Rough Guide to Zanzibar (Mini Rough Guides) Book

INTRODUCTION This is the finest place I have known in all of Africa . . . An illusive place where nothing is as it seems. I am mesmerised . . . David Livingstone, 1866 Lying in the Indian Ocean, 35km off the coast of mainland Tanzania and six degrees south of the Equator, the archipelago of ZANZIBAR is one of Africa?s best-known and most enticing destinations. Comprising the islands of Unguja and Pemba and a number of smaller isles and coral atolls, the very name evokes images of an exotic laid-back paradise replete with coconut palms, multicoloured coral reefs and, of course, miles and miles of white sands lapped by warm, translucent waters. The image is not without justification but there?s a whole lot more to Zanzibar than beaches and tropical languor. Its history, for a start, is one of the most turbulent and fascinating in East Africa, with more than its fair share of invasions, conquests, empires, intrigues and fluctuating fortunes, all of which have left their mark. The lingua franca, Kiswahili, has its roots in various Bantu and Cushitic tongues and a vocabulary peppered with Arabic, Portuguese, English and Hindi. Zanzibari culture reflects this mixture, too, not just in the architecture and monuments of Stone Town and the ruined cities and palaces scattered across the islands, but in a wealth of festivals ranging from dhow races and Islamic celebrations to bull fights on Pemba and the world-renowned Zanzibar International Film Festival. The latter is also the showcase for an equally vibrant music and dance scene, combining traditional Swahili music (taarab) with rap and reggae. The archipelago?s biggest and most important island is Unguja (confusingly also called Zanzibar island), 1651 square kilometres of low-lying fossilized coral separated from the mainland by the Zanzibar Channel. The capital Stone Town, on the west coast of Unguja, is one of the world?s most alluring cities. Its Arabian-style labyrinth of narrow crooked alleyways, packed to the rafters with nineteenth-century mansions, palaces and bazaars, has enough of interest to merit several days of aimless wandering, and the town also provides a good base for visiting the rest of the island. The wetter western side of Unguja is where most of the island?s famous spice plantations are located, easily visited on an organized tour, as are a number of other attractions including ruined Omani palaces, Persian baths, a cave used to hide slaves, and a number of uninhabited islands off Stone Town whose surrounding coral reefs are ideal for snorkelling. Another viable day-trip is Jozani Forest, Zanzibar?s largest tract of indigenous evergreen forest, which shelters several endemic species including the endangered red colobus monkey, and is usually combined with a boat excursion off Kizimkazi on the south coast in search of resident dolphins. But Unguja?s main attraction after Stone Town is its beaches. The most beautiful are on the east and northeast coasts and either side of Unguja?s northernmost tip, Ras Nungwi. Although parts of the coast, notably the northeast, have been swamped by monstrous all-inclusive package resorts, development remains for the most part low-key, and beach accommodation ranges from homely bungalow-style set-ups to plush five-star resorts with all the creature comforts you could wish for. As well as standard watersports, scuba diving is offered by an increasing number of PADI-accredited dive centres and schools, some at the beach hotels, others in Stone Town. Unguja?s sister island of Pemba, 48km to the north, is quite a contrast. For a start, few tourists ever visit here and facilities are limited. Pemba?s beaches are fewer and less accessible than Unguja?s, though you?re likely to have them to yourself. The island?s main attraction is its fringing coral reef, offering exhilarating scuba diving and snorkelling, whilst terrestrial attractions include the pristine Ngesi Forest and a host of medieval ruins dating from the height of the Swahili trading civilization.Read More