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Zanzibar Island ("Unguja")

Zanzibar is located about 35 kilometers off the coast of Tanzania. It comprises the 1,464 square kilometer main island of Unguja (also known as Zanzibar); the island of Pemba (868 - square kilometers), which is located about 50 kilometers north of Unguja and famed for its deep-sea fishing and scuba-diving; and a number of smaller islands. Set as a jewel in the Indian Ocean just off the coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar has evoked the magic of "A Thousand and One Nights" for over two centuries. This exotic spice island combines mesmerizing beauty with the outstanding hospitality of its colorful people. The generally laid-back pace of this island has ensured that its rich tradition of spice trading is still evident in the historical structures, ancient ruins and crumbled palaces of past Sultans. Kiswahili is the main language and more than 90 per cent of the population is Muslim. Visitors are advised to dress modestly in public places.

Zanzibar is warm almost all the year round with heavy rains from March to May and lesser rains during October and November. February is the hottest month with a maximum average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius, while in August the temperature falls to 21 degrees Celsius.

The city of Zanzibar consists of two distinct areas - Stone Town and Ngambo.

Stone Town:

The Stone Town, the original Swahili town of Zanzibar, is well preserved with narrow streets and small shops stocking beautiful indigenous handicraft and locally grown spices. There are fascinating historic buildings with beautiful hand carved doors, and a guided walking tour through the area is highly recommended. Here and there, one will catch a glimpse of ornate latticework on a balcony or admire the intricacy of a carved door in sun warmed wood. A narrow staircase winds its way into a cool interior, children's voices echo in a hidden courtyard, old men chat next to the colored, crumbling stone walls and tantalizing scents of spices wreathe doorways and dark corners. A walk through the narrow, twisting streets of stone town plunges you into the past. The houses are over 150 years old and are constructed from the island's coral stone. Built by Arab and Indian merchants, in the 19th century, this is the only functioning historical city in East Africa.

Hotel accommodations span the range of exclusive private island resort to comfortable small guest houses.

Main Attractions:

The Old Dispensary is a grand four story building with a set of decorative balconies. It served as a dispensary during colonial times but fell into disrepair in the 1970's and 1980's. It is one of the Stone Town buildings that has been successfully restored, in this case with funding form the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and the Aga Khan Charity Trust. This restoration has probably been the catalyst for the resurgence of Tourism in Zanzibar.

The Market is a great place to visit even if you don't want to buy anything. It is a vibrant place where it seems like everything under the sun is bought and sold. People bring their produce here from all over the island, and other people come to buy things they can't get in their own villages. Of special interest is the huge selection of brightly colored khangas (worn by the local women) and the auctions that are held regularly.

Livingstone's House was built around 1860 for Sultan Majid, and was used by many of the missionaries and explorers as a starting point. Most notably, Dr David Livingstone lived here before commencing his last journey into interior of the mainland.

The Peace Memorial Museum is an informative look at Zanzibar's history. It has sections on archaeology, early trade, slavery, palaces, mosques, sultans, explorers (includes Dr Livingstone's medical chest), missionaries, colonial administrators, traditional crafts and household items, stamps, coins, fishing, and clove cultivation.

The Palace Museum is a large white building with castellated battlements, and was built in the late 1890's for members of the sultan's family. Originally called the Sultan's Palace, in 1911 it became the official residence of the Sultan of Zanzibar, but following the revolution in 1964, it was renamed the Peoples' Palace. In 1994, the palace was turned into a museum dedicated to the history of Zanzibar's Sultans which necessitated a third change of name to the Palace Museum. For the first time, visitors can see much of the Sultans' furniture and other possessions that survived the revolution.

The House of Wonders is a very large square-shaped building, with several stories, surrounded by tiers of pillars and balconies, and topped by a large clock tower. It was built in 1883 as a ceremonial palace for Sultan Barghash and was the first in Zanzibar to have electric light and an electric lift. Not surprisingly, when it was built, the local people called it Beit el Ajaib, meaning the House of Wonders. Today, it is still one of the largest buildings in Zanzibar, and there are plans to open it as the National Museum.

The Arab Fort is situated next to the House of Wonders and was built between 1698 and 1701 by the Busaidi group of Omani Arabs. It is a large building with high, dark brown walls. topped by castellated battlements. The fort is open to visitors and now contains various shops and an open air theatre.

Mangapwani Beach on the western side of Zanzibar and Nungwi Beach on the Northern side has a natural charm and could be worth visiting. This area is also renowned for its dhow (rustic traditional sailboats which have for centuries been used to carry out the Monsoon trading activity between the East African coast Middle East and Southern Asia). construction.

Spice Farms - A spice tour is a specialty of Zanzibar and involves a walk in the western and central regions of the island through plantations, private gardens and forests. There are more than 50 different spices and fruit - cinnamon, pepper, ginger, tamarind, coffee, ylang-ylang, coco, and sugarcane. Coconuts are another main produce of the archipelago.

Chumbe Island - Six kilometers out to sea from historic Zanzibar Stone Town lies the recently established Chumbe Island Coral Park, with assistance fron the WWF, and acclaimed as 'one of the most spectacular coral gardens'. Plan to visit the 'coral rag' forest and mangrove trails, go bird-watching, or look for the endangered species such as the Aders' duikers in this sanctuary . Climbing the 131 steps of the historic lighthouse is worthwhile to get fantastic views of the turquoise blue sea between Zanzibar and the Tanzanian coast. At night watch out for the rare giant Coconut crabs (on the red list of IUCN), the "largest land crabs on earth" roaming about and climbing trees for their food. The clarity of the southern night sky is a memorable experience, only occasionally illuminated by the flashing light of the historic Chumbe lighthouse, built in 1904 and equipped in 1926 with a gas light system which still functions today.

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