Zanzibar Tourism Directory 2011

www.seacliffzanzibar.com | T +255 (0) 767 434 365 / + 255 (0) 767 702 241-9

E [email protected] | [email protected]

Mangapwani, PO Box 1763, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Located on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean, Sea Cliff Resort & Spa is a wonderful combination of historical Zanzibar influences and architecture, whilst still offering five star service

and facilities.

TOTAL OF 120 LUXURY ROOMS: 20 Deluxe Sea View Rooms

76 Superior Sea View Rooms

24 Garden Rooms

OUR RESORT FACILITIES: 4 Different Restaurants & Bars

2 Infinity Pools & 1 Children’s Pool

Shwari Spa with Yoga Deck

Full recreation area including: 2 Tennis Courts, 1 Squash Court, Techno Gym,

Adventure Golf and more...

Water Sports Centre

Children’s Club

Sunset Dhow Cruises

Zanzibar is an unique destination filled with history and character, beautiful beaches and

wonderful people. We look forward to being your hosts and welcoming you to this exotic island.

NOW OPEN

Michamvi, South East Zanzibar P.O. Box 635, Zanzibar+255 (0) 24 223 1081 +255 (0) 777 414585 or + 255 (0) 715 414585Hotel Reception No:+255 (0) 777 [email protected]

Ras Michamvi Beach Resort is a hotel on Zanzibar’s beautiful East Coast. Mo-ments away from sprawling brilliant white beaches, the crystal clear ocean, tropical gardens and forests; the resort also boasts a stunning ocean-front pool, overlooking the Indian Ocean’s shades of turquoise and azure blue. Tours to Zanzibar’s wealth of marine, wildlife and cultural and historical attractions can also be easily arranged through the resort. The resort is also a 1 hour 15 minute scenic drive from the Zanzibar International Airport.

8 of our rooms have sea-view and 7 have a garden view, and are located on a coral rock overlooking the serene Indian Ocean.

HOTEL FACILITIES:• Restaurant and Bar• Swimming pool • Credit Cards facilities • Generator in case of power failure

ROOM FACILITIES • Attached bath with hot and cold water• Air condition • Ceiling fan • Mosquito nets• Hair Dryers on request • Fridges

Ras Michamvi Beach Resort

10 ZanZibar Top 10 - Things To see and do nothing is more exciting than becoming a cast-away for the day on one of the most beautiful sandbanks that surround the island. powder white sands, clear blue skies and the indian ocean in an array of colours surround you with the hush of waves gently lapping against the shore.

16 ZanZibar Zanzibar is a cluster of small islands nestled in the turquoise waters of the indian ocean, around 40km off the coast of Tanzania, east africa.

20 essenTial informaTion The local currency in Zanzibar is the Tanzanian shilling (Tsh), Us dollar bank notes are also widely accepted as payment throughout the island.

26 hisTory for a small island in the southern waters of the indian ocean, Zanzibar has a long and unexpected history.

28 mUsic & celebraTion although the majority of Zanzibar’s inhabitants are muslim, the island has a history of respect and tolerance for other religions, resulting in a colourful calendar of religious occasions and cultural festivals throughout the year.

34 ZanZibar Town Zanzibar Town, the capital and largest town of the Zanzibar archipelago, is situated halfway along the west coast of Unguja.

36 ZanZibar eXcUrsions with spectacular deep sea f ishing and record breaking catches in Unguja, pemba, and mafia, Zanzibar is a f isherman’s paradise.

40 rUins Zanzibar has many fascinating ruins to visit, and the government has set up a ticket system that allows access to all of them for under a dollar.

50 ZanZibar spa The wellness phenomenon is sweeping Zanzibar.

49 pemba island pemba lies around 80km northeast of its sister island, Unguja, directly east of the port of Tanga on Tanzania’s mainland.

Michamvi, South East Zanzibar P.O. Box 635, Zanzibar+255 (0) 24 223 1081 +255 (0) 777 414585 or + 255 (0) 715 414585Hotel Reception No:+255 (0) 777 [email protected]

Ras Michamvi Beach Resort is a hotel on Zanzibar’s beautiful East Coast. Mo-ments away from sprawling brilliant white beaches, the crystal clear ocean, tropical gardens and forests; the resort also boasts a stunning ocean-front pool, overlooking the Indian Ocean’s shades of turquoise and azure blue. Tours to Zanzibar’s wealth of marine, wildlife and cultural and historical attractions can also be easily arranged through the resort. The resort is also a 1 hour 15 minute scenic drive from the Zanzibar International Airport.

8 of our rooms have sea-view and 7 have a garden view, and are located on a coral rock overlooking the serene Indian Ocean.

HOTEL FACILITIES:• Restaurant and Bar• Swimming pool • Credit Cards facilities • Generator in case of power failure

ROOM FACILITIES • Attached bath with hot and cold water• Air condition • Ceiling fan • Mosquito nets• Hair Dryers on request • Fridges

Ras Michamvi Beach Resort

Contents 5

contents

Designed, published and printed by

ZG Design po box 3181, Zanzibar T: +255 242232244 e: [email protected] www.zg-design.net

Publication Committee

abdul samadJulia bishopali amourmaryam olsenKaren castlemandaniel sambaicesare giacomellieleanor griplasJaved Jafferjiadam haji

Published in association with

Zanzibar Association of Tourism InvestorsPO Box 2578, ZanzibarT: +255 773193450e: [email protected] / [email protected]

Zanzibar Association of Tour OperatorsT: +255 2230322 / +255 773173456 / +255 777482293e: [email protected] www.zato.or.tz

Marketing & Advertising adam haji

Photography Javed Jafferji

Editor Kirsty macdonald

Text Kirsty macdonaldinara sim

Design shaibu othman © ZG Design

GUIDe to tHe DIRectoRY

Introduction

The Zanzibar Travel and Tourism Directory was initiated by the various associations that represent the tourism industry in Zanzibar in order to help agents understand the diversity and quality of our products and destinations. We hope this directory will provide you with the material to professionally sell Zanzibar as a destination. This is the only publication that provides the following:

Associations

Contact details and descriptions of the ZATI and ZATO and their members, who represent all sectors of the industry. All members of these associations are listed in this directory.

Facts on Zanzibar

Within the directory, various sections provide information on our beautiful archipelago, its products, properties and destinations. Within these chapters you will find a complete guide to the various parks, activities, safaris and other useful information. Members’ Listings

The contact details and a short description of the services provided by each of the members of the two assosciations above have been included.

Zanzibar and Pemba

With two directories in one, Pemba, Zanzibar’s sister isle is included in a section at the back as a separate, yet thorough part of this directory.

The Zanzibar Travel and Tourism Directory is a yearly directory published by ZG Design in association with the Zanzibar Association for Tourism Investors and the Zanzibar Association of Tour Operators.

This is the first time that a publication of this kind has been produced for Zanzibar by the private sector, and it is hoped that it will dramatically improve awareness of Zanzibar as a destination across the globe, and therefore boost the tourism industry on the islands, and as a result, the local economy.

Although every effort has been made by the publishers to ensure accuracy of facts and contact details, the publishers are not responsible for any errors. Please inform us in writing if there are any mistakes and the amendments will appear in next year’s directory.

Guide to the Directory 7

Z-Hotel

Foreword 9

Dear Readers,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Zanzibar Travel and Tourism Directory – a vital new reference for the tourism industry both within Zanzibar, and further a field - which is a private sector initiative, supported by ZATI and ZATO.

The Zanzibar Tourism Directory 2011/12 offers a wealth of accurate and up to date information on all that the spice islands of Zanzibar have to offer. From Zanzibar’s rich culture and history, to the diverse marine and wildlife, this directory covers all quality tourism products and services available on the archipelago. Cultural, sustainable and eco-tourism are becoming increasingly popular with tourists and are imperative for the development of the tourism industry on the islands, so are also represented within this thorough first edition. While we recognize that leisure tourism remains an important part of the islands’ industry, we also acknowledge that meeting and conventional visitors have much to gain from visiting Zanzibar, as do bridal couples, and a variety of other kinds of visitor.

Over the past ten years, Zanzibar has become one of the top tourism destinations in East Africa and the Indian Ocean. This industry, supported by public and private partnership investments continues to thrive, and it is hoped that a publication such as this will act as a catalyst to further build upon what has already been achieved.

On behalf of Zanzibar, I welcome you to enjoy our tropical archipelago, and all of the wonders that it boasts.

Karibu sana,

Mr. Ali Khalil MirzaDirector General & CEOZanzibar Commission for Tourism

FoReWoRD

10 Zanzibar Travel & Tourism Directory 2011/12

ZanZIbaR top 10 - tHInGsto see anD Do

PanGe SanDbank

Nothing is more exciting than becoming a cast-away for the day on one of the most beautiful sandbanks that surround the island. Powder white sands, clear blue skies and the Indian Ocean in an array of colours surround you with the hush of waves gently lapping against the shore. Only a 20 minute boat trip from Stone Town, the sandbank is a perfect spot for snorkeling – the calm and shallow waters home to an enormous array of coral and tropical reef fish, such as clownfish, parrotfish, moorish idol and many more.

Dinner aT ForoDhani niGhT markeT

When it comes to street food, no visit to Zanzibar is complete without experiencing the Forodhani night market in Stone Town. In the late afternoon, the waterfront opposite the House of Wonders becomes a hive of activity as traders prepare for the busy night ahead. Trestle tables are set up, charcoal braziers coaxed into life, vegetables sliced and cubes of meat and fish skewered onto long kebab sticks. Just before sunset, when the first hungry visitors begin to arrive, tables are already laden with rows of lobster tails, prawns, squid, kingfish, marlin and tuna. The fresh seafood is accompanied by towers of spicy naan bread, and chapatis, meat kebabs, samosas, and fried potato balls.

STone ToWn ToUr

Zanzibar’s Stone Town is a recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the setting for a long and winding history. It was in Stone Town that sultans lived, princesses loved and slaves were bought and sold. Stone Town is also a patchwork of architectural styles originating along the Swahili Coast, Arabia, Asia and beyond. It is through these beautiful buildings and along the narrow streets that a Stone Town tour will teach you of the islands’ rich blend of cultures and fascinating history.

diving at misali island, pemba

Zanzibar Top 10 - Things To See and Do 11

DivinG or SnorkellinG aT mnemba aTTol

Recently declared a marine conservation area, Mnemba Island is a coral atoll, surrounded by thriving, vibrant reefs and the crystal clear Indian Ocean. The waters are teaming with an overwhelming number of beautiful tropical reef fish, and a wealth of marine creatures, from the majestic whale shark to rare gem-like species of nudibranchs. Large pelagic creatures can often be seen passing by in the blue, and green turtles graze peaceably amongst the heads of plate and honeycomb corals. A resident pod of curious bottle-nosed dolphins offer the chance for visitors to interact with these splendid marine mammals in a natural and spontaneous environment.

UnWinD on The beaCheS oF ZanZibar

Need to soothe your soul? Then Zanzibar’s Beaches are the place to relax, unwind and breathe in new life. After a lengthy safari there is no better way to end your holiday than on the white, blissful beaches of Zanzibar, lazing away, sipping cocktails and living the island paradise dream. Zanzibar has miles of beautiful and unspoilt beaches just waiting to be enjoyed. There are more than 30 beaches in Zanzibar with some of them so isolated, time has literally stood still. Some

are so peaceful and remote that the only noise breaking the silence is likely to be the ocean.

miSali iSlanD

The island of Misali, 17km off the west coast of Chake Chake, is one of Pemba’s highlights, offering idyllic beaches, nature trails for spotting flying foxes (bats), good snorkeling and superb diving. It also has a touch of historical romance, as the legendary pirate Captain Kidd is said to have buried his treasure here. Misali’s real treasure is its rich ecosystem, which boasts 42 types of coral, over three hundred species of fish, a rare subspecies of vervet monkey, endangered colonies of flying foxes, nesting sites for green and hawksbill turtles, and a large if rarely seen population of nocturnal coconut crabs.

nGeZi ForeST

The Ngezi Forest reserve is located on the northwestern corner of Pemba Island. It is the only large patch of tropical forest of Pemba that once covered the entire island. Ngezi Forest, with an area of about 30 km square, is also one of the few areas that maintain populations of indigenous and endemic forest and animal species, many of which are in

snorkelling at mnemba attol


danger of extinction. Ngezi can be accessed by road from Konde on the new road that stretches along the villages on the eastern side of Pemba. A fantastic way to see the forest is by bicycle. The forest opens up on the east to Vumawimbi Beach, an isolated and untouched stretch of beach that will make you feel you are the only person in the world.

GeT UP CloSe anD PerSonal WiTh DolPhinS

If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience, head south to Kizimkazi and go swimming with the dolphins. About an hour’s drive from Stone Town, Kizimkazi is the place for dolphin sightings, home to both humpback and bottlenose dolphins. Although there’s no guarantee you’ll see dolphins on your trip, they are sighted on 90% of excursions, so make sure you have your camera ready. There are several

tour operators who can arrange dolphin excursions, but it is important to make sure that the tour operator follows the guidelines for responsible dolphin viewing, set in place by the Institute of Marine Science. The dolphins, lovely and wild as they are, won’t hang about when four motorboats are roaring excitedly towards them.

Take a loCal CookinG ClaSS

Learn to cook traditional Swahili food and wow your friends with your culinary expertise when you get home. There’s no better way to get to know a culture than learning how to cook a traditional meal – and there are plenty of opportunities to learn in Zanzibar. Organised by most tour companies, local cooking classes offer an authentic experience for those wishing to get down and dirty in a real Zanzibar kitchen. These hands-on lessons are a great way to meet local people and try out your Swahili.

Zanzibar and pemba’s forests are home to numerous endangered species

Zanzibar Top 10 - Things To See and Do 13

FeSTivalS – SaUTi Za bUSara, ZiFF anD mWaka koGWa

Get into the groove at one of Zanzibar’s three largest annual festivals - sauti za busara (Sounds of Wisdom). The music festival takes place in February, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds in celebration of of African music. sauti za busara is the fusion of old and new, classic and contemporary like historic Zanzibar itself. The festival is a magical meeting place, a melting casserole of diverse cultures, styles and visions – where town meets country, young greets old. The ZIFF Festival of the Dhow Countries, East Africa’s largest cultural event and takes place each June/July. It is a hotbed of activity, with cinema, music, performing arts, literature and exhibitions across the island. Mwaka Kogwa, also in July, celebrates Shirazi new year in style and is not to be missed.

cookery, swahili style


Unguja, more commonly known as Zanzibar Island, is the largest in the archipelago, measuring around 85 km from north to south, and around 30km east to west. From this tiny island, explorers planned journeys deep into the heart of the African interior, slaves relinquished their last hopes of freedom, mighty empires were built, battles waged and merchants amassed vast fortunes on the strength of the fragrant clove bud. Today, life in Zanzibar has settled down to a more sedate pace, but the legacy of its tumultuous past still remains.

Zanzibar Town, the capital city and administrative head quarters, lies half way along the West Coast. At its heart, is the historic quarter of Stone Town, renowned for its exotic blend of Arabic, Indian, European and African architecture. Imposing palaces and the weathered walls of the Arab Old Fort dominate the seafront, giving way to the maze of narrow streets and alleyways behind it. Of course, the relentless march of the modern world has not made a detour around Zanzibar, but rather been absorbed into the hotchpotch blend of ancient and modern which lends the island its unique charm. Arab dhows drift across the turquoise waters, elegant in their simplicity beside the lumbering

Z anzibar is a cluster of small islands nestled in the turquoise waters of the indian ocean, around 40km

off the coast of Tanzania, east africa. The archipelago comprises of two main islands - Unguja and Pemba - and a number of smaller islets and atolls. Despite its tiny size and obscure location, Zanzibar holds an almost legendary status among travellers as an exotic island paradise blessed with palm fringed shores, timeless fishing villages and lush spice plantations. although a mere stone’s throw from the mainland, Zanzibar has an identity all of its own, shaped by a turbulent history which abounds with a colourful cast of characters, from slave traders and sultans, to pirates and princesses.

ZanZIbaR

arial view of the stone Town seafront

bulk of vast container ships anchored offshore. Television aerials and satellite dishes tilt drunkenly among the curved minarets and turrets of Stone Town’s skyline, and the shrill of mobile phones pierce the languid afternoon silence. In the countryside, women dressed in colourful kanga sashay through villages, expertly balancing heavy loads of firewood on their heads, while weary grey donkeys pulling carts jostle for space on the roads with noisy motorbikes and gleaming jeeps.

The smaller island of Pemba, laying around 80 km north of Unguja is far less populated. Known also by its Arabic name, al Khundra meaning Green Island, Pemba is covered in steep hills full of palms, clove and rubber trees, rice paddies with the Ngezi Forest in the north. There are many pure, beautiful beaches in and around the numerous islets and coves. Tourism is less developed on Pemba, but resorts are being built and the infrastructure will undoubtedly improve as tourism increases.

stone Town’s old fort

Zanzibar 17

18 Zanzibar Tourism Directory 2011

Please feel free to contact our marketing team at any time.

T : 0 24 2 2 3 2 24 4 • F : 0 24 2 2 3 6 5 8 3 • E : m a r k e t i n g @ z g - d e s i g n . n e t

Be Seen in All the Right Places!ZG Films & Media House produces and publishes an array of quality publications including two in-fl ight magazines, Swahili Coast and Twende, and Karibu Zanzibar for the Zanzibar Commission of Tourism. Our publications are seen far and wide as they are distributed throughout Tanzania and across the globe.

SWAHILI COAST

Swahili Coast is Zanzibar’s premier magazine. Having successfully reached its 50th edition, Swahili Coast is stronger then ever. With a readership of over 10,000 per issue across Zanzibar and along the Swahili coast, this tourist targeted magazine is the perfect place to advertise. It is also the in-� ight magazine for Coastal Aviation.

TWENDE LET’S GO

Twende, Zanair’s own in-� ight magazine, is a quality A5 bi-monthly publication with a readership of 10,000 across the country. It is also distributed to embassies, hotels and tour operators in Tanzania, especially in the north of the country and along the coast

KARIBU ZANZIBAR

Initiated by the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, Karibu Zanzibar o� ers up to date an accurate information on what is happening tourism-wise in Zanzibar. Its distribution is to the whole of Tanzania, and worldwide

through international trade fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair,

FITUR, KATO, AUTO and all other trade fairs that the Zanzibar Commission for

Tourism visits.

TANZANIA TRAVEL & TOURISM DIRECTORY

The Tanzania Travel & Tourism Directory is a 150 page high quality

annual industry publication, listing the quality tourism products that Tanzania

has to o� er. It is distributed across Tanzania through HAT, TAOA, TASOTA,

TSTA, and TATO, and worldwide though trade fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair, FITUR, KATO, AUTO, and

more.

TANZANIACONFERENCE DIRECTORY

This yearly quality publication is aimed at the national and international

business community and can be found throughout Tanzania and across the globe at international tourism trade

fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair, FITUR, KATO and AUTO.

ZANZIBAR TRAVEL & TOURISM DIRECTORY

The directory is a 76 page annual industry publication, highlighting

Zanzibar’s quality tourism products. It is distributed across Zanzibar and Tanzania through ZATI, ZATO, HAT, TAOA, TASOTA, TSTA, and TATO, and

worldwide though trade fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair, etc.

DESTINATION ZANZIBAR

This high quality A4 publication advertises Zanzibar as an unbeatable holiday destination to the local and international markets and can be found across the nation and at international tourism trade fairs.

ZANZIBAR:

AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE

Zanzibar: An Essential guide is a 300 page guide book to all that the isles of Zanzibar have to o� er. This glossy book o� er numerous advertising opportunities as well as a detailed insider guide to the vast array of trips, excursions and more that Zanzibar o� ers.

essential information 19

Please feel free to contact our marketing team at any time.

T : 0 24 2 2 3 2 24 4 • F : 0 24 2 2 3 6 5 8 3 • E : m a r k e t i n g @ z g - d e s i g n . n e t

Be Seen in All the Right Places!ZG Films & Media House produces and publishes an array of quality publications including two in-fl ight magazines, Swahili Coast and Twende, and Karibu Zanzibar for the Zanzibar Commission of Tourism. Our publications are seen far and wide as they are distributed throughout Tanzania and across the globe.

SWAHILI COAST

Swahili Coast is Zanzibar’s premier magazine. Having successfully reached its 50th edition, Swahili Coast is stronger then ever. With a readership of over 10,000 per issue across Zanzibar and along the Swahili coast, this tourist targeted magazine is the perfect place to advertise. It is also the in-� ight magazine for Coastal Aviation.

TWENDE LET’S GO

Twende, Zanair’s own in-� ight magazine, is a quality A5 bi-monthly publication with a readership of 10,000 across the country. It is also distributed to embassies, hotels and tour operators in Tanzania, especially in the north of the country and along the coast

KARIBU ZANZIBAR

Initiated by the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, Karibu Zanzibar o� ers up to date an accurate information on what is happening tourism-wise in Zanzibar. Its distribution is to the whole of Tanzania, and worldwide

through international trade fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair,

FITUR, KATO, AUTO and all other trade fairs that the Zanzibar Commission for

Tourism visits.

TANZANIA TRAVEL & TOURISM DIRECTORY

The Tanzania Travel & Tourism Directory is a 150 page high quality

annual industry publication, listing the quality tourism products that Tanzania

has to o� er. It is distributed across Tanzania through HAT, TAOA, TASOTA,

TSTA, and TATO, and worldwide though trade fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair, FITUR, KATO, AUTO, and

more.

TANZANIACONFERENCE DIRECTORY

This yearly quality publication is aimed at the national and international

business community and can be found throughout Tanzania and across the globe at international tourism trade

fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair, FITUR, KATO and AUTO.

ZANZIBAR TRAVEL & TOURISM DIRECTORY

The directory is a 76 page annual industry publication, highlighting

Zanzibar’s quality tourism products. It is distributed across Zanzibar and Tanzania through ZATI, ZATO, HAT, TAOA, TASOTA, TSTA, and TATO, and

worldwide though trade fairs such as ITB, WTM, Indaba, Karibu Fair, etc.

DESTINATION ZANZIBAR

This high quality A4 publication advertises Zanzibar as an unbeatable holiday destination to the local and international markets and can be found across the nation and at international tourism trade fairs.

ZANZIBAR:

AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE

Zanzibar: An Essential guide is a 300 page guide book to all that the isles of Zanzibar have to o� er. This glossy book o� er numerous advertising opportunities as well as a detailed insider guide to the vast array of trips, excursions and more that Zanzibar o� ers.


Time

Local time is GMT + 3

eleCTriC CUrrenT

The local current is 220 - 240 V AC 50Hz. Most electric plug sockets take the three pin British plugs, although some are wired for continental European plugs. There are still occasional power cuts in Zanzibar, and although these are becoming less frequent, a working knowledge of kerosene lamps will come in handy in the event of an unexpected black out. Visitors are also advised not to leave expensive electrical appliances plugged in when not in use, due to occasional power surges.

CommUniCaTionS

International telephone calls can be made from the post office in Zanzibar Town, larger hotels and the numerous ‘international communications centres’ which range from internet cafes, to shops with a phone. Internet cafes have sprung up all over Zanzibar Town, and despite being a little slow at times, provide a cheap and easy method of communication. Mobile network coverage is good in both Zanzibar and Pemba. GSM mobiles phones enabled to roam will generally be able to pick up a reception in all but the most remote areas.

moneY

t he local currency in Zanzibar is the tanzanian shilling (tsh). Us dollar bank notes are also widely accepted as payment throughout the island. travellers’ cheques can be exchanged at banks, bureau de change and some hotels. credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are accepted at larger establishments. there are atM cash machines in Zanzibar town.

essentIalInFoRMatIonshopping Zanzibari style


or walks through the forests. The tropical sun in Zanzibar can be very strong, particularly at midday, so a good supply of sunscreen and a shady hat are essential. Flashlights and pocketknives also come in handy for all kinds of situations, from power cuts to missing bottle openers. Most hotels will provide a mosquito net, but if you are planning to stay in budget accommodation it is either worth bringing your own, or as one traveller suggested, a supply of plastic clothes pegs or safety pins to deal with any small holes.

eTiQUeTTe

Zanzibari’s pride themselves on their hospitality, and in turn visitors should take care to avoid offending the predominantly Muslim population. Visitors are requested to show consideration by dressing modestly and behaving with respect at all times. Swim suits, mini skirts and other revealing clothing should not be worn outside hotels, beaches and resorts. Men and women should keep their knees and shoulders covered while walking in towns and villages and avoid public displays of affection - holding hands is considered acceptable. Although alcohol is freely available on Zanzibar Island, loud, drunken behaviour and foul language is considered extremely offensive. Mosques are sacred places. Non-Muslims should not enter unless invited to do so, and photographing the interior from the doorway is not allowed during prayer times. During the holy month of Ramadan, while Muslims are fasting, it is considered the height of bad manners to eat, drink or smoke in public. Ramadhan begins on the 1st of August, and continues until the 30th of the month in 2011. Ramadhan begins on the

meDiCal

Advice should be sought from a doctor at home, but vaccinations for typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, meningitis and hepatitis A are usually recommended. Visitors are required to show a yellow fever certificate before entering Zanzibar, and the vaccination is advised. Malaria is common in Zanzibar and a suitable course of prophylactics should be started before departure. Cover up after sunset, and use mosquito repellent on exposed skin. HIV is a threat and protection should be used. Visitors with special medical needs should bring an extra supply of any prescribed medication, stored separately in case of loss or damage. Bring an extra pair of glasses or contacts for the same reason. Drinking water should be boiled and filtered or bought in sealed bottles from most shops - check the seal is unbroken. Finally, it is worth remembering that medical facilities in Zanzibar are limited. Visitors are advised to have comprehensive travel insurance to cover the unlikely event of a serious accident or illness.

WhaT To PaCk

Clothes should be light, loose, washable and preferably made from natural fabrics. An umbrella or rain poncho may come in handy, particularly during the short rains from October to January or the long rains from March to June. Rubber flip-flops or sandals are an excellent choice for wandering around villages and town, but a sturdy pair of walking shoes will be normally be needed for sightseeing

modest dress on a stone Town baraza or bench


20th of July and ends on the 18th of August in 2012. All dates are dependant however on the sighting of the moon and therefore may change by a day or two.

viSaS anD immiGraTion

Visitors from most countries require a visa to enter Tanzania, and passports must be valid for the duration of your stay. Single three-month single entry tourist visas can be applied for at Tanzanian embassies and High Commissions. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous state within Tanzania, so although visitors won’t need a separate visa to enter, you will need to show your passport on arrival. Visitors flying direct to Zanzibar are able to purchase a visa on arrival at the airport. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required.

GeTTinG aroUnD

Unguja and Pemba are small with a relatively good network of roads. The safest and easiest way of getting around is by arranging transfers or tours with a reputable tour operator, but this can sometimes be expensive if you are travelling alone. Another option is to ask around tour operators and hotels about shared mini-buses which travel from Zanzibar

Town to beaches on the north and east coast daily. Renting a car is fairly cheap, at around US$50 a day; drivers hiring a vehicle will need an international driving licence, or pay a daily police permit of around US$3. Drivers are required to stop at various police check points around the island. This is usually just a formality but you may be asked to show your licence. It is worth noting that a police car approaching with its lights flashing may be leading a presidential cavalcade, in which case drivers are expected to pull over immediately and wait until it has passed. The cheapest form of motorised transport is daladala (trucks converted into passenger vehicles) or the local buses or basi, both of which run all over the island with fares starting at a few hundred shillings. Hiring a mountain bike is a relaxing way to explore the island, and easily arranged through guest houses and tour companies.

aCCommoDaTion

Zanzibar offers a variety of hotels, resorts and guesthouses and visitors should be able to find something to suit both taste and budget. Breakfast is usually included in the price. During low season most hotels and guest houses offer discounted rates.

The hustle and bustle of Zanzibari life

short, intermittent, vuli, rains arrive. From mid-November to March the weather is hot and humid. The northeast, kaskazi, monsoon blows, from December to March, followed by the southwest, kusi, monsoon, from April to November.


lanGUaGe anD PeoPle

Nowhere is Zanzibar’s rich history reflected more clearly than in its people - a kaleidoscope of races and religions from across the Indian Ocean, from mainland Africa, to Persia, Oman and Asia, merged into one cosmopolitan culture. The population of the archipelago is currently thought to stand at around 1,000,000.

Swahili, the official and national language of Tanzania, reflects the cultural diversity of its birthplace, Zanzibar. Many words are borrowed from Arabic, Persian, the Indian languages of Kutchi and Gujarati, English and Portuguese. English is widely spoken in towns and tourist resorts, along side Italian, French and Arabic.

ClimaTe

Laying a few degrees south of the equator, Zanzibar enjoys a tropical climate, largely dominated by the Indian Ocean monsoons. Daytime temperatures remain fairly constant, between 21 and 29 degrees C throughout the year. The long, masika, rains fall between March and May, downpours are regular, but not constant, and often followed by periods of glorious sunshine. This is followed by a cool, dry period, Zanzibar’s high tourist season, until November when the

The brilliant powder white sands of Zanzibar’s east coast

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Ras Nungwi

Nungwi

Kidoti

Muyuni Beach

MatemweMkokotoni

Mkwajuni

Selem

Grave Island

Prison Island

Bawe Island

Nyange Island

Chumbe Island

Miwi Island

Sume Island

Uzi Island

Vundwe IslandPungume

Island

Kwale Island

MENAI BAY

KWANI BAY

JOZANIFOREST

Kizimbani

Mtoni

Welezo

Mwera

Kiembe Samaki

Zanzibar Airpor t

Chukwani

Bweleo

Bububu

Kiwengwa

Pwani Mchangani

Pongwe

Bambi

Kiungoni

Uroa

JendeleChwaka

Unguja Ukuu

Jozani

Kitogani

Muyuni

Bwejuu

Ukongoroni

Michamwi

Charawe

Kufile

Mtende

Makunduchi

Jambiani

Makoba

Bumbwini

Mangapwani Slave Caves

Jongowe

MnembaIsland

Popo Island

TumbatuIsland

STONE TOWN

NUNGWI

MAHONDA

Fumba

Paje

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Tanzania Travel and Tourism Directory 2007 25

Gizenga Street

Baghani Street

Keny

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Pipawaldi StreetKenyatta Road

Suicide Alley

Shangani Street

Vuga Road

Victoria Street

Kaunda Road

Hea

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Benj

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Museum Road

Mapinduzi Road

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Kiponda StreetMlandege Bazaar

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Malindi Road

Malaw

i Road

Kiponda

Hurumuzi Street

Changa BazaarHurumzi

Hamamni

Kaj

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House Of

Wonders

Shangani Street

Palace MuseumMzingani Road

Vuga Road

State House

High Court

Victoria

Garden

Nyumba Ya Moto Street

Jam

atan

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Cathedral Street

Malindi Street

New Mkunazini Road

Mnazi Mmoja

Kisiwandui

Kibokoni

Vuga

Sokomuhogo

Mkunazini

Hamamni

Forodhani

Mchambawima

Vikokotoni

Hurumzi

Kiponda

Darajani

Kokoni

Malindi

Zanzibar Port

Kiponda

Baghani

Shangani

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Jamhuri Gardens

House Of

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The Old Fort

Forodhani Gardens

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26 Zanzibar Tourism Directory 2011/12

F or a small island in the southern waters of the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar has a long and unexpected history.

Easily accessible to the people of the main-land, the Zanzibar archipelago is believed to have been first settled by Africans, some three to four thousand years ago. Centuries later the island began a history of hosting foreigners from Egypt, Persia, Arabia, India, China and Europe. The first recorded visit to Zanzibar is from about 60 AD and appears in a work entitled “The Periplus of the Erythaean Sea”, written by a Greek merchant who was living in Alexandria. Claudius Ptolemy, the famous Greek geographer living in Egypt, also made mention of Zanzibar in his work in about 150 AD, although the island was refer-red to under another name. Trade routes from Egypt, Roman Europe and the African coast, including Zanzibar, were, by the time of Ptolemy’s writing, extending to Indo-Chinese ports.

I t is b el ieved that Bantu p eople f rom the Tanz anian mainland set t led in Zanz ibar somewhe -re around the 4th centur y AD. By the 7th centur y AD, Is lam had made i t s way to Zanz ibar by way of Arab and Pers ian immigrant s who were f leeing p ol i t ica l s t r i fe, war and f amine in their own lands . T he name Zanz ibar came f rom a combinat ion of t wo Arabic words , zenj , meaning b lack , and barr, b eing the Arabic word for land, together mea -ning ‘L and of the B lack s ’. T he Arabs intermarr ied with the local Af r ican p opulat ion and, a long with t rading goods , t raded words as wel l , g iv ing r ise to the Swahi l i c iv i l i z at ion and language (or ig ina -t ing f rom the Arabic word, s ahi l , meaning coas t). Dur ing the centur ies that fo l lowed Arabs and Pers ians cont inued to t rade with their homelan -ds whi le marr y ing into local societ y in Zanz ibar and a long the Eas t Af r ican coas t . Typical cargo -es b ound for Pers ia or Arabia consis ted of gold , animal p el t s , tor to ise shel ls , ivor y, eb ony, and s la -ves; return ships contained p orcela in , b eads , and c loth . T he Swahi l i cul ture reached i t s p eak in the 13th centur y and i t prosp ered unt i l the ar r iva l o f the Europ eans in the late 15th centur y.

By the 15th centur y, Zanz ibar was an indep endent Sul tanate but this autonomy did not las t . In 1498 Vasco da Gama’s exp edit ion f rom Por tugal was the b eginning of the es tabl ishment of Por tuguese

HIstoRY

The stone Town seafront prior to the shortest war in history, the anglo-Zanzibar war

history 27

establ ished economic l ink s with the US, who in 1837 op ened their consulate in Zanz ibar, fo l lowed by Great Br i ta in , France, Por tugal , I ta ly, Belgium, the Nether lands , Austr ia and Hungar y. Before long, the French, Germans and Br i t ish threw themselves into the arena for the coveted pr ize which was Zanz ibar – and the Br i t ish won the day. Not only did they manage to out wit their Western r iva ls , but they eventual ly re ined in on the Sultan and turned Zanz ibar into a Br i t ish protec torate in 1890.

Indep endence was achieved under the Sultan, Jamshid b in Abdul la on the 10 th of Decemb er, 1963. However, due to imbalances in e lec tora l representat ion, an armed revolut ion fo l lowed a month later on the 12th of Januar y, 196 4, dur ing which thousands of Arabs and A sians were k i l led and thousands more were exp el led . T he Sultan was disp osed of and Sheik h Ab eid Amani K arume b ecame the f i r s t President of Zanz ibar.

Zanz ibar formed a union with Tangany ik a on the 26th of Apr i l , 196 4 under the new name of the United Republ ic of Tanz ania . Today, Zanz ibar remains a semi -autonomous region .

ru le over the whole Eas t Af r ican Coast and this las ted for t wo centur ies . Dur ing this t ime, Jesui t s , Dominicans , and August inians bui l t churches but their at tempt s to conver t the local p opula -t ion were largely unsuccess ful . O ver- es t imat ing the ex tent of their p ower, the Por tuguese did not send enough men to protec t their new ter r i tor y and by the late 160 0s they had los t their las t Eas t Af r ican holding by sur render ing Mombasa on the coas t of what is now Kenya .

T he Omani Arabs had gained supremac y in the whole eas t coas t of Af r ica , and their success encouraged more Omanis to emigrate and Arab inf luence in the Swahi l i towns b egan to grow - par t icular ly in Zanz ibar. Zanz ibar town grew large and p opulous and by the ear ly nineteenth centu-r y i t was developing as the terminus of the Eas t Indian Trading Company.

Said b in Sul tan, who took the throne in Oman in 180 4, was exci ted by the s t rategic and economic p otent ia l o f the is lands . In 1832 he moved his headquar ters to Zanz ibar, which then b ecame the capi ta l o f b oth the Eas t Af r ican dominions and Oman. On his death they were separated, with one of h is sons , Maj id , ru l ing Zanz ibar, and ano -ther, T huwein, ru l ing in Muscat .

At the same t ime, Europ ean interes t and inf luen -ce b egan to grow. By 1833 Zanz ibar had a l ready

The ivory trade thrived in Zanzibar up until the end of the 19th century


MUsIc & celebRatIon

event showcases and promotes the myr iad of f i lm, music , dance, and other ar t forms f rom the his tor ica l ly t rade - connec ted “dhow countr ies” of Eas t Af r ica , India , I ran , Pak is tan, the Arabic countr ies , and is lands of the Indian Ocean . T he centrepiece of the fes t iva l is a f i lm programme consis t ing of b oth comp et i t ion and non -comp et i t ion screenings . F ic t ion and documentar y f i lm and v ideo produc t ions comp ete for Golden and Si lver Dhow Awards . Whi le comp et i t ion f i lms are l imited to produc t ions with Dhow Countr y connec t ions , the programme includes f i lms and v ideos f rom al l over the wor ld addressing themes which ref lec t concerns within the Dhow Countr ies . Ac t iv i t ies and event s include music , theatre and dance p er formances , work shops and exhib i t ions . A large music programme also runs , featur ing ar t is t s f rom Tanz ania a longside internat ional ac t s . Many of these event s are s taged at Forodhani Gardens and are f ree to the publ ic . T here are a lso work shops and seminars for women and chi ldren, and V i l lage Panoramas which reach ab out for t y v i l lages across the Zanz ibar is lands of Unguja and Pemba.

Mwak a Ko gwa is ce lebrated in severa l v i l lages around Zanz ibar, but b es t obser ved in Makunduchi , on the south eas tern coas t . T he co lour ful fes t iva l or ig inates in Pers ia and celebrates the New Year according to the Shiraz i ca lendar. Fes t iv i t ies are accompanied by ancient r i tes and r i tuals , such as s ymb ol ic f i res and mock f ight s , which are b el ieved to ensure p eace and harmony for the v i l lage in the coming year. Men tak ing par t in the f ight s defend themselves with banana t ree branches ( in p lace of the t radi t ional cudgels and c lubs) whi le women s t ro l l through the v i l lage dressed in their

a lthough the majority of Zanzibar’s inhabitants are conservative Muslim, the island has a history of

respect and tolerance for other religions, resulting in a colourful calendar of religious occasions and cultural festivals throughout the year. The Islamic Eid-al-Fitr (at the end of the holy month of Ramadhan), Eid-al-Hajj (to mark the annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Maulid (honouring Prophet Muhammed’s bir-thday), the Christian festivities of Christmas and Easter, the Hindu Diwali and the Persian New Year, Mwaka Kogwa are all celebrated in style.

sauti Z a bus ara (Swahi l i for Sounds of Wisdom) is

a four- day cul tura l ex t ravaganz a of music , theatre and dance, showcasing the ver y b es t of Swahi l i musical and ar t is t ic t radi t ions f rom the past , present and future. T he fes t iva l , which takes p lace in mid-Februar y each year in Stone Town, is organised by Busara Promotions - a non - governmental , non -p ol i t ica l and non -prof i tab le organiz at ion – with the a im of encouraging audiences to celebrate cul tura l and re l ig ious divers i t y, and to promote and develop opp or tuni t ies for music ians and p er forming ar t is t s a long the Swahi l i coas t .

T he Fes t iva l o f the Dhow Countr ies is an internat ional f i lm and cultura l fes t iva l held in June/July on the is lands of Zanz ibar. Hosted by Zanz ibar Internat ional F i lm Fes t iva l (ZIFF ), the

Mwaka Kogwa, makunduchi

holidays & Festivals 29

b est c lothes , taunt ing the men with songs ab out v i l lage l i fe and love. T he r i tual is sa id to a l low v i l lagers to a i r any gr ievances and vent their anger, thus ensur ing conf l ic t s are not car r ied into the coming year. T he celebrat ion ends with feas t s , s inging and dancing, o f ten car r y ing on late into the night , and a l l are welcome s ince i t is a local b el ie f that anyone without a guest for this fes t iva l is unhappy. Mwak a Ko gwa takes p lace at the end of July.

eid -al - Haj j is ce lebrated in Februar y and mark s the end of the p i lgr image in Mecca with fes t iv i t ies and carnivals held over four days . Fes t iv i t ies can b e seen at the Mnaz i Moja grounds across f rom the Nat ional Museum or at the K ar iakoo f a i rgrounds out by the Main Post O f f ice.

eid -al - Fi t r is the fes t iva l at the end of the holy month of Ramadhan, in which dr ink ing, eat ing and smok ing in publ ic are forb idden. Also k nown as eid or siku Kuu (days of ce lebrat ion, fes t iva l or hol iday), th is fes t iva l is a t ime of g i f t g iv ing and of g iv ing a lms . Because the Is lamic ca lendar is d i f ferent f rom that of Chr is t ians , the dates for Ramadhan and eid change ever y year by ab out 11 days each year. Some res taurant s are c losed dur ing Ramadhan and out side of town i t can b e di f f icul t to get any food at a l l dur ing day t ime hours . T he holy month las t s for one ful l c ycle of the moon and fo l lowed direc t ly by eid , which las t s for four days .

A lso obser ved are the Chr is t ian publ ic hol idays of New Year ’s Day ( Januar y 1), Good Fr iday and Eas ter Monday (March/Apr i l ) , Chr is tmas Day (Decemb er 25) and Boxing Day (Decemb er 26). T he Musl im publ ic hol idays of eid -al - Haj j , Maul id , and

eid -al - Fi t r are a lso obser ved, dates var y f rom year to year as the Musl im calendar is based on lunar c ycles of 29 to 30 days each month . Addit ional publ ic hol idays include: Zanz ibar Revolut ion Day celebrated at midnight ( Januar y 12) with nois y gun sa lutes and the b lar ing of ship horns at the Forodhani water f ront and the Maisara grounds; Union Day celebrates the union b et ween Tangany ik a and Zanz ibar (Apr i l the 26th); Workers ’ Day (May the 1s t) ; Industr ia l Day ( July the 7th); Farmers ’ Day (August the 8th) and Indep endence Day (Decemb er the 9 th).

ZanZibar mUSiC

Zanz ibar ’s cul tura l her i tage and colour ful h is tor y is re f lec ted in the music of i t s p eople. From tradi t ional taarab , to hip -hop and jaz z , the ident i t y of the nat ion is ce lebrated and expressed through a myr iad of musical s t y les that cont inue to grow and evolve today.

Taarab

T he word taarab comes f rom the Arabic word, tar iba , meaning to b e moved or agi tated and i f you v is i t a concer t with Omar Kopa p er forming, you’ l l unders tand why. taarab is a fusion of musical s t y les , combining Af r ican p o etr y and p ercussion with Egypt ian s t y le s t r ings . Legend has i t that in the 1870 ’s , Sul tan Bargash sent a Zanz ibar i to Cairo to learn to p lay the qanun , a k ind of z i ther common to the Arab -sp eak ing wor ld .

sauti za busara’s opening carnival parade


T he music ian returned, inspired by the sounds he heard and a new musical t radi t ion was b orn . Besides the qanun ( z i ther), other ins t rument s that came to feature in the taarab orchestras include the oud (Arabic lute), v io l ins , ney, accordion, ce l lo and a var iet y of p ercussion ins t rument s .

taarab is t radi t ional ly p layed at weddings , wi th long l ines of guest s sway ing rhy thmical ly around the op en a i r dance f loor, their hands a lof t as they wave bank notes in the a i r. Money, in the form of smal l notes , is o f ten p laced in f ront of taarab p er formers or even s tuf fed into their c lothes as a token of appreciat ion by enthusias t ic f ans . taraab is a lso a feature of most fes t iva ls and s tate occasions , and cont inues to evolve. A modern s t y le p layed on keyb oard, and k nown as rusha roho , o r ‘something to make your hear t f ly ’, draws crowds of energet ic young men and women to the discos and par t ies at weekends .

kiDUmbak

K idumbak is a music s t y le c losely re lated to taarab . Contemp orar y K idumbak o f ten makes use of the lates t taarab h i t song. Many youngsters hone their musical sk i l ls in k idumbak groups b efore b eing admit ted into a taarab musica l c lub. K idumbak is therefore sometimes cal led k itaarab, ‘a d iminut ive k ind of taarab ’.

In contras t to taarab, k idumbak is much more rhy thmic and the ly r ics more dras t ic than the p o et ic set t ings of the taarab songs , o f ten

cr i t ic iz ing other p eoples socia l b ehav ior. At wedding p er formances the s inger has to b e able to s t r ing together a wel l - t imed medley of ngoma songs , and has to have the abi l i t y to comp ose ly r ics on the sp ot . At a Zanz ibar wedding, one k idumbak set usual ly las t s for an hour and as one song jo ins the nex t , the intensi t y heat s up, with the main at t rac t ion b eing the interp lay b et ween the p layers and the dancing and chorus resp onse by the wedding guest s .

nGoma

n goma , meaning drum, encompasses a l l t radi t ional forms of dancing, drumming and s inging. T here are hundreds of var iat ions of ngoma throughout Tanz ania , some or iginat ing f rom Zanz ibar and Pemba. Each has i t s own sp ecia l cos tumes , with e lab orate nat ive dress emphasis ing the uni t y of the dancers ’ s teps and the rhy thm of hand made drums and p ercussion ins t rument s , such an o i l t ins b eaten with a s t ick .

Al though ngoma means drum in Swahi l i i t ’s a lso the name for t radi t ional dance in Tanz ania . ngoma is a ce lebrat ion of l i fe and culture. Each ethnic group in Tanz ania has i t s own s t y le of ngoma , complete with songs , cos tumes and drumming. T here ’s something p ower ful ab out watching a group of p eople s ing and dance in p er fec t t ime to the ngoma drum that sends shivers down your sp ine.

living legend, bi Kidude

holidays & Festivals 31

ngoma accompany celebrat ions and r i tes of passage. Unyago is a t radi t ion in Zanz ibar, an in i t iat ion r i tual for young women ab out to b e marr ied, to ins t ruc t them on how to p lease their husbands . B i K idude of ten p er forms unyago , p lay ing with t wo other drummers to accompany a host of dancers , s inging songs to teach the f ac t s of l i fe .

UnYaGo

Unyago is a sp ecia l form of ngoma, p er formed at in i t iat ion r i tes for young Swahi l i br ides . T he ceremony prepares the br ide to b e for a l l asp ec t s of marr ied l i fe, f rom hygiene, make - up and cook ing, to sexual educat ion, in the form of expl ic i t ly r ics and movement s .

beni

beni or ig inated around the turn of the centur y as a mocker y of co lonia l mi l i tar y bands . I t is p er formed at s t reet parades and weddings , wi th a s t rong focus on dance and audience par t ic ipat ion . Beni b or rows choruses f rom the taarab and ar ranges them in medleys , wi th the female wedding audience jo ining in with the dancers .

bi kiDUDe

T he legendar y B i K idude’s ex t raordinar y musical career, spanning eight decades , has earned her a sp ecia l p lace in the hear t s of Zanizbar is . From a humble background, the b eloved s inger, whose

real name is Fatuma Bint i Barak a , has achieved internat ional f ame whi le keeping her feet f i rmly rooted in the cul ture and t radi t ions of her p eople. B i K idude, meaning ‘L i t t le Granny ’, was one of seven chi ldren b orn to a coconut se l ler in the smal l v i l lage of Mf agimar igo. Al though her exac t age is unk nown, she recal ls the Indian rup ee b eing used as cur renc y on the is land, a legal tender used up unt i l the Fi r s t Wor ld War. She b egan her musical career in the ear ly 1920s , fo l lowing in the foot s teps of Si t i B int Saad, Zanz ibar ’s f i r s t female taarab s inger. For decades the ident i t y of the ta lented young vocal is t remained a myster y as she complied with the Is lamic t radi t ion of remaining covered f rom head to to e whi le in publ ic . But on the death of her mentor, who p er formed f rom b ehind a vei l , B i K idude revealed b oth her f ace, and her p ersonal i t y to the wor ld . She t raveled the length and breadth of the Eas t Af r ica with a taarab ensemble, quick ly gaining a reputat ion for her remark able voice and controvers ia l ly r ics . T hrough her songs , B i K idude reproached men for their inf idel i t y, and the abuse of women within the home, a theme that has remained s t rong in her music throughout the years . Jo ining forces with the f amous Zanz ibar i Mohammed I l l ias and his Twink l ing Stars , and the Shik amoo Jaz z Band, she p er formed as f ar a f ie ld as the Middle Eas t , Europ e and Japan, se l l ing thousands of records and casset tes . At home, her presence was in great demand at unyago ngoma , the in i t iat ion process of young Swahi l i br ides where preparat ions for the wedding night include the appl icat ion of e lab orate henna designs . Now b el ieved to b e around 10 0 years o ld , B i K idude has b ecome something of a nat ional icon, and cont inues to draw huge crowds of ador ing f ans to her energet ic p er formances .

Swahili ngoma

of Zanz ibar ’s co lour ful pas t ; f rom the Angl ican Cathedral , bui l t on the s i te of the s lave market , to the former homes of sul tans , s lave t raders and explorers . T he e legant s impl ic i t y of Omani Arab homes , f lanked by ornately car ved wooden doors v ies for at tent ion with the ornate f ret work and t re l l ises of Indian design and the exaggerated Saracenic detai ls o f co lonia l bui ld ings .

Sadly many of Stone Town’s bui ld ings were le f t to f a l l into disrepair fo l lowing the revolut ion in 196 4, when more than hal f were nat ional ized by the government . S ince then a combinat ion of heav y ra ins and neglec t has taken i t s to l l on Stone Town’s archi tec tura l her i tage, around 85 bui ld ings co l lapsed b et ween 1982 and 1992 due to lack of maintenance. But , the for tunes of this enchant ing and f ascinat ing c i t y are changing once again . T he recent tour ism b oom has seen many of the derel ic t and abandoned bui ld ings res tored to their former glor y, as hotels , res taurant s and pr ivate homes . Stone Town was added to UNESCO’s Wor ld Her i tage L is t in 20 0 0.

ZanZibar DoorS

T h e h i g h e r t h e t e n e m e n t , t h e b i g g e r t h e g a t e w a y, t h e h e a v i e r t h e p a d l o c k a n d t h e h u g e r t h e i r o n s t u d s t h a t n a i l t h e d o o r o f h e a v y t i m b e r, t h e g r e a t e r i s t h e o w n e r ’ s d i g n i t y.

R i c h a r d B u r t o n , 187 2

E lab orate car ved wooden doors adorning the entrance to many of Stone Town’s f ine o ld houses once ser ved as an unmis tak able expression of the owner ’s wealth and socia l s tanding. T he int r icate pat terns and detai ls added the only decorat ive f lour ish to the other wise aus tere ex ter ior of Arab homes , and such was the imp or tance of a f ine door, that i t was the cus tom to f i r s t order the car ved f rame, and once i t had b een set in p lace, to bui ld the house around i t . No exp ense was


Z anzibar Town, the capital and largest town of the Zanzibar archipelago, is situated halfway along the west

coast of Unguja. The thriving settlement was once an island within an island, divided by a creek, which separated the historic quarter of Stone Town, from the sprawling streets of Ng’ambo behind. In this area, known simply as ‘the other side’, the working classes built their homes, and although today the creek has been filled in, and replaced by a main road, the two halves of Zanzibar town remain distinct. The cultural, commercial and political heart of the city, Stone Town, covers a peninsula of land stretching back from the waterfront, to the busy Creek Road.

Here, the int r icate net work of nar row s t reet s reveal a seemingly haphaz ard jumble of archi tec tura l inf luences f rom the Eas t Af r ican Coast Arabia , the Pers ian Gul f, India and Europ e. But the 2 ,0 0 0 or so s tone bui ld ings are ar ranged in quar ters , some tak ing their names f rom the hometowns of set t lers , such as Mal indi (on the Kenyan coas t) and Hurumuzi (the Pers ian Gul f is land of Hurmuz), whi le others s imply descr ib e the ac t iv i t ies once car r ied out there, such as Soko Muhogo, meaning cassava market . T hese quar ters are connec ted by a maze of nar row passageways where bui ld ings s tand c lose enough for the shar ing of whisp ered secret s high ab ove the bus y baraz a l ined s t reet s b elow. Minaret s , graceful cur ved towers and church s teeples soar ab ove sunl i t cour t yards of mik ahawa, or cof fee p laces , v ibrant market s and shady hidden gardens . A l though the o ldes t bui ld ings only date back to the 19 th centur y, around a lmost ever y corner is a reminder

ZanZIbaR toWn

stone Town and beyond

spared to ensure that the door was of suf f ic ient s ize and qual i t y to b ef i t the owners imp or tance. Many were car ved f rom hardwood teak in India , loaded on to jahazi dhows b ound for Zanz ibar and car r ied by s laves and p or ters through the nar row s t reet s of Stone Town to grace the home and palaces of the sul tans and homes of the ar is tocrac y. Some homeowners held themselves in such high es teem, that the resul t ing creat ions were of such immense prop or t ions , a smal ler door was inset for day to day use.

Local craf t smen quick ly learned how to copy the int r icate car v ings using nat ive jack f ru i t wood, or imp or ted teak and soon the car ved doors were adorning homes throughout Stone Town’s wealthy neighb ourhoods of Shangani and Baghani . Car v ings decorat ing the f rame of ten incorp orated f ish , and lotus , mot i f s , thought to represent fer t i l i t y and wealth . A chain sur rounding the door enslaved ev i l sp i r i t s , and together with a quotat ion f rom the Koran, ensured spir i tual as wel l as physica l protec t ion for the householder and his f ami ly. Doors with rounded tops , or l inte ls , and baro que f lora l pat terns ref lec t Indian inf luences; some are adorned with brass s tuds , a decorat ive adaptat ion of the Indian custom of for t i f y ing agains t the at tack of war e lephant s . T he most impressive car ved doors can b e found at the House of Wonders , b eit a l ajab , bui l t in the late nineteenth centur y as a ceremonia l palace for Sul tan Barghash . T he l inte ls and door panels are inscr ib ed with e lab orate Quranic tex t s , and intr icate roset te f lowers and v ines f i l l ing gi lded f rames . Brass panels and large brass s tuds add decorat ive e legance to the main s t ruc ture, as do e lab orate ornamental lock s of i ron and brass .

FreDDie merCUrY

T he f lamb oyant lead s inger of rock group Queen was b orn Farouk Bulsara on the 5th og Septemb er, 19 4 6 in Stone Town, Zanz ibar. His f ather, Bomi , worked as a c iv i l ser vant for the Br i t ish Government in the House of Wonders and his mother, Jer i , as a cashier at Zanz ibar ’s High Cour t . His Zoroas tr ian Parsee parent s had emigrated f rom India to Zanz ibar, but were or ig inal ly of Pers ian descent .

At the age of n ine Freddie was sent to St Peter ’s b oarding school jus t out s ide Bombay, in India . His headmaster at the Engl ish school is sa id to have not iced the youngster ’s ta lent for music , and ar ranged for him to take p iano lessons . Freddie excel led b oth academical ly and musical ly, and dur ing his t ime at St Peter ’s , formed his f i r s t band, ca l led T he Hec t ics .

In 196 4, the Bulsara f ami ly f led p ol i t ica l unres t in Zanz ibar, set t l ing in Middlesex , England. Freddie s tudied graphics at Ea l ing Col lege, where he formed close f r iendships with three of h is fe l low s tudent s , who later b ecome memb ers of the band, Queen. T he rock group had numerous hi t s f rom the 1970 ’s through the 1980 ’s such as ‘ We are the Champions ’, and ‘Another One Bi tes the Dust ’. Freddie worked with other wel l - k nown ar t is t s including Dav id Bowie in ‘Under Pressure ’, and shared the s tage with many others dur ing the L ive Aid concer t in 1985.

Var ious inhabitant s of Stone Town have la id c la im to owning the house where Freddie l ived, but the house now occupied by Camlur ’s Res taurant on Kenyat ta Road is widely b el ieved to have b een a former res idence of the Bulsara f ami ly. He a lso l ived in the bui ld ing which now houses the Zanz ibar Gal ler y, a lso on Kenyat ta Road. Freddie Mercur y died of AIDS re lated i l lnesses at the age of 45 in London, on Novemb er the 24th, 1991.SPiCe ToUrS

A spice tour is a p leasant way of explor ing the

Zanzibar Town 35


Slave roUTeS oF ZanZibar

T here were numerous routes used by s lave t raders across the is lands , esp ecia l ly a f ter the s lave t rade was declared i l legal . Such excurs ions can b egin at the Dhow Harb our in Mal indi , where s lave ships brought their human cargo f rom Bagamoyo to Zanz ibar, moving to the house of T ippu T ip, the notor ious s lave t rader and then on to the Angl ican Church, bui l t on the o ld s lave market . From here, tours of ten move to Mbweni , pas t the miss ionar y graves to v is i t Mbweni Ruins , former ly a school for f reed s lave gi r ls , b efore heading to L iv ingstone House and onto Mangapwani Beach . At Mangapwani , you can walk through the caves , which s tored hundreds of s laves , kept wai t ing for the monsoons and the ar r iva l o f the dhows to b e ex i led away f rom home.

JoZani ForeST

countr yside around Stone Town, and meet ing Zanz ibar ’s rura l communit ies . Guides take you on a walk ing tour of one of the smal l local ly owned p lantat ions , or to the government run p lantat ions at K iz imbani or K indichi , p ick ing bunches of leaves , f ru i t and t wigs f rom bushes and inv i t ing you to smel l or tas te them to guess what they are. Most of the ingredient s of the average k i tchen spice rack are represented - c innamon, turmer ic , g inger, gar l ic , chi l l ies , b lack p epp er, nutmeg and vani l la among many others . Local chi ldren of ten accompany you on your rounds , mak ing basket s of palm leaves and f i l l ing them with f lowers to give to you. Tours of ten include a s top - of f at a local house for a meal of sp iced p i lau r ice and cur r y, fo l lowed by sweet Arabic cof fee and p erhaps a s l ice of lemongrass cake. Many sp ice tours include a v is i t to the Pers ian baths bui l t by Sul tan Said for his harem.

PrinCeSS Salme TriP

T his excurs ion b egins at Mtoni Palace, where Pr incess Sa lme, the daughter of Sul tan Said and one of h is secondar y wives was b orn in 18 4 4. You’ l l then head to Marahubi Palace, bui l t by Sul tan Barghash, Sa lme’s o lder brother, who she help ed to escap e af ter a f a i led at tempt to over throw their brother, Sul tan Maj id . From here, you’ l l t ravel to Stone Town, and to the Palace Museum, which has a room dedicated to Salme’s l i fe and wr i t ings . Your guide wi l l take you to her house, where her romance with Heinr ich Ruete, wi th whom she later e lop ed b egan across balconies , resul t ing in secret t r ys t s and meet ings in the countr yside.

ZanZIbaR excURsIons

Zanzibar’s Red Colobus monkey

Zanzibar excursions 37

the park . T he educat ion of chi ldren a lso p lays a s igni f icant ro le in the conser vat ion ef for t , and local school chi ldren are brought here to learn ab out the value of the fores t and i t s sur rounding env ironment . T he major i t y of revenue generated by v is i tors to the park is p loughed back into conser vat ion work , as wel l as supp or t ing communit y projec t s such as schools and heal th f aci l i t ies . Entrance to Joz anz i Fores t and the Mangrove Fores t Boardwalk cos t s US$8, which includes an accompanying guide, a l though a t ip is a lways appreciated .

DolPhin ToUrS

T he coas ta l waters around K iz imk az i prov ide a natura l habi tat and breeding ground for humpback and b ot t lenose dolphins . Tour is t s hoping to exp er ience the thr i l l o f a c lose encounter with the dolphins can organise a day t r ip with one of the tour companies in Stone Town, or make their own way there and char ter a local b oat . However, the growing numb er of b oat s a l l comp et ing to give their passengers the b est chance of sp ot t ing, or swimming with the dolphins has resul ted in a decreased numb er of s ight ings . Whi le watching dolphins in their natura l habi tat s can b e an exci t ing and rewarding exp er ience, care must b e taken to avoid dis turb ing the animals , par t icular ly those with young calves . T he fo l lowing guidel ines have b een drawn up to help minimise the impac t of dolphin watching t r ips . By fo l lowing the guidel ines , and encouraging your b oat dr iver to do the same, you can help to ensure dolphins are not dr iven away f rom K iz imk az i a l together.

Whale WaTChinG

Ethical and responsible humpback whale watching and

Joz ani Fores t l ies at the hear t of Joz ani - Chwak a Nat ional Park , s t raddl ing a nar row b elt o f land l ink ing the eas t and west coas t of the is land. I t is the larges t area of mature indigenous fores t on Unguja , and home to p ossib ly the is land ’s most f amous and photographed resident , the Zanz ibar red co lobus monkey. T he fores t s tands on a shal low depression in the foss i l cora l b ed, b ordered by dr y cora l rag fores t and thicket e i ther s ide, and by mangrove fores t s and sa l t marshes to the nor th and south . T he diverse range of natura l habi tat s to b e found in the nat ional park supp or t s a var iet y of rare, endangered and endemic sp ecies , including the Ader ’s duiker, as wel l as Sykes monkeys , bush babies , Af r ican c ivet , g iant e lephant shrews , and chameleons as wel l as more than 10 0 sp ecies of br ight ly co loured but ter f l ies and around 83 sp ecies of b i rds . Severa l nature t ra i ls lead through the shady depths , winding b eneath the tower ing red mahogany t rees , s ycamore f igs , ra f f ia palm and wi ld date palms , b efore leading out through a p lantat ion of whis t l ing p ine. T he fores t has b een protec ted s ince 1950.

Around a k i lometre south of the v is i tors centre and cafe is the Mangrove Fores t Boardwalk , which leads through a sur real landscap e of sp ider y mangrove root s and mushroom - l ike nodules p ok ing up through the brack ish water b elow. Tropical f ish dar t around in the shal lows b eneath the b oards , whi le crabs feas t in the nutr ient r ich mud among the root s of the nine sp ecies of mangroves . T he Chwak a -Joz ani Nat ional Park was es tabl ished 1995, and is work ing in par tnership with p eople f rom the sur rounding v i l lages to help conser ve i t s f ragi le ecos ys tems . Prac t ica l ac t iv i t ies , such as mangrove replant ing projec t s are combined with educat ional ac t iv i t ies , as wel l as t ra ining and supp or t on sus ta inable management techniques .

T he Joz ani Env ironmental Conser vat ion A ssociat ion ( JEC A), represent s these communit ies and a l lows them to have a say in the running of

dolphin excursions at Kizimkazi


tours are available at the most southerly point of Zanzibar. In association with knowledgeable local fishermen and the scenic local villages of the Kizimkazi area, regular tours are conducted between the months of July and August, when whales are most typically found in the coastal or shelf waters. In a traditional Zanzibari jahazi or dhow, you will be shown these majestic and graceful mammals in their natural habitat by an experienced fisherman and professional guide, while at the same time receiving an in-depth education on their conservation and behavior. This exciting tour is new to the islands, and will undoubtedly make for an extremely memorable experience.

DivinG anD SnorkellinG

Zanz ibar is sur rounded by co lour ful cora l reef s of fer ing some of the b est div ing and snorkel l ing in the wor ld . T he shal low waters around Unguja supp or t an impressive ar ray of cora l and mar ine l i fe, including dolphins , tur t les , bar racuda and occasional ly even shark s .

Mnemba Ato l l , a protec ted reef jus t of f the nor th eas t t ip of Unguja , is jus t i f iab ly f amous for the sheer divers i t y and numb er of t ropical reef f ish , wi th s i tes to sui t b oth nov ice and exp er ienced divers . Many v is i tors , in their has te to reach the coas t , o f ten over look div ing f rom Stone Town, but is lands and sandbank s of f shore of fer some f antas t ic d ive s i tes , as wel l as severa l chal lenging wreck dives for more exp er ienced divers .

Pemba has a lso gained a reputat ion as a wor ld c lass div ing dest inat ion of fer ing sp ec tacular drop of f s and exhi larat ing dr i f t d ives , wi th excel lent v is ib i l i t y. Snorkel lers are sp oi l t for choice, wi th co lour ful reef s sur rounding the coas t , o f ten within swimming dis tance.

Some of the b est snorkel l ing s i tes can b e found around the is lands jus t of f Stone Town, including the protec ted area of Chumb e Is land Coral Park , as wel l as Mnemba Is land, and Misa l i in Pemba.

DeeP Sea FiShinG

With sp ec tacular deep sea f ishing and record break ing catches in Unguja , Pemba, and Maf ia , Zanz ibar is a f isherman’s paradise. T here ’s sup erb deep sea f ishing a l l year round with mar l in , sa i l f ish , tuna , bar racuda and t reval ly running deep.

Deep sea f ishing in Zanz ibar is an exp er ience to b e savoured. T he Indian Ocean is r ich in f ish , wi th tuna and p elagics migrat ing through the Pemba Channel ever y year, wi th snapp er, group er and shark s in res idence a l l year round. Imagine sa i l ing through deep b lue waters , the sun on your back as you wres t le a 30kg dorado or ye l low f in tuna on b oard .

T here are a numb er of pr ivate companies and tour op erators sp ecia l is ing in deep sea f ishing to guide you through the waters , o f fer ing f ishing saf ar is for the dedicated angler. Unguja , Pemba and Maf ia are the most p opular des t inat ions for deep sea f ishing, with some companies a lso of fer ing t r ips to Dar es Sa laam, Pangani , and Tanga on the mainland.

Customised b oat s have l ight and heav y tack le, e lec tronics , GPS and safet y equipment for the ser ious internat ional f isherman. E xcurs ions usual ly las t for a day, wi th b oat s br inging you and your catch back to your hotel in t ime for d inner but l iveab oard opt ions are a lso avai lab le. I f you’re af ter an authent ic Zanz ibar exp er ience, you can head out on the water with a f isherman in a dhow or an ngalawa cano e and see how i t ’s done by the locals .

Zanzibar excursions 39

All o f the deep sea f ishing op erators ac t ive ly encourage catch and re lease f ishing unless they are l ike ly to b e Eas t Af r ica , A l l Af r ica , Wor ld record f ish , or the sk ipp er b el ieves that the f ish is unl ike ly to sur v ive re lease.

SaFari blUe

Saf ar i B lue is arguabley one of Zanz ibar ’s b es t excurs ions . A l low yoursel f to sa i l away across the soothing waves of the Indian Ocean on a b eaut i fu l ly car ved Swahi l i dhow. Complete with ref reshment s and a f r iendly and k nowledgable crew, your t radi t ional mode of t ransp or t wi l l take you snorkel l ing , to one of the archip elago’s most sp lended deser ted is lands for a wonder ful ly f resh seafood gr i l l and then f inal ly to a lagoon that only dreams are made of.

SUnSeT or SUnriSe CrUiSe

A p ersonal guide wi l l accompany you on your cruise and give you a tour of Stone Town f rom the water. T he sunset s , changing the sk y f rom shades of p ink s and b lues to magni f icent golden co lours as you sa i l a long s ide the gl immer ing l ight s of Stone Town. Some cruises a lso go to Mwangapwani , where many years ago s laves were exp or ted f rom. Now tour is t s can explore the coas t l ine f r inged with coconut palm t rees and enjoy the most breathtak ing sun set s . T he ear ly morning sunr ise cruises are a p er fec t sa i l ing and snorkel l ing excurs ion for the t ime l imited t ravel ler or the ear ly r iser. T he s i lence of the morning sea makes the p er fec t accompaniment to this b eaut i fu l sunr ise cruise. Sa i l to the sand bank s or Pr ison Is land to

do ear ly morning snorkel l ing in the breathtak ing ocean .

PriSon iSlanD TriPS

Prev iously owned by an Arab to house his reb el l ious s laves , the pr ison was never used, and the is land is now home to a tor to ise sanc tuar y, pr ison ruins and hotel . Pr ison Is land is 20 minutes away f rom Stone Town by b oat and has sp ec tacular cora l reef s to enjoy whi le snorkel l ing . I f you’re feel ing ac t ive, you can explore one of the hik ing t ra i ls , snorkel in the cr ys ta l c lear waters in search of co lour ful t ropical f ish dar t ing through the reef or soak up some sun on the p owder white b each . Pr ison Is land is a lso home to a f ami ly of g iant tor to ise, that you wi l l see mosey through the t rees .

SanD bank PiCniC

Sand Bank p icnics b egin on a t radi t ional Swahi l i dhow tr ip towards Pr ison Is land, to see the remains of the pr ison bui l t to condemn Zanz ibar c i t i zens to iso lat ion and watch the giant tor to ises move through the t rees . D iscover the amazing under water l i fe there with snorkel ing b efore heading of f to the sand bank , a seemingly uninhabited and quiet bank in the ocean which suddenly comes to l i fe with mi l l ions of b i rds f ly ing overhead and ghost crabs scur r y ing across the golden sands . Af ter lunch re lax on the sandbank l is tening to the hush of waves lapping agains t the shore.

The sand bank


Maruhubi Palace was built in 1880 as a day retreat for Sultan Barghash, and acted as a permanent residence for around a hundred of his concubines. The once magnificent structure was accidentally burned down in 1899, and all that remains today is the roof of the large Persian baths. But the ruins are set within attractive rambling grounds overlooking the ocean, with cows wandering around the crumbling columns and old pools, now full of lilies. The site is reached down a long drive lined with mango trees imported by the sultan from India. Now owned by the government, the harvest is auctioned off each year to the highest bidder. The ruins are located on the coast, around 4km north of Zanzibar Town, near Bububu and a popular first stop for tours on the way to spice farms.

Mtoni Palace was built for Sultan Said as his main residence. It is said that he spent three or four days here and split the remainder of the week among his many other plantations and palaces, but that Mtoni remained his favourite. His daughter Salme described it as nothing short of Eden: brimming with flowers and peacocks, close to the ocean, full of well-cared-for people, and surrounded by large trees. The ruins are now in an odd state. It is obvious that various repairs have been attempted over the years, but the only solid wall at present is the front wall that looks more like one end of a warehouse (which it was used for during World War I). The Palace, at one time, had many flights of stairs, courtyards, bedrooms and baths. Look in the back for many hallways and rooms with walls that still have the built-in alcoves. There are baths that you can enter but watch out for bats. Mtoni Palace is located around 2km north of Maruhubi ruins.

Kidichi Persian Baths, in the heart of the spice plantations,

were built in 1850 by Sultan Said for his Persian wife Sherehezade, also also known as BintI Irich Mizra or Schesade.

The baths are unique on the island, with Persian detailing on the inner walls. The Kidichi bath ruins are also unusual in that they exhibit interesting and obvious portrayals of birds and flowers in the bas-relief detailing of the inner walls. In strict observance of the Muslim faith it is considered sacrilege to create images of anything living, including animals and people. Built by Persian craftsmen, who were brought to Zanzibar by Sultan Said specifically for the purpose of building the baths, they were used by the princess to refresh herself after a journey in the country or after hunting. The princess was apparently something of an avid hunter, a very unusual pastime for a woman of that era. To reach the baths, turn right at the police station at Bububu and continue up the road until the whitewashed baths appear at the top of the hill.

Kizimbani Baths are found on the road past the Kidichi baths. They are similar in style to the Kidichi Baths, but less ornate, with no Persian inscriptions, animals or flowers depicted on the inner walls. The Kizimbani baths were built for Sultan Said at about the same time as the Kidichi baths.

Mangapwani Coral Cave, tradition holds that this underground cavern was discovered by shepherd following the bleating of a goat that had fallen down into a deep hole. Climbing down inside to rescue the unlucky animal, the young boy discovered a freshwater spring. But it is also believed that slaves were held here in secrecy after the trade was abolished. Locals still believe that the cavern contains an outlet onto the beach (when the tide is right). A stairway

Z anzibar has many fascinating ruins to visit, and the government has set up a ticket system that allows access to all of them for under a dollar. The fee is levied to help preserve the monuments and keep them clean, and the ticket lasts for a day. But it

would be near impossible to see all of these things in one day unless you went at a racer’s pace and hit the wind and the tide just right. Some of the ruins are well marked and easy to find if you’re self-driving, but others are overgrown requiring a driver in order to find them. In some cases there will be a guide to tell you a brief history, but often there won’t even be a person to collect your money or check your receipt.

RUIns

maruhubi palace ruins

ruins 41

leads down into the cave, but a flashlight is needed to explore its dark, clammy interior. There is no guide at the site and it is difficult to find without one. Most people come visit as part of a tour.

Mangapwani Slave Chambers, as the name suggests, were built for holding slaves in secrecy. After the trade was banned in 1872, Arab dealers continued to transport slaves to the island and cut the chambers from coral rock to conceal them at night. The slaves were chained and yoked while transferred from dhows to the chambers. There are few holes in the chambers and therefore little ventilation. This combined with malnutrition, thirst, disease, and overcrowding caused the death of many slaves before they reached the market or were sold to another trader. The site is located near the entrance to Mangapwani Seafood Grill and Watersports centre on the east coast.

Bi Khole Ruins are the remains of an estate built for Bi Khole, one of Sultan Said’s daughters. The ruins of the house and Persian baths are reached by a road lined with mango trees. It is said that Khole planted one tree for each of her lovers. Although this is a romantic thought, it is unlikely to be true since the trees are thought to predate her estate. The ruins are in beautiful setting overlooking the ocean and surrounded by fields and trees. Visitors can see the old courtyard and remains of the Persian baths and fountains. The ruins are located around 23km south of Stone Town, just off the main road leading to the southern part of the east coast.

Mbweni Ruins are set in the ground of the Mbweni Ruins Hotel and are all that remains of St Mary’s School for Freed Slave Girls. The school was built between 1871 and 1874 by missionaries inspired by David Livingstone’s famous lecture on the horrors of the slave trade. As a result of his impassioned speech at Cambridge University in 1867, four universities collaborated to form the Universities’ Mission to Central Africa (UMCA). Led by Bishop Steere, the missionaries were responsible for the building of the Anglican Church in Stone Town, St Mary’s School and many other projects on the mainland. Slaves freed by the British from illegal dhow traders were brought to the mission, and at one point there was at least 250 freed slaves living there. Orphan girls and daughters of the freed slaves attended the school which provided the necessary training for them to become teachers at other missions on the mainland. This included basic studies such as math, English and geography and religion. The school had 60 to 85 students at any given time. The grounds contained dormitory living quarters, classrooms, a chapel and, later, an industrial area. The Chapel had a marble altar with mother of pearl inlay, now the altar of St. John’s church down the road (also built by UMCA). The second headmistress to take charge of the school was Caroline Thackeray, cousin of English novelist William Thackeray, who remained loyal to her post for 25 years, and died in 1926 at the age of 83. By 1917 the school had closed and was abandoned even though a part of it had been sold to the Bank of India when the UMCA ran into financial trouble. The ruins remained abandoned except for locals who came to collect water from the cisterns until the current owners of the hotel began renovation. It is said that the ghost of Carolin Thackery walks the ruins at night. St. John’s Church was built in the 1880’s by the UMCA, and although it is in a remote location, is still used for services. Caroline Thackery, headmistress of St John’s School for Freed Slave Girls is buried here.

Beit-el-Ras was intended to house the growing family of Sultan Said, and although it was begun in 1847, it had not been completed by the time of his death in 1856. It was a short way up the coast to the north of the Mtoni Palace that served as his main home. Sultan Said’s successor, Sultan Majid, did not finish the house and some of its stones were later used to complete the Bububu Railroad. The remaining ruins were cleared away in 1947 to make room for the Teachers’ College, which was built on the site.

DUnGa rUinS

Dunga Palace was built around 1845 by King Mohammed bin Ahmed el Alawi, one of the last a dynasty of Swahili kings and queens with the hereditary title of Mwinyi Mkuu (Great Chieftan). The Mwinyi Wakuu were credited with ancient powers, and were alerted to danger by a set of magic drums which beat of their own accord when the kingdom was in peril.

Despite successive domination by the Portuguese, Omani Arabs and the British, these traditional rulers continued to hold sway over the people of Zanzibar. The construction of the palace, an impressive two-storey structure set around a large courtyard, with a mosque, bathrooms and houses for retainers, took around ten years, using the unpaid labour of the local population. According to local legend, slaves were killed during its construction, and their blood mixed with mortar to strengthen the walls, and those who failed to obey the rules were thrown into a pit nearby. In 1914, a well near the walls was cleared, uncovering human remains.

Mohammed lived in the palace until his death in 1865. His 15-year-old son, Ahmed, was declared rightful ruler in his place, but died shortly afterwards of small pox. His two daughters married into wealthy Arab families, and the ruling dynasty was lost forever. Dunga Palace was abandoned and left to crumble into decay.

Today there is little left of the original structure, aside from the main walls and a few passages and staircases. Some visitors to the ruins have reported seeing the ghost of an Arab lady, with a black dog at her side. The magic drums, which Mohammed kept at the palace during his rule, are now safely stored at the Peace Memorial Museum. Dunga Ruins are located around 20km from Stone Town, near the village of Dunga, halfway to Chwaka.

42 Zanzibar Tourism Directory 2011

kizimkazi Dolphin adventures 43


t he wellness phenomenon is sweeping Zanzibar. Visitors see their holidays as a chance to unwind from the

stresses of every day life, relax and pamper themselves. Spas are popping up across the island, becoming a standard addition to hotels and resorts in a response to tourist demand. Ease out the knots from a bone rattling game ride with a massage or recover from your flight with a refreshing facial.

More and more hotels, lodges and resorts are offering spa treatments. Thai and Balinese therapists run luxury spas, equipped with plunge pools, saunas and steam rooms, offering extensive treatment menus. However, spas in Zanzibar blend European and Asian influences with a uniquely Swahili element, offering treatments drawing on the island’s natural ingredients. Seaweed, tropical fruit and Pemban honey are used in facials to rehydrate and rejuvenate skin. Locally grown aloe vera and salt water is used to sooth sunburnt skin. Essential oils hail from the island’s spice farms, soaps are made from cloves, lemon grass and cinnamon.

Swahili beauty rituals are celebrated, with spas offering singo, an exfoliating spice scrub from, traditionally used for Zanzibari brides in preparation for the wedding. A paste is prepared using jasmine, ylang ylang, rose petals, sandalwood and rose water and applied to the body, leaving skin smooth, fragrant and as soft as silk. Hamman baths hail back to Tanzania’s Arab heritage. Coconut oil and clove oil are used in massages, hair is twisted into braids and hands and feet are adorned with henna.

Nature walks in the lush greenness of the forests and yoga revive the spirit. Zanzibar’s tranquillity combined with superb spas ensure you’ll be rejuvenated by your holiday.

ZanZIbaR spa

Zanzibar Spa 45

peMba IslanD

Pemba island 47

p emba lies around 80km northeast of its sister island, Unguja, directly east of the port of Tanga on Tanzania’s

mainland. Less frequently visited than its neighbour, the island retains an air of unspoilt beauty, with lush green valleys of clove plantations and dark, mysterious tropical forest giving way to vast stretches of virgin beach at the coast.

Pemba i s smal ler than Unguja , s t retching 67k m f rom nor th to south and 22k m f rom east to west and at i t s h ighest point , r i s ing to just 95 metres above sea leve l . Winding roads lead through the peaks and depths of the i s land ’s ter ra in , revea l ing v iv id mosaics of r ice paddies , mangrove l ined creeks and spice p lantat ions. Ear ly Arab sa i lors , enchanted by Pemba’s lush , fer t i le landscape and palm-f r inged beaches, named i t al Huthera , the ‘Green I s le’. At n ight the wind that whispers through the c love p lantat ions which cover most of Pemba might br ing the sound of d is tant drumming. But don’t be tempted to set of f toward the noise – in the 1930s Pemba was famous the wor ld over for the power of i t s sorcerers and magic ians , wi th devotees coming f rom as fa r away as Hai t i to be in i t ia ted into the r i tes of Pemban sorcerers . B y a l l accounts Pemba i s s t i l l a centre of wi tchcraf t today, but v i s i tors wi l l be unl ik e ly to see any h int of the occul t .

I nstead you can f loat across spec tacular cora l reefs , laze on those untouched beaches and explore the winding h i l l s and dense vegetat ion of the inter ior. Pemba has three main towns ; Chak e Chak e, the la rgest town and capi ta l , i s located about ha l fway a long the west coast , the fer r y por t of Mk oani in the south , and dhow harbour of Wete in the nor th . The t iny number of v i s i tors to Pemba ever y year means that the i s land has l i t t le in the way of tour is t in f rast ruc ture – which for a l ternat ive t rave lers i s the main at t rac t ion . Smal l guesthouses are dotted around the i s land, and there are a couple of up mark et d iv ing hote ls and resor ts .

peMba IslanD


explore on Pemba inc luding a number of o ld mosques and tombs and the o ld town for t o f Chak e Chak e. The Puj in i ru ins south- east of Chak e Chak e are the remnants of a for t i f ied town bui l t a round the 13th centur y.

The Ngez i Forest i s a protec ted area in the nor thwest corner of the i s land. I t i s home to endemic f lora and fauna species such as the Pemba f ly ing fox (a spec ies of bat ) and the Pemba palm, which i s found only in the region of Ngez i Forest and i s k nown loca l ly as mapapindi pa lm.

The beaut y of Pemba i s bewitching. The epi tome of a t ropica l paradise , Pemba has green va l leys with r ice paddies and palm t rees and c love p lantat ions that shade the roads. V is tas of the I ndian Ocean are breathtak ing as they appear through the peaks and depths of Pemba’s ter ra in . I t i s a s ight not to be missed.

Vis i tors may be surpr i sed to f ind that bul l f ight ing i s a popular loca l spor t , impor ted by Por tuguese invaders in the 17th centur y. The Pemban vers ion , however, s imply involves test ing the sk i l l o f the bul l in a ser ies of bold moves by the matador, a f ter which the bul l i s loaded with f lowers and pra ise , and paraded around the v i l lage.

M isa l i I s land, to the west of Pemba, i s reputed to have been used as a h ideout by the notor ious p i rate Capta in K idd, who i s even sa id to have bur ied t reasure here. Today a conser vat ion program has been establ i shed, and v is i tors can come for the day, snork e l o f f the beach and walk in the forest . Loca ls be l ieve the i s land i s holy, hav ing been used by the prophet H idara as a prayer mat . V is i tors to the i s land are ask ed to respec t loca l customs and bel ie fs .

There are many h is tor ica l s i tes and ru ins to

clove farming

Watersports & more 49

WaTerSkiinG & ParaGliDinG

Avai lable across Zanz ibar, and esec ia l ly in the nor th i s watersk i ing, which i s assured to be safe and enjoyable , as water spor ts companies on the i s land are fu l ly equipped with the latest boats and equipment . Paragl id ing can a lso be ar ranged through the same companies , and guarantee a t ru ly enjoyable beach hol iday.

WinDSUrFinG

Zanzibar ’s idy l l ic shores and warm cr ysta l c lear waters , together with the gent le monsoon winds mean that windsur f ing in Zanz ibar i s an unforgettable exper ience. Windsur f ing can be ar ranged through your hote l or through one of Zanz ibar ’s many water spor ts companies .

SailinG

Sai l ing i s one of Zanz ibar ’s h is tor ica l past imes. Loca l ly made ngalawa boats as wel l as jahazi or dhows are in abundance around the i s land, and can be rented for a day of sa i l ing, snork e l ing and l ine f i sh ing. The i s landis a l so home to a number of yachts as wel l as speed boats – a l l o f which are great ways to exper ience the waves of the g lor ious I ndian Ocean.

kaYakinG

K ayak ing - a fami ly favour i te - i s a fun way to explore Zanz ibar ’s shores , and the c lean waters that sur round Zanz ibar are per fec t for a l l ages to enjoy. Fac i l i t ies for such can be found around the i s land.

beaCh SPorTS

The br i l l iant white sands of Zanz ibar ’s pa lm f r inged shores are the per fec t p lace to k eep f i t get to k now the loca ls and your fe l low t rave lers through the medium of spor t . Beach vol leybal l i s popular and a tug of war can be ar ranged by your hote l . Footbal l however i s a pass ionate past ime across Zanz ibar and impromptu games tak e p lace on some of Zanz ibar ’s bus ier beaches, which v is i tors are of ten warmly welcomed to jo in in with to share in the pass ion .

WateRspoRts & MoRe

yoga at sunrise


FlYinG

Zanz ibar and i ts natura l sp leandour are undoubtedly best v iewed f rom the a i r, and i t i s now poss ib le to d iscover the i s lands f rom above in a micro - l ight a i rc ra f t . Tr ips over Stone Town, areas k nown for whales and dolphins , ad even the ent i re archipelago are ava i lable . I t i s a l so poss ib le to learn to f ly wi th a qui l i f ied instuc tor on Zanz ibar I s land i ts se l f .

kiTe SUrFinG

K i te sur f ing i s a re lat ive ly new phenomenon on Zanz ibar, but i s a spor t per fec t for the archipelago. The monsoon winds and g lor ious scener y mak e Zanz ibar the idea l p lace to learn to k i te sur f or for more exper ienced k i t sur fers , to tak e of f into the sk ies and admire the i s lands f rom another angle . Accredi ted k i te sur f ing schools can be found on the east and nor th coasts of Zanz ibar.

YoGa

A v ibrant b lend of yoga st y les are ava i lable on Zanz ibar, inc luding re laxat ion , pranayama (breathing techniques) , meditat ion , sun sa lutat ions and a dynamic f lowing sequence of asanas (postures ) , br inging awareness into mindfulness and energy f low. Yoga can be done on a pr i s t ine white sandbank sur rounded by the b lue ocean, ca lming, c leans ing and energis ing the soul . Yoga

on Zanz ibar i s a t ru ly unique and unforgettable exper ience, through merging and sur rounding yourse l f wi th nature’s energies . En joy the luxur y and exc lus iv i t y of book ing pr ivate or smal l group yoga c lasses where ever you are s tay ing on the nor th and east coasts of Zanz ibar I s land or in Stone Town i t ’s se l f . One and a ha l f hour yoga c lasses can a lso be jo ined at Mbweni Ruins just outs ide of Stone Town as can regular ret reats run by Zanz ibar ’s exper t yogis . These can a lso inc lude yoga express ive dancing, re ik i t reatments and f i re poi sp inning workshops upon request .

sailing on a local ngalawa

Conference & Weddings 51

ConFerenCeS

Zanzibar i s fu l ly equipped for conference tour ism, team bui ld ing ret reats , and incent ive t r ips for corporate c l ients . Ta i lor-made pack ages can inc lude the handl ing of the ent i re event or just par t thereof. Bes ides prov id ing you with a se lec t ion of wel l equipped and sta f fed conference venues, tour agents can handle a l l your requi rements , f rom book ing accommodat ion , a r ranging t ransfers and excurs ions to supply ing corporate gi f ts , organis ing specia l events and incent ive pack ages, adding va lue to your conference. Loca l spec ia l i s ts can work with you, ta i lor ing the conference exper ience to your goals and your group. With Engl i sh , Spanish , French, I ta l ian , German and Japanese speak ing guides, Zanz ibar can meet your needs, wherever you come f rom. Zanz ibar ’s exc i t ing tours and excurs ions cater for a l l interest groups, wi th sunset dhow cru ises in t radi t ional dhows, dolphin t r ips , h is tor ica l tours and cul tura l v i s i t s to the loca l communit ies . Banquet ing and specia l events can be eas i ly organised. With our deta i led loca l k nowledge, internat ional s tandard ser v ices and an unpara l le led envi ronment , Zanz ibar can guarantee a success fu l and memorable conference exper ience.

WeDDinGS & honeYmoonS

Zanz ibar I s land i s cer ta in ly one of the most romant ic i s lands in the wor ld and of fers the per fec t sett ing for an unforgettable wedding or honeymoon. A var iet y of venues are for t ru ly idy l l ic

weddings and profess ional ser v ices ava i lable on the i s land can handle the ent i re event on your behal f, or par ts thereof in accordance with your needs. Sa i l away on a t radi t ional handcraf ted dhow to a sandbank in the middle of the I ndian Ocean, exchange your vows in the ru ins of a su l tan’s pa lace or under the myr iad of s tars in the Old For t . Not only beaut i fu l , Zanz ibar has a vast a r ray of memorable locat ions in which to have a c iv i l or re l ig ious wedding. I t i s a l so poss ib le for your tour operator to ar range the paper work on your behal f. For a per fec t honeymoon, ta i lor made pack ages can be made to su i t your s t y le , personal i t y and budget , and to ensure that yours i s l i k e no other. Zanz ibar i s a p ic ture per fec t paradise , per fec t for t imeless wedding photographs, and qual i t y, exper ienced photographers are ava i lable on the i s land at a l l t imes.

conference facilities

conFeRences & WeDDInGs

set within exotic tropical gardens and waterfalls inviting guests to enjoy the pristine view over the indian ocean, dia-monds la gemma dell’ est is located on the north-western shores of magical Zanzibar. This enchanting, luxurious and environmentally friendly resort has a total of 138 rooms, with 93 sea view deluxe rooms, 17 sea view suites, 23 villa club rooms with butler service and a presidential villa with 5 bedrooms and large private swimming pool. The resort of-fers excellent dining options with 1 buffet restaurant, 2 a’ la carte restaurants and 1 beach pizzeria, serving a vast array of international and local cuisine and combining first class service with culinary excellence.

for the active guests or for the guests mixing business with pleasure the resort offers additional facilities including an in-ternational padi diving centre, a fully equipped water sports centre, an open air gym, a spherique boutique, the mvua african rain spa and the baobab congress centre.

diamonds la gemma dell’ est is the perfect venue for conferences, social gatherings, weddings and events, offer-ing a qualified team of meeting organizer and professional catering services ready to orchestrate large events and small meetings with precision and flawless good taste.

po box 2019, nungwi road, Zanzibar. TanzaniaT: +255 242240087f: +255 242240089e: [email protected]

52 Diamonds la Gemma Dell’ est

Diamonds La Gemma Dell’ Est

Diamonds Dream of Zanzibar 53

located on the east coast of Zanzibar, diamonds dream of Zanzibar is a superb beach front 5 star all inclusive resort nestled in the midst of exotic gardens overlooking the turquoise water of the indian ocean. The exclusive and elegant atmosphere of the hotel is perfect for guests looking for a perfect hideaway. The resort offers 104 deluxe gardens rooms with communal swimming pool, 40 ocean view junior suites, 10 additional junior suites with Jacuzzi and 3 beach front villas with private pool. all rooms are equipped with satellite TV, internet cable connection and daily refurbished mini bar.

5 restaurants offer guests an exceptional variety of dining options including asian and local specialities, fresh baked pizzas, healthy food and sea food à la carte menus for romantic dinners. 3 bars feature relaxing environments to enjoy refreshing drinks and snacks throughout the day and cocktails at night.

additional facilities include the mvua african rain spa with indoor gym, conference facilities, water sports and diving activities and a multisport court.

mahonda, Zanzibar. TanzaniaT: +255 759596666f: +255 759597777e: [email protected]

Diamonds Dream of Zanzibar

Diamonds Star of the EastMember of Small Luxury Hotels of the World

a magnificent private sanctuary of eleven exclusive villas, each with it’s own plunge pool, a tastefully furnished terrace, a covered makuti patio and a large tropical garden to enjoy exclusive privacy and the supreme view over the indian ocean and the famous Zanzibar sunset.

The villas are named after eleven of the most precious gems in the world to match the modern and contemporary african style architecture. personal butler service, a private beach and unmatched all-inclusive services accommodate the most discerning traveller with ultimate comfort, privacy and luxury.

clients can choose to dine at the exclusive à la carte ocean blue restaurant, visit one of the restaurants at diamonds la gemma dell’ est or enjoy private breakfast, lunch and dinner directly in the room or on the private terrace outside the villa. during the day finger food, snacks and refreshing drinks are offered around the pool at the Tiara lounge with cocktails and canapés served at sunset for romantic aperitifs watching the sun diving into the indian ocean.

literally everything and anything you could dream of is catered for at the very highest level of all-inclusive services including access to all facilities of diamonds la gemma dell’ est.

po box 2019, nungwi road, Zanzibar. TanzaniaT: +255 2422401175f: +255 242240089e: [email protected]

54 Diamonds Star of the east

new 5* boutique hotel to open in Zanzibar by June 2011.essque Zalu Zanzibar is an intimate boutique destination

nestled in a natural cove on the island’s north-eastern coast overlooking the indian ocean.

choose from 40 suites, all with picturesque views over the lush tropical garden or the ocean turquoise blue. ensconce yourself in luxurious-styled spaces crafted from local materials, adorned with native artwork and housed under a traditional pitched makuti roof. if you need extra space to spread out, try one of our nine expansive villas. stretch out in the spacious living room, rustle up a snack in your own kitchen, laze on the terrace overlooking the garden or just chill in the privacy of your very own plunge pool.

once you’re comfortably installed, you can choose to restore your physical equilibrium in one of six exclusive spa treatment rooms, head to our fully loaded gym, stroll along the water’s edge, or inspire your artistic leanings in the gallery filled with art from the local and regional artistic community. if you’re feeling peckish, you can satisfy your taste buds with a choice of three distinctive restaurants and a scrumptious café.

our personal navigators are always on hand to guide you through your stay. They’ll see to your every wish however big or small. so if you take a liking to a piece of artwork, they’ll arrange for you to bring it home! or if you need help

with an activity plan, just call them for some in-the-know suggestions.

at essque Zalu Zanzibar, we welcome you to create your own personal paradise, your own kind of luxury, an experience of a lifetime.

preferred hotel group, as the pleasure to announce that essque Zalu Zanzibar is now part of our prestigious luxury preferred boutique™ (www.preferredboutique.com), preferred hotel group’s elite collection of intimate hotels and resorts.

po box 3151, Zanzibar, Tanzaniae: [email protected]

essque Zalu 55

Essque Zalu

56 Sandies mapenzi beach Club

Sandies Mapenzi Beach Club while admiring the luxurious gardens with tall palm trees

and colourful bougainvillea or the sparkling waters of the indian ocean, the 87 deluxe rooms of sandies mapenzi beach club will ensure that you envisage the sheer beauty of tropical nature. stroll through the gardens to the emerald waters of the indian ocean, stretch out on a sun bed, bathe in the blue pool or challenge yourself in one of the many activities or water sports offered, sandies mapenzi beach club is the choice for guests in search of a retreat that offers a nice mixture of relax, laziness and all inclusive services.

dining facilities at the resort include a main buffet restaurant with fish barbecues and themed nights, a beach pizzeria, an a’ la carte restaurant and 2 bars offering refreshing drinks, snacks and cocktails in the evening around the pool. active guests can participate in the daily activities organized by the cheerful local animation team offering sailing, windsurfing, water ski, beach volley, archery and evening entertainment.

po box 100, mahonda, Zanzibar. TanzaniaT: + 255 774414268f: + 255 774419398e: [email protected]

Sandies neptune Pwani beach 57

friendly and spacious, sandies neptune pwani beach is an ideal choice for guests in search of a retreat that offers the “special touch”, matched with attention to the finest of details. The resort has been meticulously created, emulating traditional Zanzibar style, using the best in local interior design and furnishing, meeting top international standards.

The resort features 154 ocean view deluxe rooms situated in 2 level blocks and 4 individual beachfront suites with in-room Jacuzzi and separate living room. dining facilities include 1 buffet restaurant, 1 pizzeria restaurant, 1 à la carte restaurant serving private dinners in a romantic setting and 2 bars offering a wide selection of drinks and snacks throughout the day and spirits and cocktails in the evening. guests visiting the mvua african rain spa find themselves immersed in a relaxing atmosphere of warm and very friendly hospitality enveloped by the fragrance of local spices, to benefit from a wide range of treatments designed to soothe the spirit, rejuvenate the body and enrich the mind.

additional facilities in the resort include: daily entertainment, conference facilities, diving and water sports activities and the spherique boutique.

po box 3400, pwani mchangani, Zanzibar. TanzaniaT: + 255 774567893f: + 255 242240302e: [email protected]

Sandies Neptune Pwani Beach

58 The residence Zanzibar

set in isolated splendour on the south west coast of the island, on 32 hectares of pristine land once occupied by the shirazi princes, The residence Zanzibar is a dream fit for a sultan. located just 55 minutes from the airport and the capital stone Town, The residence Zanzibar lies on a mile-long powdery white sand beach, flanked by coconut palm trees and the warm waters of the indian ocean.

for those seeking serenity and privacy, The residence Zanzibar offers uncompromising luxury. each of its 66 stand-alone villas has its own private swimming pool in which to unwind. enjoy the ultimate luxury to be pampered by a personal butler trained to anticipate and attend to your every need. This stunning all-villa resort is the only member of leading hotels of the world in Tanzania.

choose between two sophisticated and peaceful restaurants, offering international cuisine with a hint of Zanzibar, and two breezy and relaxing bars. you may though opt for in-villa dining for a secluded romantic meal, or have your lunch delivered in a rattan basket to your sun lounger.

a large range of activities and water sports are offered at The residence Zanzibar and nearby including tennis, cycling, nature walks, water sports including kayaking, pedal boating, snorkeling, scuba diving, kite surfing, deep sea fishing and more.

six luxurious spa pavilions with their own private garden

and a secluded swimming pool make The residence Zanzibar an oasis of complete relaxation, with an exclusively created range of massages designed to help with relaxation, balance, detoxification and relieving stress.

The residence Zanzibar is also the first hotel spa in the world to offer ohashiatsu®. This energy-based therapy combines the movement, flexibility and endurance of yoga, and the strength building and enhanced posture of pilates, through which you will revitalise your own Ki-life force energy, de-stress your body and mind, and revitalise your spirit.

po box 2404, Zanzibar, TanzaniaT. +255 245555000 f: +255 245555001e: [email protected]

The Residence Zanzibar

Zanzibar Serena inn 59

idyllically situated on the sea-front of ancient stone Town, and flanked by an exotic mix of sultan’s palaces, portuguese forts, ancient dhow harbours, and bright bazaars, the Zan-zibar serena inn is a haven of tranquillity and opulence amongst the bustle of one of africa’s most ancient and most enchanting towns. a member of the prestigious small luxu-ry hotels of the world, the inn has been styled to represent the epitome of swahili style, ethnic elegance and arabic opu-lence.

getting ThereThe resort is in stone Town, which is in the ‘old Town’ of

Zanzibar city, which lies on the western side of the island of the same name. Zanzibar has an international airport, which is approximately 20 minutes flight from the mainland. There are daily flights linking Zanzibar with dar es salaam, Tan-ga, arusha, the northern safari circuit airstrips and nairobi (Kenya). ferries and speed boats link Zanzibar with dar es salaam daily and with pemba several times weekly. The air-port is 7km south of Zanzibar Town and the journey takes 15 minutes by taxi.airport transfers available upon request from the hotel.

facilities• Wide selection of rooms and suites: all with AC, satellite

TV, wifi• All-day Baharia Restaurant, Mdele Coffee Shop, masahani bar and Terrace seafood restaurant• Swimming pool and pool deck• Live music nightly• Treatment rooms.• Business centre, travel desk, taxi service• Wedding planning service• Gift Shop, news-stand and travel requisites kiosk• Baby-sitting, children’s dining/menus.

highlights• Immediate access to the sights of Stone Town• Spice Tour• Visits to the Sultan’s baths, slave caves and slave market• Diving on one of the world’s most renowned dive sites• Dhow trips and idyllic island escapes• Dolphin, turtle and humpback whale watching• Swahili feasts with Taarab music

Zanzibar Serena Inn

ZanZibar Serenainn

po boz 4151, Zanzibar, TanzaniaT: +255 242233587f: +255 242233019e: [email protected]


Jafferji house is a boutique hotel, capturing the history and aesthetics of the spice islands of Zanzibar. it has taken over three years to restore this family home to its former glory, and to the highest standards, allowing guests to truly envis-age the splendor of sultans and merchants of days gone by. each suite is thoughtfully designed and inspired by some of Zanzibar’s greatest names, including stanley and liv-ingstone, and the living legend, bi Kidude. They are like a museum of discovery, dedicated to very characters that have changed the course of Zanzibar’s history. Jafferji house is also home to a luxury spa, situated on the top of the build-ing with a view right out over the indian ocean. located in the heart of stone Town – a world heritage site – and just a stroll away from the arabic old fort and historical sea front, you are warmly welcomed to experience this unique home and to enjoy the esthetic of lostness in stone Town’s narrow streets. Karibu.

Jafferji house – heritage and luxury in the heart of the stone Town.

po box 3181, stone Town, ZanzibarT: +255 242232244 e: [email protected]

Jafferji House & Spa

stone Town, Zanzibar is now home to the new mashariki palace hotel. This is the eastern palace on the islands, once the seat of the omani empire spanning a thousand miles, created by the first sultan of Zanzibar almost 200 years ago. The domicile of the sultan’s religious councilor is now restored beyond its former magnificence.

our hospitality is based on good taste and warmth, comfort and style.

The 18 no smoking rooms are all unique; the ground floor looks into

the courtyard and has high ceilings, several have balconies, some have sea views, some have a living area or mezzanine floor, but all are enclosed in this original ancient palace with cool, thick walls, arabian beds, stucco decoration and carved doors, bringing you the essence of old Zanzibar with a twist of modern chic The mashariki palace hotel is a privileged residence for travellers choosing refined hospitality in a historical setting. come and be charmed.

T: +255 242237232/3 f: +255 242237235e: [email protected]

“mbweni ruins hotel is set in bo-tanic gardens by the ocean, just 10 minutes drive south of stone Town, with its own pool and private beach. so this is a haven for visitors to the Zanzibar archipelago, being within reach of all the famous sights while offering peace and tranquility. ru-ins from the era of livingstone lie in the hotel grounds, and there is a restaurant and two bars and a jetty

enabling easy access by dhow to the nearby sandbars and islets.

The rooms are comfortably fur-nished in Zanzibar style, all are ensuite, and most rooms have a ve-randa overlooking the gardens and the beach.

There is a free hotel shuttle ser-vice to and from stone Town several times a day.”

T: +255 242235478/79e: [email protected]

61

Mbweni Ruins

Mashariki Palace

Beyond Mnemba Island Lodge is an unpretentious barefoot paradise on a private island, where just ten simple yet luxurious palm-frond bandas peek out from a tropical forest onto a dazzling white beach.

Balmy waters invite guests to explore the marine wonderland on diving or snorkelling

trips, while traditional Zanzibari beach beds are the ideal haven for relaxing and simply doing nothing at all.

Once guests have watched a tawny sun sink beneath the tranquil waves, candlelit dinners on the beach tantalise their taste buds with magnificent tastes.

Beyond Mnemba Island LodgeEmail: [email protected], www.andBeyond.com


Zanzibar watersports operates padi five star dive centres and offers services at many of Zanzibar’s hotels. all centres have excellent locations close to Zanzibar’s best dive sites including the famous mnemba atoll and it’s big wall and 20 other sites nearby. pemba liveaboard diving, snorkeling, big game fishing, sailing dhow cruises,

windsurfing, water-skiing and kayaking are also offered. we cater for individuals and groups and maintain small group sizes to ensure a personalised, high quality service, priding ourselves on our professionalism and high levels of safety.

Zanzibar watersports operates padi five star dive centres and offers services at many of Zanzibar’s hotels. all centres have excellent locations close to Zanzibar’s best dive sites including the famous mnemba atoll and it’s big wall and 20 other sites nearby. pemba liveaboard diving, snorkeling, big game fishing, sailing dhow cruises,

windsurfing, water-skiing and kayaking are also offered. we cater for individuals and groups and maintain small group sizes to ensure a personalised, high quality service, priding ourselves on our professionalism and high levels of safety.

Tel: +255 773235030, faz: +255 242233039, email: [email protected], www.zanzibarwater-sports.com

Tel: +255 242233889, fax: +255 242233098, email: [email protected], www.rasnungwi.com

Zanzibar Water Sports

Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel

Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors

236 hUrUmZi

po box 3416, Zanzibar

t: +255 777 423266

e: [email protected]

www.236hurumzi.com

akili lTD


t: +255 774 774400


www.akili.co.tz

anna oF ZanZibar


t: +255 773 999387


www.annaofzanzibar.com

aZanZi beaCh hoTel

po box 3494 Zanzibar


www. azanzibeachhotel.com

beYT el Chai


t: +255 774 444111


www.stonetowninn.com

blUebaY beaCh reSorT anD SPa


t: +255 24 2240240/1/2/3/4


www.bluebayzanzibar.com

breeZeS beaCh ClUb anD SPa


t: +255 774 440883/4/5


www.breezes-zanzibar.com

blUe oYSTer hoTel lTD


t: +255 24 2240163


www.zanzibar.de

ChUmbe iSlanD Coral Park


t: +255 24 2231040


www.chumbeisland.com

CoaSTal aviaTion

po box3052, Zanzibar

t: +255 22 2842700/01

F: +255 22 2843033

e:[email protected]

www.coastal.cc

Dar eS Salaam FlYinG DoCTorS


t: +255 787 7474764

F: +255 22 2700162


www.dsmflyingdoctors.com

DiSCover ZanZibar


t: +255 24 2233889


Dive-n-Sail ZanZibar lTD


t: +255 774 441234


www.dive-n-sail.com

DonGWe oCean vieW


t: +255 773 175124


www.kichanga.com

DoUble Tree bY hilTon reSorT

ZanZibar

po box 2351, nungwi


www.doubletreehilton.co.uk/

zanzibarnungwi

EMERSON SPICE COMPANY LTDpo box 4044, Zanzibar


www.emersonspice.net

eSSQUe ZalU ZanZibar


t: +255 772 278969


www.essquehotels.com

exPlore ZanZibar Co. lTD


t: +255 24 2235805


www.explorezanzibar.com

FaGeha ToUrS

Kiembesamaki

po box 2462, Zanziabr


FiShinG ZanZibar


t: +255 784 207944


www.fishingzanzibar.com

Flame Tree CoTTaGeS


t: +255 777 479429


www.flametreecottages.com

FUmba beaCh loDGe


t: +255 777 860504


www.fumbabeachlodge.com

FUnDU laGoon lTD

po box 3945, Zanzibar.

t: +255 777 438668


www.fundulagoon.com

GallerY ToUrS anD SaFariS lTD


t: +255 24 2232088


www.gallerytours.net

hakUna maTaTa beaCh loDGe anD

SPa


t: +255 777 454892


www.hakuna-matata-beach-lodge.com

hoTel SolUTionS



www.hotel-solution.co.tz

imani beaCh villa


t: +255 24 2250050/+255 773 903983


www.imani-zanzibar.com

inTernaTional bUSineSS ServiCeS

lTD (i.b.S)


t: +255 24 2236761


JaFFerJi hoUSe anD SPa


t: +255 774 4111129

[email protected]

www.jafferjihouse.net

kaSha boUTiQUe hoTel


t: +255 776 676 6611/22


www.kasha-zanzibar.com

kanGa kabiSa (TanTex lTD)


t: +255 24 2232100


www.kangakabisa.com

kilinDi hoTel


t: +255 24 2231954


www.kilindi.com

kiChanGa loDGe


t: +255773175124


www.kichanga.com

kiSiWa hoUSe hoTel


t: +255 24 2235654

F: +255 24 2236786


www.kisiwahouse.com

mChanGa beaCh loDGeS


t: +255 773 569821

e: tradewithzanzibarezantel.com

www.mchangabeachlodge.com

maPenZi beaCh ClUb (Plan hoTel

ZnZ lTD)


t: + 255 774 414268


www.planhotel.com

maShariki PalaCe hoTel


t: +255 24 2237232/233

F: +255 24 2237235


www.masharikipalacehotel.com

maTemWe bUnGaloWS


t: +255 747 425788


www.matemwe.com

memorieS oF ZanZibar


t: +255 24 2239376/7

F: +255 24 2237045


ZatI MeMbeRs

63

merCUrY’S reSTaUranT


t: +255 24 2233076

e: mercury’[email protected]

mUlTi-ColoreD PrinTer


t: +255 24 2250726/7

F: +255 24 2250728


www.multicolorprinters.com

mvUvi reSorT (ZanZibar FiShinG

ClUb)


t: +255 777 425669


www.mvuvi-resorts.com

mnarani beaCh CoTTaGeS


t: +255 24 2240494

F: + 25524 2240496


www.lighthousezanzibar.com

mnemba iSlanD loDGe


t: +255 774 438656


www.andbeyond.com

mToni marine CenTre lTD


t: +255 24 2250140

F: +255 24 2250496


www.mtoni.com

nePTUne PWani beaCh reSorT


t: +255 774 567894


www.neptunehotels.com

one oCean DivinG


t: +255 24 2238374


www.zanzibaroneocean.co

oZTi eaST aFriCa Co lTD

pobox1970, Zanzibar

t/F: +255 24 2234190


www.ozti.co.tz

Pemba loDGe


t: +255 24 2240494

F: +255 24 2240496


www.pembalodge.com

Qmb QUaliTY meaT &beveraGe&

SUPPlieS lTD


t: +255 777 413107

F: +25502238240

e:[email protected]

raS nUnGWi beaCh hoTel


t: +255 24 2233889

F: +255 24 2233098


www.rasnungwi.com

renCo ZanZibar lTD (la Gemma

Dell’eST)


t: +255 24 2239452

F: +255 24 2232743


www.renco.it

roYal ZanZibar


t: +255 24 2240512


www.royalzanzibar.com

SaFari blUe


t: +255 777 423162


www.safariblue.net

SCUba Do DivinG

t: +255 784 415579


www.scuba-do-zanzibar.com

SeaSonS loDGe


t: +255 776 107255


www.seasons-zanzibar.com

Serena inn (ZanZibar)


t: +255 24 2233587


www.serenahotels.com

ShooTinG STar loDGe

po box: 3076, Zanzibar.

t: +255 777 414166


www.shootingstarlodge.com

SUnSeT bUnGaloWS


t: +255 777 414647


www.sunsetkendwa.com

SUn ToUrS anD Travel lTD


t/F: +255 24 223969


www.suntours.com

SWahili DiverS (P) lTD

po box 146, pemba, Zanzibar

t: +255 24 2452786


www.swahilidivers.com

TaTU lTD


tel: +255 778 672 772


www.tatuzanzibar.com

The CriSTal reSorT lTD


t: +255 773 523366


www.cristalresort.net

The reSiDenCe ZanZibar


t: +255 24 2236904

F: +255 24 2236905


www.theresidence.com

The SWahili hoUSe


t: +255 777 510209


www.theswahilihouse.com

The roCk


t: +255 779 909885


www.therockrestaurantzanzibar.com

UnGUJa loDGe


t: +255 774 857234

e: info@unguja lodge

www.ungujalodge.com

UhUrU Travel & ToUrS lTD


t/F: +255 24 2238003


www.uhuru-travel.com

veraClUb ZanZibar lTD


t: +255 777 466233


www.veratour.it

Zan air lTD


t: +255 24 2233670

F: +255 24 2233768


www.zanair.com

Zan ToUrS lTD


t: +255 24 2233116


www.zantours.com

ZanZibar FairmonT beaCh reSorT


t: + 255 783 3988194


www.fairmont.com/Zanzibar

ZanZibar exCUrSionS


t: +25524 2237281


www.zanzibarexcursions.com

ZanZibar beaCh reSorT


t: +255 24 2230208

F: +255 24 2230556


www.zanzibarbeachresort.net

ZanZibar mariTime& merCanTile

lTD (Zmmi)

po box20, Zanzibar

t: +255 24 2231741

F: +255 24 2230448


www.zmmi.net

ZanZibar PalaCe hoTel


t: +255 24 774857246


www.zanzibarpalacehotel.com

ZanZibar UniQUe limiTeD


t: +255 774 410077

F: +255 24 2235512


www.zanzibarunique.com

ZanZibar Car hire limiTeD


t: +255 24 2235485

t: +255 777 414044

F: +255 24 2235485


www.zanzibarcarhire.co.tz

ZanZibar GranD PalaCe hoTel


t: +255 24 2235367

t: +255 777713366

F: +255 24 2230827


www.zanzibargrandpalace.com

ZG DeSiGn


t: +255 24 2232244


www.zg-design.net

Z Hotel ltd


t: +255 774 252255


www.thezhotel.com


Zato MeMbeRsFiSherman ToUrS


t: +255 242238791


kaWa ToUrS


t: +255 242231053

M: +255 777844311


aCTive ToUrS & Travel


t:+255 242234967


aFriCan leiSUre CenTre


t:+255 242230300


exoTiC ToUrS & SaFariS


M: +255 777457575

t: +255 242236392

GranT ToUrS & Travel


t: +255 242232302

M: +255 777846110


maDeila ToUrS


t:255 242233310


FernanDeS ToUrS


t:+255 242230666


MARZOUK TOURSpo box 3254, Zanzibar

t: +255 242238225


moDeSTY ToUrS


t: +255 242232999


SUn ToUrS


t: +255 24223695


GallerY ToUrS & SaFari lTD


t:+255 242236434


ZanZibar exCUrSion


t: +255 242237281

M: +255 777410414


ZanZibar ToUriST CoPoraTion


t: +255 242238630


ZeniTh ToUrS & Travel


t: +255 242238510


TabaSam ToUrS & Travel lTD


t: +255 242230322


TrUST ToUrS & SaFariS


t: +255 777415173


babYlon ToUrS & SaFariS


t: +255 242236682

M: +255 7774111339


DhoW & JeeP ToUrS


t: +255 242234771


monDa Travel & ToUrS


t:+255 242235434


SaFina ToUrS & SaFariS lTD


t: +255 242233631

M: +255 777417879


UhUrU Travel & ToUrS


t: +255 242238003


aWamU ToUrS & SaFariS


t: +255 242232749


miGao ToUrS & Travel


t: +255 242234615


Serene ToUrS ZanZibar


t: +255 24224402


GranD Travel inTernaTional


t: +255 24229363


bora ToUrS & Travel

t:+255 773075561


iSlanD exPreSS SaFariS & ToUrS


t: +255 242234375

M: +255 774111888


inDian oCean maGiC ToUrS


t: +2552422344797

M: +255 777415465


iSlanD ToUrS Co .lTD


t: +255 242238111


maha Travel& ToUrS SaFariS


t:+255 2422300029

t:+255 777419663


TroPiCal ToUrS & SaFariS


t: +255 242236794

t: +255 777 413454


ZanZibar aDvenTUre ToUr &

SaFariS


t: +255 77497876


65

Advertisers’ Index&beyond ........................................................................ 62

Black Pearl ................................................................... 32

Blue Bay Hotel................................................................ 3

Cinnamon Spa ............................................................18

Dream of Zanzibar Hotel ..................................... 53

Essque Zalu ...................................................................55

Gallery Tours ................................................................ 32

Hakuna Matata ............................................................15

Hiliki House ...................................................................14

Jafferji House & Spa ...................................... 33 & 60

Kasha Boutique Hotel .............................................14

La Gemma del Es’t Hotel ...................................... 52

Mapenzi Beach Hotel............................................. 57

Mashariki Palace ........................................................ 61

Mbweni Ruins .................................................... 8 & 61

Mnarani Lodge ...........................................................15

Neptune Pwani Beach .......................................... 56

Pemba first E co Lodge.........................................15

Ras-Michamvi ................................................................ 4

Ras-Nungwi ................................................................. 62

The Residence Zanzibar....................................... 61

Sea Cliff Resort & Spa ................................................. 2

Serena Inn Hotel........................................................ 58

Star of the East Hotel .............................................. 54

Gallery Tours & Safaris ............................................ 32

Zanzibar Water Sports .......................................... 62

ZG Films & Media House .......................................19

Advertiser On page Advertiser On page Advertiser On page


ZaTi is in its 8th successful year, having been established to represent the interests of tourism investors in Zanzibar. The aim is to ensure a sustainable and professional tourism industry of the highest standard, working with government institutions, such as the Zanzibar commission for Tourism to achieve this. ZaTi is managed by an executive board of 8 members and a director, and has grown by 250% since 2007.

There are currently 120 members, representing all areas of the tourism sector including hotels, restaurants, tour operators, airlines, wholesale and retail suppliers, and service industries supporting tourism. members of ZaTi are expected to offer a quality tourism product in their field of expertise, hold high standards of business ethics, respect the customs of Zanzibar, follow all labour, fiscal and environmental regulation, and where possible actively buy locally and employ locally. members are encouraged to demonstrate corporate social responsibility, and ZaTi has been approached to bring to Zanzibar some proposed new responsible tourism standards that are to be introduced in Tanzania, so members will also have the opportunity to be evaluated and rated in the future.

since 2009 ZaTi has focussed on three main strands that members identified – improving infrastructure, availability of local supplies and

training of staff, and have held many meetings with both private and public sector organisations to this end. in 2010 ZaTi’s seat on the Zanzibar business council helped set up a dialogue with the public sector on infrastructure, and with the ministry of agriculture, ZaTi helped to manage a 6 month training course for 150 farmers to supply vegetables to hotels. The organisation also worked with the Zanzibar commission for Tourism on visit exit surveys, tourist arrival numbers and investor databases. in 2011 ZaTi intends to change the way it works – a new-look interactive website will offer tourists, tour operators and investors information about Zanzibar and the products of ZaTi members, and a members’ page will post all information updates and enable discussion between the executive board and the members. The association will also be working with the public sector to implement a new Zanzibar destination marketing strategy and plan during 2011. so 2011 promises to be an exiting year for Zanzibar tourism – and it is off to a great start already. ZaTi continues to reinforce it’s motto of “opening doors” and will keep you updated of its progress in future editions of this magazine.

About the Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors

Zanzibar Tourism Directory 2011

Documents

Transcript of Zanzibar Tourism Directory 2011