Introduction
Going to Zanzibar, travel off the coast of Tanzania and experience its fascinating history, amazing beaches and wonderful spices. Don’t be missed an old Arab town, Stone Town, built by those who got rich from the spice and slave trade.
Two sisters islands has forming Zanzibar, Unguja that usually called Zanzibar Island and Pemba. Zanzibar also have several smaller islands in about 40km (25miles) the coast of East Africa, about 6? south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar Island have 32km wide and 85km long, with under 1500km of area or about 640 square miles. While Pemba Island is about 20km wide and 75km long, with around 850km square area or about 380 square miles.
Generally, the Zanzibar’s islands are low and flat land lying. The central and western parts of Zanzibar Island have some low hills, where is about 120m (390ft) above the sea level for the highest point. Cut by several small valleys, Pemba Island has a central ridge and appears hillier than Zanzibar Island, although just only 95m (310ft) above sea-level for the highest point on Pemba.
They were originally forested, but in widespread clearing human habitation has resulted, although a few isolated pockets of indigenous forest remain. In Zanzibar, the main crops grown are cloves and coconuts. Citrus fruits, bananas and other spices are also commercially grown. Cassava, maize, and others cereals and vegetables are grown for local consumption. Tourism as the primary foreign exchange earner has been ear-marked, with more visitors each year coming to Zanzibar. The numbers are still low at this stage, less than 100,000 annually and it is relatively untapped for the potential tourism. Most local and visitors get around the town by foot and this is best way in the stone town, but there is also another available means of transport.
People, language and religion
The people of local Zanzibar are mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of her colorful history. Estimated population is about 1,000,000 with the largest concentration is in Zanzibar City that has 250,000 inhabitants approximately. Zanzibar?s people speak Swahili and locally known as Kiswahili, which is also spoken in East Africa extensively. As it is the birth place of the language, many believe that the purest form is spoken in Zanzibar.
Zanzibar Top Attractions:
Romantic Mnemba Island
Located in the Indian Ocean, Mnemba is a private island and apart of the Zanzibar Archipelago. The island offers the best snorkeling and you can also see dolphins, watch whales and swim with whale sharks. For the romantics out there, best of all there are only 10 cottages on the island which make up the Mnemba Island Lodge.
Owned exclusively by CC Africa, Mnemba Island Lodge cottage has its own veranda and is hidden in the shade of a tropical beach forest. A palm-covered walkway leads to an en suite bathroom with shower and basin. You can enjoy dine at night on fresh lobster on a table set up on the beach, just for you alone.
Chumbe Island is a nature sanctuary and a private island south of Zanzibar just a few miles. The eco-lodge offers 7 unique bungalows, large living rooms and en-suite bathrooms, each with their own access to the beach.
Fundu Lagoon on Pemba Island is an exclusive resort with 14 tented bungalows built on wooden platforms. With their own private plunge pools and lounges, there are also four Beachside Suites.
Stone Town
Stone Town is cultural heart and the old city of Zanzibar, little changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of bustling bazaars, winding alleys, mosques and grand Arab houses whose original owners vied with each other over the extravagance of their dwellings. Particularly, this one-upmanship is reflected in the carved, brass-studded, wooden doors, and there are more than 500 different examples of this handiwork. Just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow alleyways and streets, you can spend many idle hours and days.
Named a UNESCO World heritage site recently, Stone Town as its beaches is becoming as much of an attraction in Zanzibar. In East Africa, it was once the main slave trading port. You can enjoy, the ornate doors, the intricate balconies and more as you get lost in its many narrow alleyways. This site tells you how to get around Stone Town and what to look for.
Today, most of the houses were built in the 19th century when Zanzibar was one of the most important trading centres in the Indian Ocean region. The Zanzibar’s coraline rock was a good building material, but also easily eroded. This is evident of a bad state of repair by the large number of houses. The Stone Town Conservation Authority has been established to co-ordinate the restoration of the town to its original magnificence and several buildings have already been renovated. On the Old Dispensary, pictured opposite is a ‘before and after’ look at the restoration work done. Nearly all of the major hotels built in Stone Town are housed in renovated buildings, as a result of sensible policy.
Pemba Island
Pemba island, the northernmost Island of the archipelago, is a wonderful place for divers, snorkelers and those who enjoy the beach. It is a sparsely inhabited island, beautiful north of Zanzibar island. Pemba Island is still major clove producer in the world, but now of being an Island has slipped into its more traditional role.
It’s a paradise with small trade of inter-island. Now chake wharf is mainly used for fishing and swimming. Pemba in the 17th century was seized by the Muscat Sultan (now Oman). By the Spice Islands, he was so enchanted that he installed himself in Zanzibar and from there he ruled Muscat. The British forced the Sultanates of Muscat when the Western Colonial powers came to East Africa and Zanzibar to separate, and then administered the Spice Islands in the name of the Sultan.
Pemba is hilly, a magical island. Undulating hills, gentle and deep verdant valleys are all covered with a dense cover of coconut, mango and clove plantations. Pemba for centuries has held a reputation as a centre for the juju traditions of magic and medicine.
Traveling in Pemba is like going in unknown territory. Villagers are eager to talk to passers-by and small children cry at the sight of a muzungu. Market stallholders in town call you over and to try their different fruits make sit you down, then laughing hysterically at your reaction. The down side in Pemba is the lack of facilities and infrastructure. To ‘rough it’, the visitor simply has to be prepared unless staying at one of only a few decent accommodations. The guesthouses on Pemba are only at Chake Chake, Mkoani and Wete. All are modest, very small and with basic facilities.
Food must be bought at the local shops and markets. The only place to eat out, generally is at one of the few guesthouses or at the local stalls. Transport is limited to a private cars, few taxis and the public bus service. Walking is the only option beyond this, unless you have arranged pre-booked transfers.
Other articles you might like;
- Italy is Famous with the Food
- England is a Dream Country
- The Romance of Paris
- The Beauty of Holland
- Singapore The Fine City
Related posts:
Save Bucks
Europe Hotel
Travel
Accommodation for
Cheap Accommodation