A TRIP TO PARADISE IN ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA

When my fiancé popped the question he surprised me with an amazing “engagement-moon” to East Africa. Located in the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania. Also known as the “Spice Islands”, along with its white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters, Zanzibar is a must for the best luxury vacation and one I’ll never forget!

CURRENCY: Tanzanian Shilling

HOW TO GET AROUND: Taxi or Personal Driver

LANGUAGES: Swahili, Arabic & English

IMPORTANT INFO: Precautionary vaccinations may be needed; we obtained Hepatitis A and Typhoid fever shots & Malaria pills – be sure to check with your doctor on which ones are best for you. You will also need a Visa for entrance into the country.

Zanzibar has a year round tropical climate with two rainy seasons; long rains last from March to May and short rains are from mid-October to December. We went in the beginning of December and the weather was a perfect 87 degrees everyday.

WHERE TO STAY

When we travel we usually prefer a more laid back and isolated area away from the hustle and bustle so the south eastern village Paje was the perfect choice. We stayed at the White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa in a Deluxe Villa.

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WHERE TO EAT

From fresh seafood to the mix of Swahili, Arab, Persian, Indian and European influence your food palette is sure to be pleased. When we were not on the resort there are a lot of great local restaurants in town.

Located on a walk-up rooftop, Emerson on Hurumzi is known as the hightest tea room in Stone Town and is a definite stop when in Zanzibar. We sat “Swahili Style” on floor cushions with a low table and the removal of shoes. At sunset, we had the Tea House Dinner Experience which included a set three-course cuisine fused with oriental Persian and Omani flavors as well as a traditional Taarab performance by musicians of the Dhow Countries Music Academy. Reservations are a must and during high tourist seasons you may be required to make a deposit booking.

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Dishes included Arabian flat bread, pumpkin Tagine, Massaman goat curry, Persian Pilau rice and green papaya salad to name a few. I had a delicious cocktail “Hibiscus Royale” with sparkling wine and Hibiscus. The dinner is 40USD per person with drinks 4-5USD, which is pretty affordable for such an experience. Upon departure your hands are washed with a floral spiced water which smells divine!

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THE ROCK RESTAURANT – PINGWE

Another one of my favorites is the world famous The Rock Restaurant of course due to its unique location; on a rock. During low tide you can walk straight up the restaurant, we had high tide so a short boat ride took us over from the beach.

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Here you will find a cuisine of local seafood and Italian with a Zanzibar twist of spices like the Zanzibar spiced ice cream, which I highly recommend. Prices are a little bit higher here (not crazy) than other local places as you’re most in likely paying for the location and experience but if familiar with the NY area, then prices are comparable to that. Reservations are a must and you must be dining with food as this is not a spot for just drinks.

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PAJE BY NIGHT RESTAURANT – PAJE

Paje by Night was an unplanned stop as we were looking for another location, which felt like forever, got hot and gave up in dire hunger. Fun fact as soon as we finished eating and left, we realized the restaurant we were looking for was only a block away -_- lol. However this restaurant was a cute beach bar part of a resort and I had a light lunch of a sautéed octopus and potatoe salad.

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Kijiji Restaurant – this was another local restaurant in Paje we didn’t make it to this time, but they have a highly recommended menu of African and Asian seafood.

WHAT TO DO

TANGAWZI SPICE FARM

On this farm they grow almost every spice you can think of. From tasting fresh cacao straight from the fruit, sweet red bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, ylang ylang etc. the guide was really informative on the different types of spices and fruits. This costs about 15USD per person, wear comfortable, closed toe shoes as you are walking through dirt. They also offer African cooking classes utilizing spices on the farm and you can purchase locally made lotions, soaps, spiced coffees, my favorite is the Vanilla coffee and fresh vanilla extract. We bought quite a few things back and they make really great souvenirs.

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STONE TOWN TOUR

This is a private guided tour throughout Stone Town lasting about 3 hours and costs 30USD per person. The tour highlights Zanzibar’s architecture, food markets and historic landmarks such as the House of Wonders; which is the largest and tallest building in Stone Town named for the wonderment of being the first building in Zanzibar to have electricity and the first to have an elevator in East Africa. It now houses the Museum of History and Culture of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast.

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EAST AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE EXHIBIT

Inside the Angelican Cathedral Church of Christ, this site is one of the last open slave markets. Inside the museum is small yet powerful as you are walked through the quarters.

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Zanzibar is known for its carved wooden doors, which were a symbol of wealth and status. We visited some local woodcarving artisans who created these amazing doors with so much detail completely by hand.

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Some other things to see and do:

• Enjoy the beach!!
• Spice Community Shop – local spice, food, clothing market
• Spice Tour with cooking classes $20USD per person
• Sultan’s Palace – museum for the Zanzibari royal family and history
• Old Dispensary
• Old Fort of Zanzibar – fortress ruins; outside you can get henna tattoos by the local women
• Freddy Mercury Museum

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Zanzibar is hands down one of best vacations ever that need to be on your vacation list. I can’t wait to go back again. Planning a trip to Zanzibar or have any questions, let me know below!

-B