Mesmerizing Zanzibar
There are faster ways of getting there from Cape Town, flying with Mango direct from Jo'burg for example, but I took the slower route with SAA, via Jo'burg and then Dar es Salaam. It was well worth the travel time though, and the little 12-seater Coastal Aviation flight from Dar to Zanzibar gave a fabulous bird's eye view leaving the Tanzanian coastline and the descent onto the 'Spice Island' as Zanzibar is also known.
As a Brit I needed to buy a visa on arrival in Tanzania, but South African passport holders do not need one.
Stone Town: My sister was volunteering at an orphanage on mainland Tanzania so she made her own way to Stone Town by taking one of the frequent and efficient ferries from Dar Es Salaam. The ferries offer deck seating or aircon comfort and the tickets can be pre-booked online or purchased at the ferry terminal.
We met up at the Tembo House Hotel, overlooking this incredibly busy stretch of water, and ideally located for exploring Stone Town. From the hotel we could watch hundreds of boats go by, from tiny dhows to enormous cargo ships and everything in between!
We spent two days in Stone Town which was enough to give us a taste of the ancient city with its labyrinth of streets, crumbling churches, shops selling everything you can imagine, and magnificent carved wooden doors which all tell a story.
We wandered through local markets, ate unidentifiable but delicious food at the Forodhani Gardens and enjoyed sundowners at quirky rooftop bars while admiring the beautiful sunsets. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from to suit every budget.
We arranged with a very helpful guide to give us a walking tour which was fascinating. We learnt so much about the history, religion, politics and architecture. I recommend using local knowledge rather than trying to navigate the place yourself, you can miss out on a lot, or worse, get totally lost! It's a good idea to tailor make it to include the things you're interested in too.
The Slave Museum in my opinion is a must. It's harrowing and gruesome and I cried at the injustice of the barbaric conditions, but it's an interesting and important part of history and has been well documented and displayed at the museum. It also rightly highlights the ongoing terror of modern slavery.
Nungwi: From Stone Town we took a taxi to Nungwi, on the north coast of Zanzibar. The hour and a quarter drive gave us a glimpse of the countryside and villages, and when we first caught sight of the coast we were completely blown away by the colours and beauty of the sea...WOW! It's breathtaking! Three days flew by, with long beach walks and frequent dips into the exquisite turquoise sea, eating good food, snorkelling, and bargaining at a Masai beach market. There are loads of activities offered at the resorts and on the beach, such as boat trips and water sports, so you can have as active or as restful a holiday as you choose. Going on a Spice Tour is a great way to learn about the significance of spices to Zanzibar which date back to the 16th Century. You can see, smell and taste the many spices that the island is famous for. Tours typically last two to three hours and are widely available, in most cases including transfers and lunch at a farm. Our beach bungalow at Langi Langi was ideally positioned to enjoy the sea views. It was spacious and cool, with effective mozzie nets around the four poster bed. An elevated restaurant deck built over the sea gave an amazing setting for the turquoise ocean backdrop of the day and twinkly lights along the beach at night. The best part of Nungwi for me was the idyllic temperature and colour of the water... it was absolutely beautiful! It’s also good to know that the South East coast of Zanzibar is peaceful and picturesque with some great beach accommodation too.
We enjoyed one more night in Stone Town at the well located Beyt-Al-Salaam Boutique Hotel, before catching a ferry the next morning to the mainland. From there we said goodbye, and I began my journey back to Cape Town with SAA. The Zanzibaris that we met were incredibly friendly and helpful. The island had an overriding sense of peace and calm and as a visitor it felt a safe place to be. My trip to Zanzibar was a truly wonderful experience and one that I can thoroughly recommend!