island – from western Stone Town to Eastern Paje because of our accommodation. When we were renting a car for 40 USD/day, we found out that the insurance has been expired. That was the only agency closeby. Therefore, we decided to go by bus. Suddenly, a random youngster appeared and offered us his brother’s car. We gave it a chance. Our blue Suzuki was in good health. The owner also took us to obtain driving permission in Zanzibar (10USD) and then, we were heading to the east of the island.
After an hour, we reached the beach Paje and checked-in in our paradisal cottage. Summer Dream Lodge is built 2 minutes walk from the ocean. This southern-eastern beach is ideal for water sports (mainly kite surfing).
North of Zanzibar
We’ve heard that the most beautiful beaches of Zanzibar are on the northern edge. That’s why we went to discover beaches Kendwa and Nungwi.
The villagers advised us that if we get stopped by the police, we should pretend not speaking English. That is because they like charging tourists. The road was quite good and empty. The drive went really well until the first police stopped us. It was hard not to answer simple questions (where we are from, how we are,…) but amusing at the same time because we answered in Slovak. This strategy saved us. We got pulled aside by police many times since then. Once, they wanted to give us a fine for the blinker, but they understood that it does not make sense to talk to us. So they let us go. One part of the road was terrible. We were driving max 10 km/h because the read was more broken then in Tanzanian safari.
When we finally reached Kendwa, we realised that this is a real paradise. We have never seen a more beautiful beach. That’s how we imagined Zanzibar – white sand surrounded by palms. The prices in restaurants were acceptable, on the European level. We booked a scuba diving trip for the next day. The water had the right temperature so we could finally chill out. Beware, that you will notice many annoying sellers at the beach. One of them, however, offered us a good deal for the evening. Snorchling next to a nearby island, sunset watching and dinner on a boat. And everything just for 10 USD. It sounded great! When we boarded the ship, we were floating just along the coast. Obviously, colourful fishes are observed there. Since it was cloudy, we did not have the luck to see the sun setting. So, we just jumped from the boat, had fun, ate watermelon for dinner and enjoy the trip. We were a bit disappointed that the company did not meet its promises.
Northern East Zanzibar
Early in the morning, we went for a scuba diving session at the Nungwi beach. After a brief theoretical lecture, we were ready to put on our neoprenes, prepare the oxygen and embark on a boat. When we reached another island, we jumped into the sea. After a short introduction, we were diving in 10 meters depth for 30 minutes. It was an excellent experience, seeing all those tiny and colourful sea animals! We are proud to say that in Tanzania, we saw both the real African and sea safari.
When we were done with the scuba diving, it was the time to get to know the island better. We picked the road built along the eastern coast, which led us to the famous restaurant The Rock. We got off at Matemwe, Kiwengwa and Pongwe beaches and explored the surroundings. Pongwe impressed us the most even though we arrived during the low tide. Be aware that the eastern coast is full of sea-grass, so we advise you to stay on the west of Zanzibar. When we arrived at The Rock, people who have booked dinner there were transported by boat. An ideal place for romantic dinner. Remember to reserve the table in advance so you can enjoy delicious seafood with local spices.
South of Zanzibar & Stone Town
Our last day in Zanzibar consisted of a drive along the southern coast and afternoon in the capital, Stone Town. After a typical Tanzanian hotel breakfast (omelette and pancakes), we packed our suitcases – and the journey began. Our first stop was near villages Mzambarauni and Kizimkazi Dimbani. The low tide allowed us to walk on the sea floor. The local ladies were already been waiting for the fishermen to bring the food. I have never thought that the difference in the low and the high tide will be so huge. Some small entrepreneurs tried to catch us into the net and offered us a trip to observe dolphins. The highest probability to see them is early in the morning. Since it was also raining, we skipped this attraction.
When we arrived at Stone Town, our goal was clear. Get some souvenirs. The narrow streets were built from stone, and the negotiations with sellers were possible. We visited an old fortress, saw Freddy Mercury’s birth house, a few churches, House of Wonders and other monuments in the city centre. It will take you around 2 hours to wander around the town. We strongly recommend that you enjoy the sunset with a drink in one of the coastal restaurants.
To sum up, Zanzibar is a great exotic holiday destination. However, the high amount of tourists made it a European island. If you are interested in a peaceful relaxing stay, Northern Zanzibar is the right place. On the other hand, if you like an active vacation, then head to the east. Zanzibar is very diverse and a real pearl of Africa.
Watch our VLOGS from Zanzibar
Visited places shown on the map
If you have questions about Zanzibar, feel free to contact us at info@davidharing.net