Zanzibar Island: Explore An Amazing Beach Holiday Destination
The beauty of Zanzibar Island stands unrivaled among most holiday destinations in the world. Zanzibar actually consists of two Islands – Pemba and Unguja – which lie in the Indian ocean 36 km off the Tanzania coast. Unguja is the more developed of the two and is what many people refer to as Zanzibar.
Zanzibar’s alluring white beaches are without doubt the most famous attraction in this Island whose name means “Land of the Blacks” in Arabic. The majority of the Zanzibar beaches are situated near the Northern tip of the Island in the East coast. The landscape in this region of Zanzibar island is also dotted by several fishing villages.
Most of the Zanzibar beaches are pure, unspoilt, and quiet, with the only noise being that of the ocean. Nungwi beach is arguably the best among the more than 30 pristine beaches of Zanzibar. Situated in the northern part of Zanzibar, Nungwi is accessible by a road that is beautifully lined with coconut palms, mangrove and banana plants. Being the boat building capital of Zanzibar, Nungwi is a good spot for visitors to see traditional craftsmen at work.
Matemwe beach, together with Kiwengwa, Uroa, Pwani Mchangani, Jambianito and Bwejuu beaches on Zanzibar’s east coast, and Mangapwani beach on the west coast are the other worth visiting beach holiday destinations in Zanzibar. The wide stretches of beautiful uncrowded white sands add up to a perfect Zanzibar beach vacation.
Zanzibar has a number of smaller offshore islands with several attractions in addition to the pristine beaches. The most popular of these small islands is Prison island, which is situated just a short distance from Zanzibar’s capital town of Stone Town. The island’s giant tortoises are its major attraction. However, the clear waters surrounding Prison island provide ideal conditions for snorkeling, which attracts many visitors there annually.
Zanzibar’s population comprises of Africans, Persians, Asians, and Arabs. The majority of them are Muslim (95%), with the remaining being Christians, Hindus, and followers of other religions. The official and national language of Zanzibar is Swahili. English is also spoken in many places, and most residents have some knowledge of the Arabic language. Fishing and agriculture are the other main economic activities of Zanzibar, in addition to tourism.
Zanzibar is not so big an island and you can explore the entire Island in a day. Moreover the map of Zanzibar is self-explanatory so you do not necessarily need a tour guide to move around. July through March are best months for visiting Zanzibar, when the average temperature is 25 degrees Celsius. During this period the air is dry and breezy and there is little rainfall. Zanzibar experiences heavy rainfall in April and May and this is not a good time to visit.
Zanzibar can be reached by air, as well as the sea. Gulf Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Mauritius and KLM (in conjunction with Kenya Airways) are presently offering international scheduled flights to Zanzibar. Transport can also be arranged from Dar es salaam which is only a short trip by sea or by air from Zanzibar. Dar es Salaam has regular scheduled flights, small charters and fast boats to Zanzibar.
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