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| Zanzibar Archipelago | ||
| province | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tanzania has no parent region. | ||
| Residents | 1.303.569 () | |
| height | 135 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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In the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, before the East coastAfrica, is a group of islands that became world famous through the slave trade and the cultivation of expensive spices. Even today her name exudes exoticism and fascinates more and more holidaymakers from all over the world - Zanzibar.
background
As a semi-autonomous state of the republic Tanzania Zanzibar is largely politically independent and the culture and way of life on the Muslim islands differs significantly from life on the mainland. The heart of the archipelago is the main island Unguja (formerly also called Zanzibar), on which the capital is located, as well as the historic old town Stone Town. The next bigger island Pemba is located north of Unguja and there are many other islets around it. Geographically, the island also belongs mafia to the Zanzibar Archipelago, but this is administered from the mainland and is not politically part of the region.
Zanzibar is rich in history, with numerous archaeological sites on the island, particularly in Unguja Ukuu, north of the dam that connects the islands of Unguja and Uzi.
The island has been strongly influenced by Arab culture for many centuries and belonged to the Sultanate of Oman from 1698. In 1896, Zanzibar was the scene of the shortest war in the world - they surrendered to the British Army after 38 minutes.
Islands
- 1 Unguja.
The large main island is the center of the islands' social life and the economic hub. Almost all major places and tourist attractions are located on it.
- Along the East coast There are long sandy beaches that are increasingly being developed for tourism. However, there are also more lonely places here.
- The northern tip - around the fishing village Nungwi Many hotel chains have settled here, so that the natural beach has unfortunately been largely destroyed. Larger settlements of simple huts that are connected by simple mogul slopes are directly adjacent to the hotels. A lighthouse should be mentioned as an excursion destination. There are only a few secluded bays on the west side.
- in the South of the island is among other things the famous Jozani Forest, the part of the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is. In addition to the endemic Zanzibar colobus monkeys ("Zanzibar red colobus") the island's first national park still offers impressive mangrove forests in which black crabs rummage in the mud.
- The interior of the island is not very well developed for tourism and is still very original. The Zanzibaris live in simple huts, and each family cultivates a small piece of land. While the western part of the island consists of tropical forest and mainly fruits such as pineapples, bananas and jackfruit grow here, the eastern part with its coral floors offers coconut palms a nutritious subsoil. In addition to the isolated ruins of former sultan's palaces, you can also visit the island's famous spice farms, which are mainly located east of the capital and show the visitor how many of the spices that are only known in Europe in dry form grow and thrive in the tropical climate - a must on every visit to Zanzibar!
- 2 Pemba.
The smaller, greener island north of Unguja. In terms of tourism, Pemba, in contrast to Zanzibar, has so far only been poorly developed despite its diverse scenic attractions and now a relatively good road network. There are mostly high-priced hotels on some beaches, which can usually only be reached with arranged transport or a rental car; In the places Chake-Chake, Wete and Mkoani there are several hotels or guest houses of different categories. - 3 Changuu (Kisiwa cha Changuu).Changuu was used as a prison island by its owners, two Arab slave traders who had given it as a gift from Zanzibar's first sultan, Majid bin Said (1834–1870), where they punished some of their slaves before taking them to the slave market in Stone Town sold. After Changuu was briefly used as a coral mine, British Governor Lloyd Mathews bought the island in 1893 to build a prison for violent criminals from the mainland. Instead, a yellow fever quarantine station was set up in the prison when Stone Town was threatened with an epidemic that could have spilled over to all of East Africa. Since most of the ships came in the summer and no new sick people were brought in in the winter, it was a popular resort even then.
places
- 1 Zanzibar Town (Zanzibar (Jiji)).Capital and center of the island, with the only commercial airport and ferry port. The city comprises several districts, including the historic city center and World Heritage Site, Stone Town.
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- 2 Stone Town (Wilaya ya Unguja Mjini).Stone Town is the historic center of Zanzibar City, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. Stone Town is the historically grown Swahili city with Omani roots, it is located on the west side at the port of the island. The old town of Zanzibar was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000 and has been the island's main cultural attraction ever since. The buildings in the old town are made of shell limestone. Their owners were the local Arab traders who had made money by trading ivory, gold, spices and slaves and who had multi-storey houses built with elaborately representative wooden entrance doors. The old town was completely disintegrated in the second half of the last century due to the political circumstances of the regime at that time and the economic consequences, but it has been restored since the end of the Cold War.
- 3 Kendwa.A small fishing village a few miles from Nungwi, a great place for reading on the beach or diving.
- 4 Nungwi.A popular small resort on the northern tip of the island.
- 5 Matemwe.The main purpose of coming here is the beach, which is the longest beach in Zanzibar. The beach is affected by the tide, so check tide schedules before visiting the beach. The beach is very quiet and you will not be harassed by many papasis (beach boys).
- 6 Uroa Village.A small fishing village on the east coast, resorts on the north and south sides.
- 7 Chwaka.a small fishing village by the sea.
- 8 Paje.A small village on the east coast, known for excellent conditions for kitesurfing.
- 9 Jambiani.a group of villages in typical African style. The residents there continue to live mainly in simple huts and live primarily from agriculture and fishing. The fishing village stretches for miles along the beach with many small hotels and guest houses.
- 10 Makunduchi.This is best known for the Mwaka Kogwal celebrations, which take place in July / August to celebrate the (Persian) New Year. Tours are organized to visit the festival and explain and demonstrate the customs.
- 11 Kizimkazi.A small village on the south coast and starting point for dolphin tours.
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Other goals
- 1 The Mangapwani slave caves (Manga Pwani)
- 2 Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park (Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Ghuba ya Jozani Chwaka).The park has excellent nature trails with some very exotic (and large) trees. Even more interesting, however, are the Red Colobus Monkeys that live here. These monkeys native to the island are now almost extinct. They are very curious and playful and will likely pose for a picture. Admission includes an optional visit to a beautiful mangrove forest, which is highly recommended.
- 3 Kiwengwa / Pongwe Forest Reserve
- 4 Kiwengwa caves
- 5 Kuza Cave
language
The spoken word is Swahili, which is spoken in large areas of East Africa; English is also the official language. Arabic is also spoken in many areas.
getting there
Entry requirements
Travelers need a visa, which is obtained before the trip with the one responsible for Austria and Switzerland Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania in Berlin (Tel. 030-3030800) must be applied for or issued upon entry for a fee of EUR 50.00 (works fine). The passport must be valid for another 6 months upon entry. Travelers must be able to prove that they have left the country (return or onward ticket) and have sufficient funds for their stay. There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that you can take with you, but you must declare it.
By plane
Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ), also Kisauni Airport, is the only airport on Unguja Island, which together with Pemba Island forms the Zanzibar archipelago. The airport is located approximately 6 km south of Stone Town.
Condor flies (as of 03/2019) twice a week (Mon and Thu) from Frankfurt to Zanzibar with a stopover in Mombasa.
Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways and Kenya Airways offer international flights to Zanzibar International Airport.
Several international airlines fly to Dar es Salaam, from there it is only a short flight (20 minutes) to the island. Among them are British Airways, SWISS, KLM, South African Airways and Emirates Airlines.
Precision Air, Air Tanzania, Zanair and Coastal Aviation offer regular domestic scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam, Arusha and the Tanzanian National Parks. There are also good flight connections from Nairobi and Mombasa with Precision Air and Kenya Airways.
By boat
There are numerous regular ferries and speedboats between Dar es Salaam and the island: Azam Marine, Sea Express, Sea Star, Seagull and Sepideh Megaspeed Liners. Fares range from US $ 35 to $ 40 for non-Zanzibari, including a port tax of US $ 5. The Flying Horse slow ferry offers the same trip for US $ 20. But it takes about 4.5 hours, while the other speedboats take 1.5 hours. If you suffer from seasickness, you should definitely take pills for seasickness in bad weather before the sea voyage.
mobility
Rental vehicles
Taxis and minibuses
- taxi: The most convenient way to sightseeing outside of Stone Town is by taxi or private car. The latter are also essentially taxis with drivers, although they do not have the official taxi identification. However, they can be a little cheaper than a taxi (10-20%) and your hotel reception can probably arrange one for you. Negotiate the price beforehand and know the street price so that you don't pay too high a commission instead.
- Approximate taxi prices are:
- Stone Town to Nungwi or Kendwa: 1½ hours from 60,000 TSh
- Airport to Nungwi: Tsh 65,000
- Nungwi to Kizimkazi: 2 hours from 80,000 TSh
- Airport / Stone Town to Paje: 1 hour from 50,000 TSh
- Shared taxi: These cost $ 10 per person for a trip anywhere on the island. Hop on and off wherever you want; Tickets must be booked online before traveling by Sansibus.
Dalla-Dallas
These are minibuses, and sometimes pickups, that serve all the major villages on the island at a very affordable price (each route on the island should be less than TSh 2,000 per person). Comfort and, above all, security are correspondingly modest. You need a good 2 hours to get to Nungwi on the northern tip of the island. There is no north-south daladala ministry. Instead, you'll have to go through Stone Town again and change buses there.
public holidays
The Muslim holidays in Zanzibar depend on the Islamic lunar calendar and fall eleven days earlier each year. During the fasting month of Ramadan, food is only available in Christian restaurants during the day, while Islamic restaurants only open after sunset.
| meeting | Surname | importance |
|---|---|---|
| January 1st | New Year's Day | New Year |
| January 12th | Zanzibar Revolution Day | Revolution day |
| October 19, 2021 | Eid al-Moulid | Birthday of the Prophet Mohamed |
| Easter | Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter and Easter Monday | Easter days |
| 26th of April | Union Day | Day of the merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar to form Tanzania |
| 1st of May | Labor Day | Labor Day |
| July 7th | Saba Saba / Peasants' Day | Day of the Farm Workers |
| 8th August | Nane Nane / Farmers' Day | Day of the Peasants |
| April 12, 2021 | Ramadan | Beginning of the month of fasting |
| May 12, 2021 | Eid-al-Fitr | End of ramadan. Authorities and shops are closed for four days. |
| May 13, 2021 | Eid al Kebir / Eid al Haji | Festival of sacrifice, end of the pilgrimage to Mecca |
| 9th of December | Independence Day | Independence day |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Christmas (1st Christmas Day) |
| December 26th | Boxing Day | Christmas (Christmas Day) |
activities
- Persian New Year celebrations in Unguja Ukuu
- Zanzibar International Film Festival
- Spice tour. Guided tours to the island's spice farms: cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, cardamom and pepper are not grown in monoculture on the spice plantations, but in a mixed culture of various spice and useful plants. Zanzibar was the largest producer of cloves in the 19th century. The spices can be tasted and also bought, real vanilla sticks are significantly cheaper than in European shops. It is still always worthwhile to trade the prices!
- Drive to Prison Island. (also Changu Island, 6 ° 7 ′ 9 ″ S39 ° 9 '58 "E.): The small island is located a few kilometers off the coast of the city of Zanzibar and served as the location for the former slave prison, which is said to have never been used. Other sources indicate a function as a quarantine station for slaves. Next to the old walls there are turtles and a secluded white beach. A coral reef on the island is a popular snorkeling area.
- Drive to Pemba
kitchen
accommodation
nightlife
While the residents of Zanzibar rest in the shade at lunchtime, the island comes to life in the evening. Everywhere you see people on the streets and you meet outdoors and in pubs. Many restaurants are located in the vicinity of the larger hotels, in the hope of attracting tourists. Most of the time you can spend a relaxed evening here with good music and certainly also get in touch with the locals (be careful not to fall for the so-called "ticks" from the mainland, see section on safety!). In the old town of Stone Town, life is boiling, especially along the waterfront. In the Forodhani Gardens (in front of the old fort) from sundown traders offer delicacies from the sea, sugar cane juice (definitely try) and other snacks and present them loudly - here you have to be able to say no!
security
Zanzibar is safe even by European standards. Even in Stone Town you can wander through the lonely alleys at night, although you should of course follow the general safety rules like everywhere else in the world. The few criminals are mostly mainland immigrant young men who are often on the hunt for a quick buck and are addicted to drugs. They are particularly a problem at the tourist hotspots and often cling to the tourists in order to offer them their services. This is why the locals refer to them as "ticks". They often act as illegal tourist guides, a fact that has led to the fact that tourists should only move around the island with an official tourist guide (or alone) in order not to arouse suspicion of illegal activities. Selling art under the hand is also not recommended, and possession and consumption of drugs is harshly persecuted on the Muslim island.
health
While high hygiene standards generally apply in the hotels on the island, this can be the case for the stands on the island Darajani Market (Bazaar) of Stone Town cannot be said. Above all, the meat, which waits unrefrigerated in the open all day in tropical temperatures for buyers, is interesting to look at and tolerable in terms of smell, but completely unsuitable for consumption! Fruits are mostly freshly harvested and sold on the island, but caution should be exercised here too. Many visitors tolerate the consumption of goods that are sold everywhere on the streets; sensitive people should perhaps do without here.
Hospitals There are few cars and cars, and although the distances on the island are not far, the road to the nearest doctor can often be a long one. Please don't forget to have a well-stocked one travel pharmacy to have with you! It is also absolutely advisable to take out a corresponding international insurance policy that will take care of the return transport to your home country.
over Vaccinations informs the local tropical institute and a Yellow fever vaccination is generally recommended in East Africa, sometimes even required for entry (e.g. via Kenya)! Currently - December 2011 - is one Yellow fever vaccination mandatory when entering Zanzibar required. The Tsetse fly was recently completely exterminated on Zanzibar.
respect
The residents of Zanzibar are more than 90% Muslim and not very open and tolerant of people of different faiths. Christians, Hindus, Jews and followers of other religions can move freely on Zanzibar and practice their religions. Basically, the Zanzibaris keep their distance from tourists, except for tourist hotels. In addition, respect requires certain rules of conduct, as are customary in strictly religious Muslim countries. Women should cover their shoulders in public and people of both sexes should wear legwear that extends over the knee. While holding hands is now accepted, passionate kissing or the like is completely inappropriate. Things are more casual in tourist areas. In the country and in the city, cameras are not welcomed and condemned with threatening gestures. Tourists traveling alone with rental cars are consistently stopped every 20 km and there is always a reason to collect bribes. Nudism or topless bathing is prohibited.
shop
- MOTO handicrafts: About 2 km west of the Jozani National Park in the small village of Pete you can find the museum of the community project MOTO Handicrafts on the main road. This local initiative has set itself the task of documenting and exhibiting the traditional braiding art of the Zanzibari women, called Ukili. Here you can learn something about the genuine culture of Zanzibar in a beautiful atmosphere. All aspects of the art of palm leaf weaving are shown, from harvesting the leaves to using the mats and bags in the everyday life of the Zanzibaris. Two looms and a batik workshop can also be visited. If you register in advance at the initiative's shop on Hurumzistreet in Stone Town, you can book a weaving workshop with the women of the local group, including an incredibly delicious lunch.
climate
Zanzibar is only a few degrees south of the equator and has a tropical climate. There are two dry seasons (one short and one long) and two rainy seasons (one short, one long). The big rainy season with heavy rains is in the months of March, April and May. Most hotels are closed during this time. In the long dry season from June to October there is hardly any rainfall. The rains in November and December (small rainy season) are not as heavy as in the big rainy season. The weather changes often and suddenly, but the sunshine keeps coming through. The short dry season is usually in January and February. This is the most popular time for tourists. The temperatures rise to over 30 ° C, the humidity remains high. However, the best time to travel is in the long dry season from June to October. The islands are less crowded during this time of year than in the high season January and February.
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean highest air temperature in ° C | 32 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | O | 30.5 |
| Average water temperature in ° C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | O | 26.8 |
| Rainy days in the month | 6 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 9 | Σ | 103 |
literature
- Ruete, Emily: Life in the Sultan's Palace: Memoirs from the 19th Century. European Publishing House 2006, ISBN 3-43452-619-6
- Abdulla, Muhammed Said: The spirit forest of the ancestors. The first Bwana Msa thriller. (Audiobook) Kalamu Verlag 2010, ISBN 3-942204-00-2
- Abdulla, Muhammed Said: The Giningi fountain. The second Bwana Msa thriller. (Audiobook) Kalamu Verlag 2012, ISBN 978-3-942204-01-9
