While tourists invade Asia, there is still a continent in which tourism has not become widespread: I am talking about Africa. Its political and economic situation has reduced visits, but will the day come when its beauties receive the approval of international tourism in large quantities? Meanwhile, wouldn't you like to be an adventurer in African lands?
Today we will focus on Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, islands on the eastern coast of the continent: the best tips for traveling to Zanzibar.
Zanzibar
As we said, is a semi autonomous region of Tanzania, un archipelago on the eastern coast. The name, most likely, either derives from Persian or Arabic.
The main city is Zanzibar Town, on the island of Unguja, where the Queen vocalist was born, Freddy Mercury. Your historical case is already Heritage, and its economy is based on spices, such as pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg.
The Arabs turned the islands into a commercial center, in the network of routes that linked India, Africa and Arabia. Then the Portuguese would arrive, back in the 15th century, and then the Persians and the Sultanate of Oman, which eventually developed the spice plantation economy.
Spaces, ivory and slaves They were the triad of trade until the 1963th century, when the English abolished slavery. Independence had to wait until XNUMX, but the political problems did not cease but intensified and a year later Zanzibar became an autonomous region. but it was not and is not an independent nation or country.
Tips for traveling to Tanzania
You should know first that Zanzibar has an international airport, but also you can arrive by ferry. You can fly to Unguja Island and Pemba Island. Most flights depart from Dar es Salaam, on the coast of Tanzania, to Stone Town. It is a flight of just 15 minutes. There are also direct flights from the Seronera Valley in the Serengeti.
But the cheapest way to get to these beautiful islands is to take the ferry in Dar es Salaam. There are more modern ones and therefore more expensive, otherwise they are rather simple. Here English and Swahili are spoken, both official languages. The currency is shilling, but you can use American dollars. Of course, there are few ATMs so don't go without cash.
Tourism is today one of the main sources of foreign currency so it is taken care of a lot. That's why, In general terms it is a safe place, although safety measures are worth taking, such as taking taxis at night and not going for a walk along the coast when the sun goes down. They also recommend being careful when navigating the waters around.
It is safe to swim, the Indian Ocean is warm and the waves tend to be gentle, which is why snorkeling and diving are among the favorite tourist activities. There are sharks? There is the occasional shark reef, but They are not a danger, even on Mafia Island you can swim among whale sharks.
Society is mostly Muslim so you have to be respectful when dressing, especially women. Luckily that doesn't apply to swimsuits. Regarding health you have to get vaccinated against yellow fever yes or yes to enter Zanzibar. It is also advisable to treat typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B and tetanus.
Stone Town is the historic center, a place that is ideal to stay. Of course, it is not as safe as leaving the hotel at night and walking. You have to get around in taxis that are registered or recommended by people at the accommodation or friends. You can even hire a local escort to take you wherever you want to go.
When is the best time to travel to Zanzibar? It's south of the equator so The climate is tropical all year round. On average the island receives between eight and nine hours of sunlight each day, so it couldn't be better.
Experts say that from mid-winter to spring or mid-summer are the best times. These are the dry seasons, with little rain, and like a tropical island it is never really cold.
Still, if you have to choose a single moment, I think between June and September or October is the best. Clear skies, calm temperatures, it's safari season in Tanzania so you can do a lot too without fighting the stifling heat.
You can also go in mid-December, January and February. They are also dry months, with good weather and clear skies. And there are few people. If you cannot and you must go to see Zanzibar between November and February, it is best to move along the southwest coast because the monsoons arrive from the northeast. From this other part the monsoons arrive from June to October.
Now, with those crystal clear waters you have to snorkel and for that the best months are from July to August and from February to April. In April it rains more, so you have to avoid it. The main rainy season is from mid-March to May, with the peak in April. Heat, rain and high humidity.
Another question that surely interests you is to know if Zanzibar is or is not an expensive destination. No, can be very economical because there are many types of accommodation and activities. The most expensive of all will be the plane ticket. And there is always the ferry from the mainland, from Dar es Salaam.
But how much money are we talking about? For a tight budget we talk about spending between 45 and 50 dollars per day: shared dormitory, local meals. You can stretch it up to 100 dollars and thus spend on average about 800 for seven days.
And is that a week is the ideal number to get to know the basics of Zanzibar. It must be said that the archipelago is vast and very diverse, with its two main islands and its islets, all in 2.462 square kilometers. Unguja alone, the main island, is 85 kilometers long and 39 kilometers wide. Pemba follows with 67 km long and 22 km wide.
If you just want to go relax on its beautiful beaches (the best are undoubtedly on the northeast coast), then you can stay a week in a resort, but If you like Zanzibar and want to get to know it better then you have to add days to take cultural excursions, visit plantations, dive in its marine reserves, learn about its flora and fauna. and more.