Trip to Zanzibar: My Best Experiences of this Island

Where is Zanzibar? Zanzibar is located in the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast in East Africa. It is a marvellous island with a rich history and culture and so much to experience. Each traveller has his or her own best memories of a place. Here are my best memories of Zanzibar:

Zanzibar beaches

Of course no one will visit Zanzibar without experiencing its beaches. Zanzibar has really beautiful beaches with white sand and blue turquoise waters. What you have heard about the beauty of the beaches are not exaggerated. The sea is amazingly calm with lukewarm water, ideal for swimming or scuba diving. It is an idyllic location if you are interested in a beach holiday on an island paradise.

When you enter Zanzibar, you will soon notice the unique, huge, carved and decorated doors. Especially in Stone Town these doors can be seen all over the town, some in the narrow alleys at the entrances of private residences. If you have the time, you need to visit the Peace Memorial Museum in Zanzibar Town which has the oldest carved door in Zanzibar, dating back 1694.

I found these doors interesting because they are so uniquely Zanzibar. You should read about the origin and history of these wooden doors before visiting Zanzibar.

A spice tour is a must. Just outside Zanzibar town are numerous private plantations. Spices include cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and safran, among others. A guided spice tour will provide you with much information about all the spices where you will also have the opportunity to buy spices according to your own taste. After you have visited the plantations you will understand why Zanzibar is known as the spice island.

A visit to Stone Town with its narrow alleys, houses, shops, bazaars and restaurants will be a memorable trip. You can wander through the narrow streets and shop at many of the interesting shops. If you want to have lunch at a nice location at the seafront, you should try out the famous Mercury bar. Yes, it was named after the late Freddy Mercury of the pop group Queen because he was born in Zanzibar. You will have a view of the waterfront, beach and the harbour. Why not also take a day trip to Prison island? It is only 10 minutes by boat from the harbour. You will have a splendid view of Stone Town and also see the giant tortoises.

If you are wondering at which resort to stay in Zanzibar, I would recommend the Mapenzi Beach Club Resort. It is only 45 km from the airport on the North-east Coast of Zanzibar. It is a beautiful all-inclusive resort with a tropical garden, beautiful bougainvilleas and a white sand beach. The food was really excellent while the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. We had a fantastic stay here.