Zanzibar

 

Zanzibar island (Unguja in kiswahili) is certainly the most famous of the Tanzanian islands, both for the beauty of its beaches and for being the cradle of a flourishing and ancient civilization whose capital was Stone Town ( Zanzibar in kiswahili).

It is the most easily accessible, with direct flights several times a day either from Arusha and Dar es Salaam, and it offers more choice in terms of accommodation.

Moreover, it is Tanzania’s most “touristy” beach resort and is served by charter flights arriving on a weekly basis with tourists going to holiday villages, which makes many travellers think about Zanzibar is a mass tourism destination.

Fortunately, Zanzibar is not just holiday villages: if you choose the area and accommodation for your stay carefully, you can enjoy a peaceful, relaxing holiday in contact with the true spirit of the island.  Places like Matemwe, Michamvi, Paje, Jambiani, Kizimkazi are still relatively undeveloped and have small lodges more in tune with the environment.