Tanzania boasts plentiful wildlife and amazing landscapes; yet the island of Zanzibar is often forgotten. On wonders of Tanzania, you’ll explore the country in thorough, from Arusha to the dramatic Ngorongoro crater, and from Tarangire to the Serengeti and a journey’s end on the beaches of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is an archipelago made up of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands, and several islets. It is located in the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast, and 6° south of the equator.
Zanzibar Island (known locally as Unguja, but as Zanzibar internationally) is 60 miles long and 20 miles wide, occupying a total area of approximately 650 square miles. It is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs, and the magic of historic Stone Town - said to be the only functioning ancient town in East Africa. Zanzibar has lured traders, adventurers, plunderers and explorers to its shores for centuries...The Assyrians, Sumerians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Indians, Chinese, Persians, Portuguese, Omani Arabs, Dutch and English have all been here at one time or another. Some, particularly the Shirazi Persians and Omani Arabs, stayed to settle and rule. With this influence, Zanzibar has become predominantly Islamic (97%) - the remaining 3% is made up of Christians, Hindus and Sikhs. The earliest visitors to Zanzibar were Arab traders who are said to have arrived in the 8th century. The earliest building that remains on Zanzibar is the mosque at Kizimkazi which dates from 1107, and is a present-day tourist attraction.For centuries the Arabs sailed with the Monsoon winds from Oman to trade primarily in ivory, slaves and spices. The two main islands, Unguja (normally known as Zanzibar Island) and Pemba, provided an ideal base for the Omani Arabs, being relatively small, and therefore fairly easy to defend. From here it was possible for them to control 1,000 miles of the mainland coast from present day Mozambique to Somalia. Indeed, in 1832, Sultan Seyyid Said, of the Busaid Dynasty that had emerged in Oman, moved his Sultanate from Muscat, which was perhaps more difficult to protect, to Zanzibar where he and his descendants ruled for over 130 years. Most of the wealth lay in the hands of the Arab community, who were the main landowners, kept themselves to themselves, and generally did not intermarry with the Africans.
This was not true of the Shirazi Persians who came from the Middle East to settle on the East African coast. The story goes that in AD 975, Abi Ben Sultan Hasan of Shiraz in Persia (now Iran) had a terrible nightmare in which a rat devoured the foundations of his house. He took this as an omen that his community was to be devastated. Others in the Shiraz Court ridiculed the notion, but Sultan Hasan, his family and some followers obviously took it very seriously because they decided to migrate. They set out in seven dhows into the Indian Ocean but were caught in a huge storm and separated. Thus, landfalls were made at seven different places along the East African coast, one of which was Zanzibar, and settlements began.Widespread intermarriage between Shirazis and Africans gave rise to a coastal community with distinctive features, and a language derived in part from Arabic, which became known as Swahili. The name Swahili comes from the Arab word sawahil which means 'coast'. The Zanzibar descendants of this group were not greatly involved in the lucrative slave, spice and ivory trades. Instead, they immersed themselves mainly in agriculture and fishing. Those Shirazis that did not intermarry retained their identity as a separate group.Two smaller communities were also established. Indian traders arrived in connection with the spice and ivory trade, and quickly settled as shopkeepers, traders, skilled artisans, and professionals. The British became involved in missionary and trading activities in East Africa, and attempting to suppress the slave trade centred in Zanzibar.
ON MY WAY TO PRISON ISLAND:
Zanzibar Prison Island Tour-from Stone Town, you can board a local dhow and head towards prison island, also known as Chumbe island, famous for its prison and giant tortoises
Posing with Monique and 189 Years Tortoise @ Prison Island in Zanzibar
ALSO VISITED JOZANI FOREST
The Jozani Natural Forest Reserve is located in the central east region of Zanzibar island and is home to the rare Red Colobus Monkey (pictured opposite), which is endemic to Zanzibar. These monkeys are full of character, and roam freely. They can also be seen at very close quarters just outside the reserve's perimeter and are incredibly photogenic. Jozani is home to other species including Syke's monkey's, small buck and bushpigs. The elusive Zanzibar leopard (last sited several years ago) is said to feed here at night - perhaps this is why the reserve is only open during the day?! Jozani has an excellent nature trail and the guides are well trained and informative.
Fishing and agriculture are the main economic activities of the local people. Zanzibar was once the world's largest producer of cloves, and her economy was based on large incomes thus derived. Although cloves are still a major export along with coconut products and spices, tourism has been ear-marked as the primary foreign exchange earner, with more visitors coming to Zanzibar each year. At this stage, the numbers are still low (less than 100,000 annually) and the potential for tourism is relatively untapped. Zanzibar's tourism private sector is represented by the Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (ZATI).
PEOPLE, RELIGION AND LANGUAGE:
Zanzibar's local people are an incredible mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of her colourful history. Islam is the dominant religion, and practiced by most Zanzibaris, although there are also followers of Christianity and Hinduism. Population is estimated at 800,000, with the largest concentration being Zanzibar City which has approximately 100,000 inhabitants. Zanzibaris speak Swahili (known locally as Kiswahili), a language which is spoken extensively in East Africa. Many believe that the purest form is spoken in Zanzibar as it is the birth place of the language.
DID YOU KNOW?
-The people of Zanzibar are known as Zanzibaris and their native language is Kiswahili, commonly known internationally as Swahili.
-Zanzibar used to be the world's largest producer of cloves, and its history was heavily influenced by the this activity.
-Zanzibar's paradise beaches are fringed by an abundance of coconut palms. Unlike most tourists, the local people see these trees as more than aesthetically pleasing flora! Nothing goes to waste, and apart from the famous nut, the coconut palm yields an impressive variety of products, among them materials for weaving, building, eating and drinking. The roofs of many houses in Zanzibar (particularly in rural areas) are constructed using makuti palm thatching, made from palm leaves. Its many uses makes the coconut palm one of the most versatile of all plants.
-The late Freddie Mercury, who was lead singer and front man for the band Queen, was born in Zanzibar on 5 September 1946. His name then was Farouk Bulsara, and his father was an accountant working for the British government in the House of Wonders in Zanzibar Town. His family had emigrated to Zanzibar from India but were originally of Persian extraction.
-The rare Kirk's Red Colobus monkey is only found in Zanzibar, predominantly in Jozani Forest. More on this in Touring Zanzibar.
-Zanzibar had the first steam locomotive in East Africa. A tiny two foot gauge engine to haul the Sultan to and fro from his summer palace in the 1880's. Zanzibar also boasted a seven mile railway to Bububu, built in 1905, which became notorious for setting the countryside alight.
-Stone Town has been designated one of the world's few heritage sites by the United Nations.
-The Shortest War in History was fought in Zanzibar in 1896. On 25 August, Sultan Hamid bin Thuwaini died, and two hours later, an usurper broke into the Palace and declared himself ruler. In a show of Victorian Gunboat Diplomacy, the Royal Navy was asked to evict him. At precisely 9 o' clock on the 27th, three warships opened fire and in 45 minutes reduced the Palace to rubble, and deposed the usurper. The bombardment has since been called the "Shortest War in History" as verified by the Guinness Book of Records.
-At last count, there were 560 carved doors in Zanzibar. The oldest door discovered in Zanzibar is dated AD 1694. When a house was built in Zanzibar, the door was traditionally the first part to be erected. The greater the wealth and social position of the owner of the house, the larger and more elaborately carved his front door. Many doors are studded with brass spikes. This may be a modification of the Indian practice of studding doors with sharp spikes of iron to prevent their being battered in by war elephants. In 915 AD, an Arab traveller recorded that Zanzibar island abounded in elephants, and around 1295 Marco Polo wrote that Zanzibar had 'elephants in plenty'. However, there are no elephants here now, and the brass studs seen today are purely for decoration!
It's a really safe and beautiful place. The people are kind and the government is progressive. I like that moment of sunset when the land glows an iridescent orange-yellow. You hear the muezzins, the people at the mosques who call for prayer. Their calls form a chain reaction across the town, in every village and hamlet. Once the sun is down, we wander out to the sugar-cane-juice vendors and drink till we have our fill.
