For many of us, the most incredible place to go on holiday is Africa. The island of Zanzibar, for example, is visited annually by several tens of thousands of tourists. And they all return home madly in love with this stunning corner of the planet, where you can make almost all your dreams come true. So what is this magical place? What's so special about you, Zanzibar Island?
Zanzibar: a brief description
In fact, the island of Zanzibar is just part of a vast archipelago consisting of seventy-five large and small islands. The largest are three islands:
- Pemba;
- Mafia;
- Unguja.
The last name is not very well known, because almost all Europeans, and even local residents, call Ugunja “Zanzibar”. On this large island there is the capital of the entire archipelago and numerous hotels providing services of the highest class.
Many people mistakenly believe that the beautiful island is part of the state of Tanzania. The island of Zanzibar, of course, is part of Tanzania, but has semi-autonomous status. The capital has its own government and president, and any resident of the island, if asked about his nationality, will proudly say that he is a Zanzibari. And only secondarily do the islanders consider themselves Tanzanians.
The total area of the island is just over two and a half thousand square kilometers, where more than one million Zanzibaris live. However, to this number of the local population it is necessary to add several thousand more tourists who come here on vacation at any time of the year. After all, the average air temperature on the island fluctuates within twenty-five degrees above zero. This allows you to relax in Zanzibar in any season, which is very convenient for the development of the tourism industry of the autonomy.
Zanzibar Island: where is the African paradise
The Zanzibar archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean. It stretches off the east African coast and is only forty kilometers away from Tanzania. It is worth noting that millions of years ago Zanzibar was part of the African continent and as a result crustal movements separated from the mainland.
Population of Zanzibar: features and national composition
The island of Zanzibar belonged to the Persians, Portuguese and Arabs in different historical eras. This affected the religious beliefs of the islanders and national composition population. More than eighty percent of Zanzibaris are Muslim, a religion that took hold on the island during the period of Persian rule. They gave the island their culture, the foundations of their worldview and, of course, religion. Approximately fourteen percent of the islanders consider themselves Christians or adhere to local cults.
It is worth noting that Christian missionaries were unable to win the respect of local residents and convert them to their faith. Currently, most Zanzibaris are descendants of Shirazi, Swahili and African immigrants who were once brought here in large numbers for slave markets. There are few Europeans in Zanzibar; they mainly work in the tourism industry or come as volunteers to teach and treat local residents.
History of Zanzibar Island
Scientists believe that the first settlers from the African continent settled in Zanzibar approximately four thousand years ago. Very little is known about this stage of the island's history; historians claim that the first islanders spoke the Bantu language and were engaged in agriculture. About two thousand years ago, local residents began to contact Arab traders who showed interest in these lands.
In the ninth and tenth centuries, several colonies of immigrants from Persia settled in Zanzibar; they brought Islam and their cultural traditions to the island, which, however, quickly merged with the local customs of the islanders.
By the fifteenth century, Zanzibar had become a powerful power, ruled by Arab settlers from Oman. They developed trade in slaves, spices, glass, gold and ivory. Many inhabitants of the African continent were brought to the slave markets of the island, from where they were transported by ship to the plantations of their new owners.
In the sixteenth century, the Portuguese came to Zanzibar and took over the slave trade, but were quickly driven out by the Arabs from Oman. For some time they had to cede power on the island to the British again. But the Europeans were unable to gain a foothold in the archipelago for long, and by the nineteenth century the Arabs had turned Zanzibar into a reliable stronghold of the sultanate’s economy. This was evidenced by the development of the main city of the island - Stone Town, to which the Sultan even moved his government. It was during this period that spices began to be actively cultivated in Zanzibar, and clove plantations were especially large. This spice brought fabulous wealth to the Sultan, who invested it in the development of the island. Most of the buildings from that period are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are carefully protected.
In the sixties of the last century, Zanzibar signed an agreement with Tanganyika on the creation single state Tanzania. Its name became a combination of the names of both states. In 2005, Zanzibar got its own flag and parliament, although since the formation of Tanzania, Zanzibar has been part of it on semi-autonomous terms.
Zanzibar through the eyes of tourists
Every year more and more travelers include the island of Zanzibar in their itinerary. Reviews from tourists who have already been here literally encourage others to take this trip and finally get to know Africa better. What is it that attracts Europeans here who are far from understanding the culture and way of life of the Zanzibaris?
First of all, these are, of course, the magnificent beaches that literally surround the island of Zanzibar. Reviews of these magnificent multi-kilometer coastal areas, as if powdered with fine snow-white sand, evoke an incredible longing for the sea and inspire a trip to a travel agency. The beaches in Zanzibar are truly magnificent, and many five-star hotels have their own slice of coastal paradise, which is very convenient for European tourists who prefer to relax in some privacy.
Turquoise waters Indian Ocean hide a rich underwater world, which can be seen with the help of professional diving instructors. There are more than twenty diving schools in Zanzibar, where tourists are offered training or simply hire an instructor who knows the best places to dive.
Many tourists talk with admiration about spice plantations, a turtle nursery and much, much more, which together make up a list of attractions on the island of Zanzibar that deserve a separate story.
Sights of Zanzibar
The main pride of Zanzibaris, which they highly recommend to tourists, is Stone Town. This Stone City was founded by the first Arab traders and is a fabulous labyrinth of streets, houses and squares. The main thing is not to get lost in this mixture of wealth and poverty, because while walking around the city, you can see the luxurious palaces of the Sultan and the small shacks of local residents, which resemble cells in stone houses. Many tourists say that walks around Stone Town are always very colorful.
The most visited building in the city is rightfully the House of Miracles. This was once the residence of Sultan Said ibn Bagash, who hired a Scottish architect to build the palace. The building rises three floors above the city and has a tall beautiful tower, but all the wonders of the palace modern people will not seem incredible. After all, it was at the end of the nineteenth century that the ordinary people plumbing, electricity and elevators. Currently, the House of Wonders houses museums where you can get acquainted with the culture of Zanzibar.
The slave trade square, where the monument to slaves is located, reminds of the sad pages of the island’s history. Tourists can plunge into those times when the life of a black slave was worth absolutely nothing to his masters. During the tour, guides talk about the slave trade, show the slave market itself and the cellars where unwanted slaves were thrown.
All tourists should definitely go to Prizon Island, in fact geographical maps he is designated as Chang, but everyone calls him "prison". Here for a long time There was a prison where people with cholera were taken to prevent the spread of the disease. Now Prizon is a real paradise for divers and beach lovers; every day several dozen boats with tourists land on the shores and spend the whole day on the island. The turtle nursery located on Prizona just evokes a storm of emotions. You can feed these adorable animals by hand and take a photo with them. The age of some has already crossed the border of one century, while other individuals are still very tiny, having lived in this world for only a couple of decades.
It is difficult to leave Zanzibar without visiting the Jozani Game Reserve. Here tourists are invited to walk along barely noticeable paths and admire wild animals. Most of all, tourists are delighted with the colobus monkeys, which live only in this archipelago. In the reserve you can find more than a hundred species of exotic birds, most of them are not at all afraid of people. But keep in mind that the jungle is full of various crawling creatures, so you should wear closed clothing on the excursion.
If you choose the island of Zanzibar for your holiday, be sure to purchase a tour to the spice plantations. The pleasure and benefits of spending time on the plantations can hardly be overestimated, because tourists will be able to cut coconuts on their own and learn how to cook breadfruit and they will even try to cut cinnamon for themselves. In addition, here you can buy a lot of spices, the aroma of which you will not get anywhere else in the world.
Beaches of the island
Most tourists interested beach holiday, often choose the island of Zanzibar. Where is the most best beach on the coast? This is a very difficult question, because on the island great amount amazingly beautiful and suitable places for relaxation.
For example, in the north of the island there is Mangapwani Beach. It is suitable for couples who dream of privacy. And Fuji and Chuini, located near the Stone Town, are the most equipped and suitable for water sports.
The purest coral lagoons are located in Nungwi, here you can admire underwater world, simply by wearing a snorkeling mask.
Diving on the island
There are two underwater reefs suitable for divers in Zanzibar:
- Range;
- Boribi.
The first will be an excellent base for beginners, its depth does not exceed fourteen meters, but the second will make the hearts of even experienced divers who have already scuba dived in many parts of the world beat faster.
Interestingly, in addition to natural coral reefs, the place where a British liner sank at the beginning of the last century is suitable for diving. Over time, it became home to stingrays, moray eels and lobsters, so diving here is extremely interesting.
Selection of hotels in Zanzibar
A few decades ago, mainly lovers of wild holidays with tents and sleeping bags came to Zanzibar. They were located on the beaches and enjoyed the natural beauty in almost privacy. But now it’s almost the most comfortable place for a holiday in Africa - this is the island of Zanzibar. Hotels here are built mainly on the coast; the most common are hotel complexes with four and five stars. They provide high service, but the prices for accommodation here cannot be considered affordable. For example, a double room in a mid-level hotel (three or four stars) will cost one hundred dollars per night. But a luxury hotel on the very shore will already cost about five hundred dollars per night.
But in addition to luxury hotels, Stone Town has many decent guesthouses priced at fifty dollars per night. Such houses have air conditioning, a kitchen and often a swimming pool. Living in them is extremely convenient.
Zanzibar Island: prices
If you are going to Zanzibar, be aware that it is not the most cheap holiday. First of all, you will encounter certain difficulties even at the time of purchasing air tickets. The fact is that there are no direct flights to Zanzibar, and you will have to look for connecting flights through Dubai. The cost of such a one-way flight can reach thirty thousand rubles.
We have already clarified the cost of hotel accommodation, so excursions and meals remain among tourists’ expenses. The excursion program on the island is rich, and you can enjoy a trip to the plantations or Prizon Island for fifteen to twenty dollars.
It is better to eat in Zanzibar in the hotel restaurant or in proven places that the guide can indicate. The average check in restaurants does not exceed thirty dollars. Moreover, local cuisine is always very tasty and aromatic.
Of course, Zanzibar is an amazing place, so you can collect a lot about it interesting information. Some of this can be found in our article:
- the famous Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar, now his house has been turned into a mini-hotel;
- in the seventies of the last century, Zanzibar became the only place in Africa where color televisions appeared;
- on the island managed to completely exterminate tsetse fly, causing serious damage to livestock;
- The Guinness Book of Records records the war in Zanzibar, which lasted less than half an hour.
There is also a signature cocktail on the island, identical to the name of the archipelago, consisting of... No, no, we won’t tell you this secret. Go on holiday to Zanzibar and experience the magic of this place. And at the same time, be sure to try a delicious cocktail with the taste of sun, sea and tart spices.
Zanzibar is an entire archipelago in the Indian Ocean with the main island of the same name, located northeast of Dar es Salaam, 35 kilometers from the coast. The main advantages of this place are its rich and varied cultural heritage, carefully preserved coastline, clean coastal waters and many species of marine animals.
In Zanzibar the whites are pure sandy beaches, along which picturesque fishing villages stretch. Not far from the capital there are Fuji and Chuini beaches with a rich selection of water sports, and to the north there is a very quiet and secluded Mangapwani beach.
One of the main attractions of Zanzibar is its capital, the city of Stone Town, founded by Arab traders back in the 9th century. The city is decorated with two former sultan's palaces, two huge cathedrals, colonial mansions, abandoned ancient Persian-style baths and a whole collection of quaint foreign consulate buildings.
Pemba Island
Pemba Island is a coral island. It became part of Tanzania in 1964 as part of Zanzibar. Its length is only 75 kilometers and its width is 10 kilometers.
It was known in ancient times among Arab traders as the "Green Island". It was described as an earthly paradise and a land of abundance. It was famous for the production of various spices, especially cloves.
Friendly local people, wide white sand beaches, untouched nature, warm sea, coconut palm groves and rubber plantations. Suitable for lovers of an authentic holiday - while the flow of tourists here is small. A visit to Pemba Island allows you to enjoy peace, solitude and the beauty of unspoiled nature.
The island is surrounded by corals and is an excellent place for diving and deep sea fishing.
Pristine coral reefs, a huge number of fish, diverse marine flora, vibrant colors of the underwater world, a lush mixture of cultures - all this will make you dream of returning here again and again.
Local cuisine is distinguished by spicy spices and a large selection of fish dishes.
Prizon Island
Prizon Island is one of the most famous places in Zanzibar. This is a small island a few kilometers west of Zanzibar. You can get to the island in 15 minutes by boat, and in 30 minutes you can walk around the entire island. The island got its name because of the prison located on it, which at one time was built there, but was never used for its intended purpose. The island itself is interesting because of the giant turtles that live on it.
His appointment changed several times. Initially developed as a prison, it never became one. Slaves exported from East Africa were kept here so as not to spread yellow fever, as an infection, there was a quarantine point at Prizon. Perhaps it looked like a prison due to the complete isolation of the sick and new arrivals to the island. Stone barracks with bars on small windows still stand.
Zanzibar is not one island, but an archipelago consisting of the main island of Zanzibar (formerly called Unguja - 1460 sq. km), the island of Pemba, and about 50 small islands.
Zanzibar is one of best places for diving in the Indian Ocean, and throughout the world.
Zanzibar is the main island of the archipelago of the same name, which from 1890 to 1964 was a sultanate part of the British protectorate, and since 1964 has become a republic part of Tanzania. The dimensions of Zanzibar are quite large: it reaches 85 km in length, up to 35 km in width, and an area of 1658 sq. km. The population of this island, surrounded by a romantic aura, is over 200 thousand people, the bulk of whom (99%) are Muslims.
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Trade in slaves (until 1893) and spices (especially cloves) played a huge role in the history and development of Zanzibar. Due to its location, in the 19th century the island was the world's largest supplier of cloves and one of the famous trading centers in East Africa. It was visited by Assyrians, Arabs, Egyptians, Indians, Persians, Dutch and Chinese. At the end of the 15th century, during a trip around the world, Vasco da Gama visited the island. Subsequently, famous African explorers visited here with their expeditions: Burton, Speke and Livingston. A severe hurricane in 1872 destroyed most of the clove and coconut plantations, after which the islanders were forced to cede their positions to spice suppliers from the Far East.
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Cultural and shopping center, the main city and port of the island part of Tanzania is the city of Zanzibar, located on the western coast of the island of the same name. The city's population numbers over 70 thousand inhabitants.
The central part of the city, its historical Center, called Stone Town (Stone City). Locals it is often called Shangaani, after the Bantu tribe of Mozambique whose fishermen first settled in this area. Most of the houses in Stone Town are over 100 – 150 years old. They are distinguished by carved gates, openwork loggias and verandas. Arab, Indian and European cultures had a noticeable influence on the architecture of the city.
Now Zanzibar is home to the best tropical resorts of the Indian Ocean. Dense vegetation and white coral sand beaches along the entire coast make the island very attractive for tourism. Resort industry did not disrupt the daily life of the indigenous people, nature remained untouched, and hotels and clubs fit organically into the local landscape without disturbing the harmony environment. Nature here is generous with the sun, gives beautiful views and surprises with the uniqueness of flora and fauna. This is the ocean, which never ceases to amaze with the underwater world, and the long snow-white beach of fine sand, on which it is pleasant to walk and ride bicycles, and the jungle with exotic baobab trees, flexible vines and flocks of monkeys, and the night sky with millions of stars, which can be reached It seems you can reach it with your hand. Zanzibar is one of the best diving destinations in the Indian Ocean and around the world.
Geography
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Indian Ocean, 35 km from Tanzania, 1.5 hours by sea ferry from Dar es Salaam.
How to get there
10-15 minute flight from international airport Dar es Salaam – Salaam – to Zanzibar airport.
Restaurants
Bahari Restaurant, located in the heart of Stone Town, overlooking the ocean, is one of the most famous restaurants in Zanzibar.
Sport
Diving, yachting, snorkeling, windsurfing, Beach volleyball, tennis, aerobics, water gymnastics, cycling. Games and swimming with dolphins, as well as sea safari on native boats.
Shopping
Exotic masks of various tribes, wooden figurines, items made of semi-precious stones and shells.
The island of Zanzibar, one of the most famous resorts in the world, is very popular among tourists. A variety of recreational activities and excursion programs are one of the main components of modern recreation. Like most resorts in the world, Zanzibar Island can provide different level holidays at a variety of prices. This resort has both luxury hotels and budget hotels.
If you are tormented by the question “Where to relax?”, “Where to spend your vacation?” Then perhaps Zanzibar Island will be perfect place for relax.
