27 April 2009

I was one of the privileged Travel Counsellors that was invited by World Leisure Holidays and 1Time Airline as hosts, to visit the beautiful Island of Zanzibar. We arrived at the crack of dawn (05h30) at OR Tambo Airport to check in at the 1time Airline counter. The Crew was professional, pleasant and delivered a scrumptious breakfast which was prepaid on our air ticket to the value of R75 which was more than sufficient. Zanzibar is an archipelago made up of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands, and several islets. It is located in the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast, and 6° south of the equator. Zanzibar Island (known locally as Unguja, but as Zanzibar Internationally) is 60 miles long and 20 miles wide, occupying a total area of approximately 650 square miles. It is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs, and the magic of historic Stone Town - said to be the only functioning ancient town in East Africa. We arrived in Zanzibar after a short 3 hour journey and were greeted with the warmest humid kiss of the island. Cameras fogged up from the humidity as you stepped down from the aircraft. Be sure to dress appropriately – cotton with sufficient coverage with respect to the Islamic culture. SA passport holder requires visas which can be obtained at the airport for the exact amount of US$50. Planhotel Dream of Zanzibar was our first stop. This property is still under construction but is almost complete. It is situated on the East Coast of Zanzibar and will be a 5 Star all inclusive Resort set in tropical gardens. The rooms will be a mixture of deluxe garden rooms with exclusive swimming pool with children area and bar. There will also be deluxe ocean view rooms, junior suites and 3 royal suites. The royal suites will each have their private pool. We spent our first night at the Planhotel Mapenzi Beach Club: It is situated on the east coast (in fact very close to Dream of Zanzibar). The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. Our rooms were right on the beach, which was excellent if you intended to roll out of bed and onto the beach. It is a 3 Star hotel. Cocktail hour at the pool side was great fun as we started sampling an array of tasty cocktails to our heart’s content, which is also part of the all inclusive deal. All three meals were enjoyed at the hotel I had a few local dishes added to them, be it lunch, dinner or breakfast. We woke up to Island tropical rain that lasted the entire day. This did not deter us. Stone Town was to be conquered. Our first stop was the colourful market….armed with brollies. We then proceeded to visit the area where slaves we kept until they were sold. It was a very emotional journey. We then walked through these quaint streets and witnessed the everyday life of the locals. Africa House is the best place in town for sundowners. We enjoyed lunch at the Serena Hotel. It is also a good overnight stop if you would like to explore Stone Town and complete sightseeing before heading off to your complete beach holiday indulgence. There are quaint streets to browse and shopping for bags, art, t-shirt, wooden boxes, cotton wraps (kikoys) …even tanzanite if you so inclined. We visited the Palace (Sultan Panorama tour) with lovely panoramic views of Stone Town. The Spice Tour is also a must with its infectious charm. I stayed at the Planhotel Neptune Pwani Beach Resort & Spa. The operative word is Spa. This facility is world class. All the rooms at this Resort have a terraced sea view. The staff were friendly and extremely discreet. This resort is certainly for the discerning traveller that is looking for the “special touch". It is definitely my firm favourite!!! I stayed at Planhotel La Gemma Dell’Est. This is an excellent hotel for both groups & conferences. There entertainment area is huge and the waterfront areas are away from hotel rooms. The décor an old fashioned chic. I then headed off back to the airport and once again our ground handler was at hand to make the check in process as smooth as possible. A departure tax of US$30 dollars was paid. General tips/observations • All inclusive preferred by Planhotels especially for the South African market • Malaria tablets and Yellow Fever inoculations is a must. • Take own basic medication with you although all the hotels has a medical station • Average temperature range 25 - 35 °C the whole year. High % of rain in May & April • Always ask locals before taking photos of the people Zanzibar is unspoilt by the unpleasant effects of mass tourism. It is hoped that increase in tourism to this destination doesn’t impact adversely on the magic of Zanzibar.