WHY ZANZIBAR

When people who don’t know me well ask me “where are you going this year?”, they don’t think I’ll decide my destination when I book the flight.

This happened especially with the 2018 trip (I was planning to come back to Asia but the price to Bangkok took me to Norway, Sami territories and Svalbard Islands) and in 2022 (for various reasons I booked the flight two days before departure to Argentina and Uruguay, to which Brazil was added once there).

In 2021 I was in Tanzania and Zanzibar.
The year just gone is still fresh in my mind as a particularly special one for travelling, but I don’t intend to dwell on that period.

Tanzania was probably the only country in the world that was fully open to tourism and happy to let in any people who wanted to travel without any restrictions.

So, I decided to go to Tanzania in my usual nomadic way, and it was an easy choice.

Aside from the total freedom this country offers, there were also plenty of attractions that caught my eye, such as seeing animals in the savannah and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

I’m used to the sea in Sardinia, so I never thought Zanzibar was a must-see destination.
Once I’d decided to travel to Tanzania, Zanzibar was always going to be on my list of destinations.
Moreover, as with all islands, it has its own history.

This also marked my first time in Africa.

HOW TO GET TO ZANZIBAR

The first step you need is to contact the Tanzanian embassy.
It was really straightforward and a pleasure to speak with them.
Maybe the historical context had helped, but they were happy to help me out bit by bit, by email and by phone.
In short, there was no red tape, just a great desire to make sure I had the smoothest trip possible.

There are two airports in Tanzania, mainly with stopovers in Doha: ‘Abeid Amani Karume’ in Zanzibar and ‘Julius Nyerere’ in Dar el Salaam.

Depending on the offer, you can land at the latter and then fly to Zanzibar or take one of the many daily ferry connections.

I have to tell you about my adventure: after going through security checks at Kilimanjaro Airport, I was waiting to board the flight to Zanzibar, with a one-hour stopover in Dar el Saalam.
The boarding gate wasn’t showing on the monitors, so I went over to a hostess to ask for confirmation, just as they were boarding the flight to Zanzibar.
When she realised I was going to the island, unbelievably she offered tl let me on the plane directly.
I got on the plane without a ticket.
Before I had a chance to process what was going on, the plane took off, leaving me wondering if I had understood the hostess’ proposal correctly throughout the flight.
When we landed, I saw the sign for Zanzibar Airport and finally understood what had happened.
The only thing I was unsure about was what had happened to my backpack.
I got confirmation when it didn’t turn up at baggage claim.
I went to ask about it and was not surprised when they told me to look for it in the hold of the plane.
So, I went into the hold of the plane and came out with my travel partner, ready to discover Zanzibar.

WHAT TO DO IN ZANZIBAR

When people think about Zanzibar, they probably imagine themselves on gorgeous beaches and swimming in a sparkling sea.
That’s definitely true, but it’s a bit of a shame to go to Zanzibar just for that.

You should allow yourself plenty of time to explore Stone Town at a leisurely pace, getting lost in its narrow alleys.

Freddie Mercury was born here, so it’s no surprise that his house has been converted into a museum.

If you follow the road towards the sea, you’ll find a diving centre.
In my opinion, this is the best way to reach deserted beaches and see the immaculate seabeds.
You don’t need a diving licence. You can just get on a boat and take part in a snorkelling trip, which is less intense but still great fun.

Zanzibarian cuisine is really diverse, and has been shaped by the different historical periods.
As well as the many places in the alleys of Stone Town, there are also plenty of places to eat delicious food at the night market on the waterfront.

WHERE TO SLEEP

I’m not the type of guy who’s looking for an all-inclusive resort, so I don’t have any suggestions in this regard.
I would definitely recommend sleeping in Stone Town.
Apart from the potential initial challenge of finding your way around, this is the best way to explore the city, visit the beach and embark on the many day trips in the area.
I picked the shared dorm at Bottoms Up Hostel, but there are plenty of other great options.

CONCLUSIONS

I wasn’t originally planning to go to Zanzibar (or places like the Seychelles, Maldives, Sharm el-Sheikh and so on), but a few coincidences made me change my mind.

I was surprised by Stone Town and the new experiences it offered.
I have a very good sense of direction, but I got lost a few times in the very similar, twisty and hidden alleys.
It’s also part of the fun of travelling to get lost.

I wasn’t blown away by the beaches, but I’m used to Sardinia.
On the other hand, the diving showed me a beautiful underwater world and an immaculate coral reef.
If you don’t have a diving licence or are afraid of the depths, don’t worry.
You can still enjoy the beautiful seascapes and many species of fish by just snorkelling.

In short, a trip to Zanzibar is an experience you’ve got to have.
Maybe after spending a few days or weeks in Tanzania.