Few countries in the world can rival the beauty of Zanzibar archipelago. Lying 36km off the Tanzania coast in the Indian Ocean about 72km north of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Zanzibar consists of two main islands; Unguja and Pemba. Many people refer to Unguja as Zanzibar and it is the most developed of the two islands.
Beautiful white beaches along Zanzibar's east coast are some of the Island's most famous attractions. These are found near the Northern tip of Zanzibar - whose name means "Land of the blacks" in Arabic. A number of fishing villages also dot the Zanzibar beach landscape.
Most of the Zanzibar beaches are pure, unspoilt, and quiet, with the only noise being that of the ocean. Nungwi beach is arguably the best among the more than 30 pristine beaches of Zanzibar. Situated in the northern part of Zanzibar, Nungwi is accessible by a road that is beautifully lined with coconut palms, mangrove and banana plants. Being the boat building capital of Zanzibar, Nungwi is a good spot for visitors to see traditional craftsmen at work.
The other beaches worth visiting in Zanzibar include Mangapwani beach on the west coast, and Matemwe, Pwani Mchangani, Bwejuu, Jambianito, Uroa, and Kiwengwa beaches on the east coast. These have wide stretches of beautiful uncrowded sands, some of the highlights of a Zanzibar beach holiday.
In addition to the pristine beaches, Zanzibar has several small offshore islands which are ideal for short trips. Prison island is the most popular of these islands as it is only a short distance from Stone Town, the capital town of Zanzibar. Although giant tortoises are the main attractions of the island, the spot's clear waters offer excellent opportunities for snorkeling hence drawing numerous visitors.
A majority of people of Zanzibar (95%) are Muslim, while the remaining percentage consists of Christians, Hindus and followers of various other religions. The friendly population comprises Africans, Persians, Arabs and Asians. Swahili is the official and national language of Zanzibar although English is also spoken in the country. A small percentage of the population also has a working knowledge of Arabic. The economy of Zanzibar is based on agriculture and fishing.
Zanzibar is not so big an island and you can explore the entire Island in a day. Moreover the map of Zanzibar is self-explanatory so you do not necessarily need a tour guide to move around. July through March are best months for visiting Zanzibar, when the average temperature is 25 degrees Celsius. During this period the air is dry and breezy and there is little rainfall. Zanzibar experiences heavy rainfall in April and May and this is not a good time to visit.
Getting to Zanzibar is easy both by air and by sea. A number of reputable airlines operate daily scheduled flights to Zanzibar island, among them KLM (in partnership with Kenya Airways), Gulf Air, Ethiopian Airlines, and Air Mauritius. You can easily arrange transport to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam, whether it be scheduled flights, charter flights, or speed boats. The journey from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar is a short trip.
Beautiful white beaches along Zanzibar's east coast are some of the Island's most famous attractions. These are found near the Northern tip of Zanzibar - whose name means "Land of the blacks" in Arabic. A number of fishing villages also dot the Zanzibar beach landscape.
Most of the Zanzibar beaches are pure, unspoilt, and quiet, with the only noise being that of the ocean. Nungwi beach is arguably the best among the more than 30 pristine beaches of Zanzibar. Situated in the northern part of Zanzibar, Nungwi is accessible by a road that is beautifully lined with coconut palms, mangrove and banana plants. Being the boat building capital of Zanzibar, Nungwi is a good spot for visitors to see traditional craftsmen at work.
The other beaches worth visiting in Zanzibar include Mangapwani beach on the west coast, and Matemwe, Pwani Mchangani, Bwejuu, Jambianito, Uroa, and Kiwengwa beaches on the east coast. These have wide stretches of beautiful uncrowded sands, some of the highlights of a Zanzibar beach holiday.
In addition to the pristine beaches, Zanzibar has several small offshore islands which are ideal for short trips. Prison island is the most popular of these islands as it is only a short distance from Stone Town, the capital town of Zanzibar. Although giant tortoises are the main attractions of the island, the spot's clear waters offer excellent opportunities for snorkeling hence drawing numerous visitors.
A majority of people of Zanzibar (95%) are Muslim, while the remaining percentage consists of Christians, Hindus and followers of various other religions. The friendly population comprises Africans, Persians, Arabs and Asians. Swahili is the official and national language of Zanzibar although English is also spoken in the country. A small percentage of the population also has a working knowledge of Arabic. The economy of Zanzibar is based on agriculture and fishing.
Zanzibar is not so big an island and you can explore the entire Island in a day. Moreover the map of Zanzibar is self-explanatory so you do not necessarily need a tour guide to move around. July through March are best months for visiting Zanzibar, when the average temperature is 25 degrees Celsius. During this period the air is dry and breezy and there is little rainfall. Zanzibar experiences heavy rainfall in April and May and this is not a good time to visit.
Getting to Zanzibar is easy both by air and by sea. A number of reputable airlines operate daily scheduled flights to Zanzibar island, among them KLM (in partnership with Kenya Airways), Gulf Air, Ethiopian Airlines, and Air Mauritius. You can easily arrange transport to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam, whether it be scheduled flights, charter flights, or speed boats. The journey from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar is a short trip.
About the Author:
Andrew Muigai is the Managing Director of AfricaPoint.com, a travel agency that provides Tanzania Safaris including Zanzibar beach holiday packages and Zanzibar Hotels Reservations among other Zanzibar travel services
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