Zanzibar is part of the United Republic of Tanzania and comprises of the two main islands of Unguja and Pemba , situated about 30 kilometres off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.

Together with Mafia Island , the islands form the
‘ Spice Islands ’.

The islands’ climate is tropical, with temperatures between 20° C in August and 30° C in February. There are two rainy seasons. The stronger one is between March and end of May.

The shorter one, with less and weaker rains, is between the middle of October and the middle of November.

Stunning coral reefs surround the island, which has numerous bays and atolls with pristine tropical beaches.
The island’s interior is famous for its spice plantations. A tour through a spice plantation is a ‘must’ for most tourists.

At a spice plantation, visitors can experience how spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper are cultivated.

The main town and economic centre of Zanzibar is Stone Town. It is the oldest and only intact swahili coastal trading town of East Africa.

Its sultan’s palasts, mosques, baths, and the labyrinth of narrow streets with ornamented merchant’s houses witness the island’s rich history, influenced by the Arabs, Sumerians, Persians, Indians, British and Portuguese.

Tourism started in Zanzibar as late as in the 1990s. It is a low volume, high quality tourism, keeping most parts of the island as pristine as they have always been.

Tour operators offers a variety of excursions such as trips to Jozani Forest, a tropical rain forest which is habitat to the ingenious red colobus monkey, boat safaris into the Menai Bay conservation area, trips to a spice plantation, and guided tours through Stone Town.

Popular tourism activities in Zanzibar include snorkelling, diving, watersports, sailing trips on traditional ‘dhow’ boats, fishing, or just relaxing and enjoying the wonderful Zanzibar cuisine with an unsurpassed variety of fresh fish and seafood.

Cultural and sports events such as the Festival of the Dhow Countries, The Zanzibar International Film Festival and the Zanzibar International Marathon and Triathlon attract thousands of international participants and visitors each year.

The official languages in Zanzibar are Swahili and English.

Facts:

Links of interest:
» Zanzibar Commission for Tourism
» Tanzania Tourist Board