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Top 5 things to do in Zanzibar

  Last November we took a dream vacation to ZANZIBAR ISLAND off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. In an ode to this being a blog full of memories from our time in East Africa and a way to share what life is like, here is my list of favorite things to do or see while on Zanzibar Island!
  Picking where to stay took us quite a while but after seeing multiple places, you really can’t go wrong because the ocean is beautiful on every inch of that island! I used Booking.com to book the three places we stayed. We decided to stay in MATEMWE, then JAMBIANI and then the last night in STONE TOWN. 

   This island is definitely a once in a lifetime place to visit. The ocean is insanely blue and warm and it is strikingly beautiful. The people are kind and hospitable and experiencing African culture mixed with Arab influence in a coastal beach setting is extremely unique. We travelled from Nairobi and the flight was about an hour. It is a quick flight from anywhere in East Africa and a half or full day flight from most of Africa. It is quite the trek from America 24+ hours and at least 9 hours from Europe but if you’re in East Africa for Safari already, you MUST spend a few days on Zanzibar! 
Our top 5 things you must do:
1. Become a certified scuba diver in MATEMWE at One Ocean Dive Center. 
  If you don’t have the time or interest in scuba diving, definitely snorkel for the day at Mnemba Atoll! 
2. Ride a moped to the turtle aquarium in NUNGWI.
  You do have to buy a “permit” to drive there if you rent a moped or boda.
3. Swim with dolphins in KIZIMKAZI (about 20 min drive away) while we were staying in JAMBIANI. 
  This was probably the most rugged excursion ever - a fisherman took us out in a small metal boat, found dolphins and yelled MASK ON, JUMP NOW! And that might have been the most English he knew. But he delivered and we were impressed. 
4. Take an evening sunset cruise from the beach in a dhow. 
  We did this while in JAMBIANI but you could do this practically anywhere.
5. Eat at the evening food market in STONE TOWN. 
  Seafood galore, enough said.
A few more tid bits of info:
  • For meals: we simply walked down the beach, checked the menu at various hotels and restaurants and then decided. No reservation needed. Specials are sometimes listed on chalkboards on the beach too. Our favorite in Matemwe: Villa Kiva. Our favorite in Jambiani: Bahari Pizza and Kupaga Villa 
  • It is HOT and humid so bring a water bottle that can filter the tap water or purchase bottles at a shop before getting to your guest house to save money because you will drink LOTS of water. 
  • Tanzanians speak true Swahili (not the Kiswahili of Kenya) so don’t hesitate to learn and use the greetings, the locals will definitely appreciate the sentiment. Plus half the fun of traveling is experiencing a new culture and language is a HUGE part of African culture. 
  • Don’t leave any valuables unattended on the beach. There are people everywhere (even if you can’t see them at the moment) and it would be easy for someone to walk off with your camera/wallet/etc while you are frolicking in the beautiful bath water ocean! 
  • Bring a GoPro, the water is insanely blue and clear and if there ever was a place for a GoPro, it’s the Indian Ocean.   
                 
  • We got tired of the amount of people trying to sell excursions, jewelry, massages, etc. Be firm that you aren’t interested and keep walking and most people will leave you alone.. and mutter Hakuna Matata as they walk away! 
  • We did not get to visit the Old Slave Trade memorial museum in Stone Town due to time but I have heard it is worth visiting.
  • You will see men walking hand in hand, this is a sign of friendship, NOT homosexuality. So don’t assume anything of it, and in fact homosexuality is illegal in East African countries. In the contrary, most Africans don’t show PDA. 
  • In Stone Town, it’s somewhat expected that women cover their shoulders for modesty and you will see many women in full head covering sari’s. So it’s a good excuse to buy a new light weight scarf which are sold everywhere! 

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