Zanzibar side trip

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Zanzibar
tips & insights

Why it's special

The tropical island of Zanzibar rightfully conjures up images of gracefully sailing dhows (see photo), palm-fringed white-sand tropical beaches, beautiful lagoons and coral reefs, aromatic spice plantations, seaside resorts, and historic Stone Town.

Getting there

It's easy to get to Zanzibar from Arusha. Coastal Airlines has a midday 90-minute non-stop flight from Arusha to Zanzibar. Alternatively, you could fly to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania's largest city) then take a fast, modern ferry to Zanzibar.

Stone town

It's the only town on the island. A walking tour through the narrow winding alleys of its old section is fascinating. A tour of the tropical island is also a must.

Best resort

Zanzibar has a number of beach resorts. By far the best is the Mnemba Island Resort. This is one of the world's foremost conversation piece resorts. It's on its own small, secluded tropical islands barely off Zanzibar's eastern coast. This exclusive, expensive resort has just 10 casual, thatched huts. Everyone - guest and staff  - goes barefoot. This adds to the marooned Robinson Crusoe ambiance.

Best hotel

The island's best hotel is the Zanzibar Serena Inn. It has Stone Town's choicest waterfront location.

When not to come

Wise to avoid the island from late March to late May, the local rainy season. 

Geography

Zanzibar lies in the Indian Ocean 40 kilometers (25 miles) off the coast of Africa. The island is approximately 85 kilometers (53 miles) long and 20 kilometers (12 miles) wide.

Two names

What most of the world calls "Zanzibar" is technically "Unguja". Locally, the word Zanzibar defines a small archipelago that includes Unguja as well as Pemba (another tourist destination). On this website, I use the name Zanzibar (instead of Unguja) because of its widespread usage.

Major religion

Most Zanzibar citizens are Muslims (in contrast to mainland Tanzania where Christianity is dominant)

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