Welcome to Zanzibar #Karibu in swahili 😉 The name of this island resounds, clear and strong like a real holiday invitation. Just hearing the name alone transports me spiritually to the sandy white beaches, lined with coconut trees. Its nickname : Spice Island. Whilst preparing my suitcase, I had all kinds of ideas and preconceptions about the colonial history of the island, but in hindsight, I actually knew very little, apart from the cliches that we immediately think of …
Zanzibar …
You can visit Zanzibar all year round. We can still distinguish the two different seasons: Between June and October its slighter “colder”, and between December and the end of February the temperatures are much higher… There are also fewer tourists (apart from the Christmas holiday makers) …This small Tanzanian archipelago consists of three main islands: Unguja (that we mistakenly call Zanzibar), Pemba and Mafia and several other small islands, and coral reefs. Due to its strategic geographical position, Zanzibar was used for a long time as an entry to east Africa for business and the trading of spices, slaves, precious stones and ivory.It is situated along the oriental coast of Africa, before Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania.
From Paris it takes us 15 hours by plane. After a long flight and many formalities, the tone is set right from when we leave the airport : the heat is overwhelming and we quickly adapt to the fast paced way of life that the locals are accustomed to…
The journey to our lodge reinforces the tone and atmosphere as we make our way along the dusty , cobbled road … Our driver maneuver’s the car skilfully between vehicles, motorcycles, hens, cows, children, and Dala dalas, these local buses of transport filled to bust with people, luggage and anything that will fit actually!!!
If you are not accustomed it can be quite a surprise. We hang on for dear life…The surrounding landscape that we witness along the journey is from the the picturesque postcards that I had imagined. We are very far from the sandy beaches and protected wildlife …
Cars or buses beep their horns simultaneously to avoid cows and hens which walk along minding their own business, pretty much anywhere causing constant traffic jams… Numerous sprinklers, water the town frequently, which is rather dirty and dusty… Many older men sit by by the sides of the road , lined with trees or ruined houses.. Some watch life pass by, others sleep on the ground.. Women dressed in “ Coloured bubus” with baskets on the head which seem to weigh a ton, walk along accompanied with swarms of very young children .The poverty and deprivation of these people is tangible, and deeply moving at the same time.
I remember one instance when our driver “crushed” a hen, and immediately about ten people ran out to it to get the remains right in front of our eyes…
These are not the “idyllic” images that I had of Zanzibar, neither is it shown to us by travel agencies when we are booking our vacation.The reality is rather brutal and not post card like at all. That’s life however, and part of the experience.Discovering other ways of life, getting out of ones comfort zone, and confronting other realities that are much harder and depressing than our own.
Direction the East coast, near the village of Bweeju where I had booked our guest house for the first few nights..
Know that for the most part, the biggest concentration of tourists are usually at the big “ resorts” which are located on the North of the island , near the beaches of Nungwi. For the first part of my stay, I chose something a little rougher on the East cost of Zanzibar : Unguja is its real name. The East coast is a lot calmer and more wild, also less visited (for the time being anyway) It’s famous for its long white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons, and a much more authentic experience. Armed with our backpacks and maps, the schedule is simple: stay for three or four days in one place and move around , visiting the whole island. After 45 minutes of a very bumpy journey, we arrive finally at our guest house in Bweeju.
Bellevue Guesthouse #Hakuna Matata …
I had a real instant connection and love for the little Zen and peaceful guest house, run by a Dutch couple and full of good vibes , high up in the middle of tropical trees … Several Hammocks are suspended here and there, and the rooms are comfortable and all equipped with mosquito nets ( a very important detail in Zanzi).. The food is all organic, fresh and home-made, the chocolate banana smoothies were something else :-)… The beach is several metres and we can make our way there by foot, following a little path.. We immediately felt right at home in this little haven of bliss with its indescribable view…
more infos here : Bellevue Guesthouse
Some important specifics ..
– On the East coast : the beach is very flat, and when the tide is low it is impossible to bathe, there is a kind of sinking mud/sand. This is not the case on the small tourist beaches in the North, where we can swim all the time.. It is for this very reason that most tourists congregate on the North. So our first visit to the beach was more for a sunbathe than a swim , until we got the hang of things. Without a parasol, it’s impossible to last more than 5 minutes in the heat.
Never the less, the view is breathtaking …
-It is also necessary to know that in Zanzibar, the local women cultivate seaweed in the lagoon.. Every day you can see them harvesting seaweed in low tide. The problem is that seaweed ( besides modifying the ecosystem) grows everywhere, which is not very pleasant where there is lots of it .. The tourist beaches of the North or those visited frequently by Paje (village further south, just after my guest house) are regularly cleaned, but this is not the case for the beach of Bweeju that stays ” in its juice ” thanks to the tide.
And ..
– Another thing : the beaches are not really “safe” in Zanzibar, especially the more authentic ones with fewer tourists, so be aware and be careful as there have been many cases of theft and violence. Your best option is to go to the beach with the bare minimum, bikini, parasol and sun-cream …There is no need to be paranoid, but do be careful not to walk around with your camera or any valuable possessions that could tempt these people living in extreme poverty.
– Also avoid walking alone, especially white women, wearing bikinis, in a non tourist zone.. I myself encountered problems with a group of about 10 local fisher-women who didn’t seem to appreciate my bikini, and I was simply reading on the hotel beach alone in my swimming costume… In reality I wasn’t doing anything wrong but they were were looking at me like some kind of animal in a zoo and muttering all kinds of things under their breath ( that I did not understand of course.) Anyway I got up and left, because they did scare me a little, they didn’t seem like very nice people.
Once we are aware of these things its easier to comport oneself in an appropriate manner and dress and act accordingly. As we could not really swim on the beach of the hotel because of the tide, we tried an other, situated 30 minutes away …
Paje plage # perfect spot for kite surf & swimming..
At Paje there is THE best place to go kite sailing, which is also owned by the Bellevue Guest house.. This beach is much more popular than Bweeju ! The Kite center is very pleasant and cosy, with hammocks and wooden seats dotted around. Perfect spot for a nap … and you can leave your valuables, cameras, money etc in the kite center while swimming or napping … The best part : enjoying a delicious and home-made smoothie in one of the many little bars that line the beach after a great swim in the warm lagoon .. On the beaches, its not uncommon to see stray dogs, there are so many and they are for the most part, fairly harmless. You can also find yourself face to face with cows that walk around at liberty even on the beach !
The touts come from the African continent, in traditional attire on the lookout for tourists to sell them produced junk at the highest possible price, or other substances . They often gather in groups with lots of young and unpleasant children and approach you confidently asking for money, pens or shoes … If you listen to them and give them what they want you will end up wearing nothing but your underpants ! At Paje beach the color of water is magnificent, a blue that takes your breath away, and it is so warm … At low tide the lagoon heats for 6 hours during the day, and when the tide rises the warm water is mixed with the boiling shallow water…( I have seriously never experienced water so hot, we are talking 35 degrees) .. It is a little, OK very windy on Paje beach, which is, incidentally where the kite school is but we don’t mind this at all, in fact we appreciated the cool breeze that offers refuge from the blazing heat. I remember feeling a lot better on this particular beach, less isolated, safer (there are people supervising here) and happier.
In fact we adored the Pajes blue lagoon so much and our guest house at Bweeju that we stayed there for the remainder of our time…. We also ventured out to Zanzibar itself by car for different excursions, but we always ended up back at the beach doing the same things that we loved…
If you are looking for a paradise where you can learn to fly a kite, with your feet in a warm lagoon, click here : Funandfly.com
Activities…
There is lots to see and do in Zanzibar …. Of course you cannot possibly do everything, especially if you want to make the most of the sea, and as the locals said ‘Pole Pole sista’ …’Easy easy sister, relax’…. But in spite of this sound advice we still went on several excursions…
Stone Town : the old town embedded in heritage and humanity.
Located 1 hour by car from Bweeju and Paje. In my opinion half a day is sufficient for wandering around aimlessly, up and down the little streets full of quaint shops selling souvenirs and definitely not at African prices… For history buffs or fans of old stones and archaeology, there are guided tours organised by the hotels which take you on a more strategic route to interesting places. And for a little bit of trivia : Freddy Mercury the lead singer of Queen, was born in Zanzibar… So that’s that.
Prison Island
We took advantage of our trip to Stone Town and boarded a local boat which took us to Prison island (Or Changgu Island as it is officially named) , located 30 minutes from the old town… This island was a slave or ‘rebel’ prison before becoming a quarantine zone for yellow fever in the 19 century. It now serves as a shelter and hotel for numerous tortoises from the Seychelles islands that are raised and protected here. Some are enormous and very old. We are allowed to feed and pet them and also walk in the beautiful park, which has been made for them.
After a little visit to the old prison and once we have finished observing (and playing;-)) with the tortoises, we can sit and enjoy a picnic on the little beach while waiting for the boat to return. Here also half a day will suffice.
The dolphins of Kizimkazi
During our stay in Zanzibar, there was something else that really tugged at my heart strings. : I absolutely must tell you all about the dolphins … On the south of the island there is a little isolated village called Kizimkazi, which is basically famous for its excursions to meet the dolphins. A colony of ‘bottle nose’ dolphins live here and they are often observed and admired. The problem is that once the hotels offer these excursions, everybody jumps on the bandwagon, and there are so many people that come and ‘chase’ the dolphins without any scruple or respect for the animals that it becomes ridiculous. The motor boats accelerate behind the dolphins and then people jump into the water to join them, the complete opposite of being kind and gentle with them.
I had read things like this prior to my visit, and so many bad reviews and horrible stories that I decided to pass by with by the local fisherman. Avoiding the circus that surrounds the dolphins, we went to Kizimkazi on principle that if there were too many people we would leave.
Luck was on our side as our driver actually knew a local fisherman who brought us down at dawn with his young son to meet the dolphins. We were alone. It was the height of mating season for the dolphins too, and we were able to swim amongst them without disturbing them (they were well occupied) It was simply magical. The first group arrived , a baby dolphin with its mother and a second group following behind for the nuptial phase. The ‘Bottle nose’ dolphins differ slightly from the ‘Flipper’ dolphins, which are not really fans of human interaction and make it difficult to jump into the water or swim amongst them. They also move quickly and equipped with mask and tubas makes it very difficult to follow them. !!
But this was different. They move gently and slowly, almost dancing in between each other and we can swim beside them or in front or behind watching them closely, hear them sing. It was simply indescribable, it seemed as though they had so much they wanted to say;-) Such a magical meeting ! So this is an excursion that I highly recommend . BUT all the while being respectful. I suggest going with the local fishermen, who will only be to happy to take you. But if there are 3 or more boats already there, I would advise against it. Leave very very early in the morning or at the end of the day and be prepared that you may not be able to see them.. this adds to the charm and the magic of meeting an animal in the wild : We are unsure as to whether we will meet them or not…
Mnemba island
Another nice excursion: Snorkelling around the magnificent Mnemba island.. This protected island hosts a beautiful upscale hotel in complete nature which welcomes only the fabulously rich.
We are not allowed to go there but we can park the boat and snorkel in and around the lagoon and admire the sublime sea bed and its multicoloured fish which surrounds the island.
The sea bed of Zanzibar is very rich and if you like snorkelling and diving you will really appreciate it!
On these particular days, the dolphins were also there 🙂
Unusual things to do ..
– Paddling in the Mangrove..Super fun 🙂
– Having a drink or dinner in this little restaurant in the water ( vegetarians will have to make do with a drink, while sea food fans will be more than pleased with the selection of fish) Dreamlike setting, and breathtaking views.. So romantic 🙂 We make our way to the restaurant by foot in low tide and by boat in high tide. The rock is located on the east coast, a few minutes by car from Paje and Bweeju ..
There are a million more things to do and to see like the spice tour for example where we can taste tropical fruits and local spices, the Forhodani gardens, the butterfly farm, the tropical forest of Jozzani etc… But as I had already a pretty packed schedule, I had to choose which things I could do within the time I had … You also have to remember that in the extreme heat , you tire easily and moving around by foot or by car can be exhausting. We are quick to follow the locals example and sink into an irresistible hammock for some shut eye.
Conclusion ..
I will not hide the fact that on the first day, in spite of the magnificent color of the water, the sun and sublime landscape, I was “upset ” by Zanzibar, compared to my preconceived idea of paradise, I was surprised by the reality.I think that my choice to stay in the “not so tourist and authentic” played a big part in this feeling, and in my overall experience.The journey was not as easy as the Maldives for example. I think its a question of what you are accustomed to and however I felt initially, I soon grew to appreciate my surroundings… For those spending their vacation in the Europeanised hotel “resorts”, it is very much like the picturesque post cards that we see and thus perfect for lazing around and soaking up the sun.
For me, it was a destination more “ authentic”, raw and juicy, with glorious experiences like visiting the dolphins at Kizimkazi with the fisherman and his son, the long swims in the lagoon at Paje beach,the beautiful siestas in the hammocks in the shade by the shore when the sun was blazing down upon us, watching the children play in the sad, the sea bed and its fantastic sea life, playing with the stray dogs and in the evening observing the “bush babies” that play in the trees of our guest-house.
Other memories are more “mitigated”, in particular the numerous touts and street sellers who come from the African continent and who are rather unpleasant = > attention this did not taint my view of the people or the place, as most were adorable to us. Taking us to the shops free of charge or teaching us words in Swahili.The most unpleasant are the touts from Africa, who only come over for business and treat us like cows, and with a lot of contempt; they are easily recognizable on the beaches, by their traditional clothes.. There are also all these tiny children who follow you, asking for money, without smiling at you and that just breaks my heart; We also cannot walk along the beach at sunset as it is not really safe. In fact the army patrols the beach and the lodges every night, nice atmosphere….not. But as they say in Zanzibar “T.I.A: this is Africa”…
These little problems with hospitality and security did not stop us however from enjoying ourselves and passing a pleasant vacation. Nothing bad happened to us. It is just important to remember to be respectful of the different culture, and costumes and follow the rules which I have mentioned in my post.
As far as vaccinations are concerned ; I didn’t do any before travelling to Zanzibar (the fewer I have, the better I feel) And as for malaria, the risk is present all year long. But in view of the side effects and its efficiency I have never had the vaccine. I bought a powerful spray for African zones and the lodges all had mosquito nets. Result: Not a single sting.
So there you have it for this trip of Zanzibar. I encourage you to go and see it for yourself, now that you know what is waiting for you, I’m sure you will appreciate its value.
