Tourism in Zanzibar Island - Africa Natural Tours ( africanaturaltours.com )
Tourism in Zanzibar
Island: Africa Natural Tours
AFRICA
NATURAL TOURS (The best tour company in Tanzania)
Specialized
in: Wildlife safaris, Cultural tourism,
Beach holiday sand
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Known
as the Spice Island, the beautiful island of Zanzibar on Africa’s east coast is
bursting with culture and history, seemingly at odds with its idyllic geography
of white-sand beaches with palms swaying lazily in the sea breeze. Together
this makes Zanzibar a fabulous place to explore as well as a dream to relax and
unwind.
Zanzibar
is the semi-autonomous part of Tanzania in East Africa. It is composed of the
Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 kilometres (16–31 mi) off the
coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islands and two large ones:
Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba. The
capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja. Its historic centre
is Stone Town, which is a World Heritage Site.
Portuguese
invasion and control of the Swahili Coast in the late 16th century ended the
golden age of the archipelago, although the Omani Arabs returned to power less
than a century later. Today, many of the winding streets and high townhouses of
old Stone Town remain unchanged and visitors can walk between the sultan’s
palace, the House of Wonders, the Portuguese fort and gardens, the merchants’
houses, and the Turkish baths of the old city. Day-long spice tours to working
plantations offer visitors the chance to observe the cultivation of cloves,
vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and other spices that have made the island famous.
Zanzibar’s
coastline offers some of the best beaches in the world, but sand and surf vary
depending on what side of the island you’re on. On the east coast, waves break
over coral reefs and sand bars offshore, and low tide reveals small pools of
starfish, small minnows, and anemones. Up north, ocean swimming is much less
susceptible to the tides, and smooth beaches and white sand make for dazzling
days in the sun.
The
port city of Stone Town dominates the west coast, and although the beaches of
Mangapwani, where slave caves are visible at low tide and nearby Bububu are
less than half an hour’s drive away, a night or two spent on the east or north
cost is well worth the extra hour it takes to drive there. That said, the Chole
Island Marine Park just off Stone Town – and nearby Prison, Grave, and Snake
Islands – make a refreshing day-trip and a good break from exploring the
winding passageways of the old city.
On
the south coast of Zanzibar lies the Menai Bay Conservation Area, a sea turtle
protection area for the endangered species that come to breed on the island.
Roads to the southeast coast take visitors through the Jozani Forest, home to
Zanzibar’s rare Red Colobus monkeys and a number of other primate and small
antelope species.
For more information
visit www.africanaturaltours.com
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