The Spice Island of Zanzibar

28 Mar: Early departure on 1Time Airlines to the Spice Island of Zanzibar! I was very impressed with the service onboard 1Time Airlines. Very friendly cabin crew. You are able to prepay for your meal prior to departure at a cost of approx. R75, 00. Flying time from Johannesburg is just over 3 hours. On arrival at the airport, we were 'greeted' with a wall of humidity, locals performing a dance as well as coconut drinks. We enjoyed a1 hour transfer to the newest addition to the Planhotel group - Planhotel Dream of Zanzibar. Located on the East Coast of Zanzibar, this luxurious 5 Star all-inclusive Resort is set amidst exotic & colourful tropical gardens directly on the beach front at Pwani Machangani. The African-Arab-style of the resort is elegantly furnished & offers a choice of 5 restaurants/pool bars as well as a spa. The hotel is due to open in June/July. Our journey continued to the Planhotel Mapenzi Beach Club for our overnight accommodation. This hotel is also located on the East Coast of Zanzibar covering an area of 4 hectares blessed with a long white sandy beach. 29 Mar: The 1st stop of our day tour included a visit to the oldest market in Stone Town, filled with the locals selling their meat, fish, and huge varieties of fresh vegetables, fruits & spices. From there, we continued to the former Slave Market & Anglican Church. After our visit to the former Slave Market, we meandered through the narrow streets of Stone Town, known for its colourful & beautifully made Arab & Indian-style doors. One can purchase gifts at one of these many shops. Good buys would include their lovely 'Zanzibar Boxes', the game of Bao, leather sandals, spices as well as their fabrics (Kangas, Kikios & Kofia caps). It is recommended to travel with small denominations of US$ or Euros cash & of course their local currency, the Tanzanian Shilling. From there we stopped off at the 'House of Wonders', built in 1883 & one of the first homes to have running water, electricity and a lift! Once used for residence by two successive Sultans, it is now a museum & was opened to the public in 2002. From there, we were taken to a working spice farm owned by the government, where we had the opportunity of touching, smelling & tasting the different spices. We continued on to the Planhotel Neptune Pwani Beach Resort & Spa for our overnight accommodation. This hotel lies on the North-East coast of Zanzibar, on the Kiwengwa shoreline, a perfect destination to 'truly get away from it all'! The Resort has been meticulously created, emulating traditional Zanzibar style & quickly became my favourite. The food was outstanding & the staff were friendly & very professional. A truly lovely experience. 30 Mar: Overnight accommodation at the Planhotel Le Gemma Dell'Est. Located on the North-Western shores of magical Zanzibar, at Nungwi (one of the best stretched of beach on the island). The rooms are set quite a way back from the restaurants, beach bars (of which there are 8), pool & activities. The rooms were very well furnished, but there is a lack of privacy on the verandas. Overall it is a lovely property with a glorious beach. Zanzibar, with its friendly & beautiful locals, colourful history, incredibly Blue Ocean & fantastic resorts is truly a magical destination & one that I would travel back to time & time again. Remember that Yellow Fever Injection is compulsory 10 days before travelling out to Zanzibar & Malaria precautions are strongly recommended. This was a truly memorable trip that I enjoyed with the fantastic team of 1Time Airlines, World Leisure Holidays & Planhotel group of hotels.