Eat at a Zanzibar Pizza at Forodhani Gardens
Each evening, at Forodhani Gardens on the seafront of Stone Town, street vendors set up their stalls, selling seafood and meat kebabs, samosas, fruit, grilled maize, Zanzibar pizzas and sugar cane juice to tourists and locals alike.
Shop for Spices and Kitenge
Buy paintings, jewellery, material, wooden carvings, Maasai bracelets, ‘sexy shoes’ (kind of like metal flip flops, that make you sexy apparently), Zanzibar chests and exotic spices. A lot of these shops sell the same mass-produced stuff you find all over Africa, but you’ll find the odd cool item! Don’t forget to barter. Start low and then meet in the middle – it’s pretty fun when you get the hang of it!
Take a Walking Tour of Stone Town
Some people arrive in Zanzibar and head straight to the beaches, however I strongly suggest you stay in Stone Town for at least a day or two. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and one of the most interesting places. Having a guide for a few hours will provide a great insight into the island U-Trip Zanzibar Car Rental Will be proud to find a guider for you.
Ride a Dala Dala
No trip to Zanzibar (or Tanzania) would be complete without a little ride on a dala dala mini bus. These tend to be packed, sweaty and with questionable safety records, but they are an experience and the cheapest way to get around the island.
Go on a Village Tour
While it’s fine to visit a lot of villages on the island, going on an organised tour with a guide is a good way to get an insight into daily life whilst contributing to the local economy. Jambiani on the east coast is a great village to visit and the people very welcoming. You can visit the fishermen, local women’s groups, herbalist and seaweed farms. Many tours include a traditional Swahili lunch too.
Admire the Doors
Zanzibar doors are something else. While some doors and buildings are succumbing to ruin, there are still many of the original doors intact, ornately decorated and have meanings behind them.
Try the Local Food
There are tons of lovely food you can buy off the street including my favorites kashata, mishkaki and mango with chilli. If you’re looking for a restaurant, that’s cheap, authentic but really, really tasty, go to Lukman or The Passing Show Hotel in Stone Town. Local foods include fried fish, chicken, curry, biriyani and pilau rice, as well as samosas and chapatis. It will be an honor to take you there.
Go on Safari Blue
You start in the small village of Fumba on the south coast, sailing on a traditional dhow to Menai Bay where dolphins you have the chance to see and swim with dolphins. Snorkeling is the order of the day and you have chance to explore the reefs. Lunch is a seafood buffet that includes fresh lobster, fish, calamari, chicken and veggie options served on a sandbank. Drinks are also included! It’s a full day trip, so in the afternoon you sail to Kwale Island take a ride on a Ngalawa canoe, explore the mangroves, see an ancient baobab tree and relax on the beach before sailing back to Zanzibar at sunset.
Take a Spice Tour
Zanzibar is called ‘The Spice Island’ due to the spices grown on the island. You’ll get to taste things like vanilla, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon as well as many others, used for cooking or in traditional medicines. Your guide will explain what the spices are used for and their unique properties. I swear, you’ll end up putting turmeric in EVERYTHING.
Visit a Jozani Forest
Jozani Forest, is home to the rare red colobus monkey. As you walk through the forest, you’ll get chance to see the monkeys up close and learn about the various plants and animals that call this place home.
Eat Lunch at The Rock Restaurant
Head to the east of the island and you’ll find The Rock, just off Michanvi Pingwe beach. This restaurant is unusual, because it is literally built on a rock, in the Indian Ocean!
Visit Prison Island (Changuu)
Changuu (Prison Island) is a former slave prison, just off the coast of Stone Town. Today it is home to giant Aldebaran tortoise’s, imported from the Seychelles. You can feed the tortoises, enjoy the forest, sunbathe on the white sandy beach and get a great view of Stone Town. Surrounding the island is a coral reef, good for snorkeling and the water is dotted with colorful starfish.
Learn Some Kiswahili
While a lot of people speak English, knowing a little bit of the local language goes a LONG, LONG way in Zanzibar (or any part of Tanzania). Just speaking a few greetings will get you a huge smile, a lot of respect and the response ‘Ah, you speak Swahili?”
Examples of common words used are:
Visiting Zanzibar during Ramadan
Almost the entire population of Zanzibar is Muslim so Ramadan is an important event on the island. Travelers arriving during this month should be aware of certain rules and etiquette that needs to be adhered to. While it is not illegal to eat, drink or smoke in public, it is considered disrespectful as almost all of the locals will be fasting during the day. Some restaurants will also either close completely or at least close off their outdoor eating space during this time. If you are in Zanzibar for Ramadan, you might get the chance to attend a Siku Kuu dinner, a feast that marks the end of the fasting period for the day.
