Things to do in Zanzibar
Things to do in Zanzibar / activities in Zanzibar: Zanzibar is an impressive Tanzania safari destination and an island located off the eastern coast of Africa on the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean and lies about 25-50 kilometers from the mainland. Zanzibar is made up of 2 main islands, Unguja and Pemba Island, and other small islands, with Zanzibar City as the capital and located on Unguja Island.
Zanzibar is a very historic site and a relaxing destination for beach vacations. Zanzibar has a lot of activities to offer to tourists visiting the island for a safari, and below are the things to do in Zanzibar.
Visit the Stone Town
Stone town is the old part of Zanzibar located on the western coast of Unguja the main island of Zanzibar Archipelago, stone town is also known as Mji Mkongwe a Swahili phrase meaning old town and a former capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate. Stone Town is the central point of Zanzibar Island, situated off the coast and sheltered by a harbor; formerly, this town was a fishing village and later developed into a city.
Stone town is a very remarkable historical and heritage town with diverse influence of Swahili culture and unique mixture of Arab, Persia, Indian and European elements; because of this, the town was designated as A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Stone Town offers several activities travellers can engage in while on their visit; these activities include
- taking a walk in the narrow maze of streets in which you are bound to get lost due to the resemblance of the streets; guided walking tours in Stone Town are usually 3 hours of walking and admiring various aspects of the town filled with culture and unique architecture.
- Visit the birthplace of Freddie Mercury. Freddie Mercury was a famous British singer, songwriter, record producer, and lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. Freddie Mercury is considered to be one of the greatest singers in the history of rock Music. Though he is of British nationality, Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar, and if you are a fan of the Queen band, you will be excited to visit the birthplace of the icon.
- Visit the Old Fort. While visiting Stone Town, there is a chance to visit the Old Fort, which is one of the oldest buildings. Old Fort is a unique historic masterpiece built by Omani Arabs.
- Other sites to visit in Stone Town include House of Wonders, the slave museum, and many more.
Boat trip and snorkeling in Zanzibar
Zanzibar Island is a perfect destination for boat trips and snorkeling in the fresh waters of the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar has many sites from where travellers can book a boat for a boat trip, and the boat comes with an experienced escort.
A boat trip on the waters of the Indian Ocean offers excellent sights of marine animals such as dolphins as they swim in the waters, protruding coral reefs, and the distant islands. If you are interested in touring the marine life below the surface of the waters, snorkeling is a perfect activity for you.
Snorkeling at Zanzibar Island comprises many snorkeling spots, and the best of them is Mnemba Atoll on the coast of Mnemba. Snorkeling at this coast is a chance for divers to get up close with the beautiful coral reefs, various fish, and marine life such as dolphins, green turtles, and sea stars.
Try local dishes
On Zanzibar Island, there are a variety of local dishes which will blow your mind and tempt you to try them. Zanzibar is a popular destination for various local dishes, but the most popular spot on this island to try out local dishes is Stone Town. Some of the local dishes to try out in Zanzibar include
- Zanzibar pizza – this pizza is different from normal pizza as it resembles pancakes or pupusa. This pizza is offered with chicken or beef, and they usually includes egg, cheese, onion, bell peppers, and Mayo.
- Biryani and pilau – Biryani and Pizza is a signature traditional rice dishes on Zanzibar Island and Tanzania. Biryani is prepared separately from the meat and sauce, and when they are finished cooking. These dishes are combined and served with an amazing sauce. Pilau is cooked altogether with the ingredients in the same cooking pot and served with meat or chicken.
- Urojo soup – Urojo soup is a flour-based soup with flavors of mango and lemon. This soup also includes potatoes and is served in three ways: cubed, fried mashed potatoes, and potato shavings. This soup is served with lots of spices and meat.
- Zanzibar tea – Zanzibar tea is a famous tea on this island. This tea is prepared with a blend of spices.
While in Zanzibar, you can also learn how to prepare these dishes through a cooking class on a daily basis, and the session will make you fall in love with local dishes on this island.
Spice tour
A spice tour in Zanzibar is one of a one-of-a-kind experience offering you an insight into the spices found on this island and how they grow. Zanzibar is also referred to as Zanzibar Island because of the various spices grown and present on the Island. As the early settlers arrived at Zanzibar, they discovered that the soils and climatic conditions perfectly supported spice growing, and as they settled on the island, they established the famous growing of various spices.
A spice tour in Zanzibar is done on foot and offers a visit to numerous spice farms, learning how to grow spices, process them, and taste a variety of them. Spices grown on Zanzibar Island include cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, and many more.
Visit Jozani forest
Jozani Forest is a famous primate destination in Zanzibar, famous for red colobus monkeys and endemic species to Zanzibar. Jozani Forest is protected in Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park of 50 square kilometers. This forest is home to about 1000 Zanzibar red colobus monkeys, which are rainforest species; these species are only found in Zanzibar and are also known as Kirk’s red colobus, named after Sir John Kirk. Sir John Kirk was a British resident who brought the famous Zanzibar red colobus monkeys to the attention of zoological science.
Jozani forests also inhabit other primate species such as Sykes monkey, bush babies, mammals like Zanzibar nocturnal tree hyrax, and marine species such as dolphins shark. Tuna and marlin. While visiting the Jozani forests, travellers can participate in nature walks, safaris, and primate tracking, during which they come into contact with the beautiful primates found in this forest.
Kite surfing
Zanzibar is a great destination for kite surfing expeditions. Kite surfing is more of a sport activity involving standing on a small surfboard or kite board. The kite is dragged by the wind while you hold onto the kite. Zanzibar has many kite surfing spots such as Paje, Nungwi beach, Jambiani beach and many more, with Paje considered to be the best spot. For travellers with no experience in Kite surfing, lessons are offered by plenty of instructors who will assist you at a very fair price.
The best time to go kite surfing in Zanzibar is from January to February and June to September.
Eat at Rock Restaurant
Eating at Rock Restaurant on Zanzibar island is more than eating; it is an experience. This unique restaurant is situated off the coast of Pingwe, sitting on an actual rock and accessed by sailing on water. Rock Restaurant serves a wide range of dishes such as lobster, cigal, king prawns, octopus, calamari on the grill, stewed rock lobster, homemade Tagliatelle served with small lobster, grilled fish fillet, and many more.
Visit Prison Island
Prison Island on Zanzibar is a very tranquil destination to visit. Prison Island, also known as Changuu Island, was historically inhabited by the Arabs in the 1860s and used as a temporary shelter for slaves who rebelled against Arab rule. These slaves were kept on the island before being solved which explains the name Prison Island. This island was also used as a site to quarantine individuals who got sick with the yellow fever epidemic. When the island switched from the hands of the Arabs to the British colonial rulers, the British colonial masters constructed a real prison, which was later turned into a restaurant.
Following the introduction of giant tortoises on the island, Prison Island has become a peaceful sanctuary for the giant tortoise, and on your visit to the island, you are to encounter these giant creatures, said to be over 150 years old. While on the visit, travellers can also participate in swimming, snorkeling, and watch many bird species such as the amazing peacock. Prison Island is accessed on a 25-minute boat ride from Stone Town.
Diving
Zanzibar is a perfect destination in Tanzania for diving safari experiences. Zanzibar Island comprises many destinations offering diving, such as Mnemba Atoll Marine Reserve situated right off the north-east coast. Diving deep in the clear waters of the Indian Ocean offers divers an opportunity to discover and encounter sea creatures such as turtles, emperor fish, stingrays, giant trevally fish, lion fish, and coral reefs.
Note: Divers interested in underwater pictures should carry water proof camera, and while diving, do not touch the coral reefs because they are sensitive features and it takes them years to regenerate if disturbed.
