A cup of novelty

Audio: Medium

Summer vacation is fast approaching, whether it’s for students or those who work. And we want to travel as much as we can, especially after the two years of the pandemic that has delayed our plans. The destination I have been thinking about for a long time and which has been on my bucket list for ages is Zanzibar, Tanzania.

I have never traveled outside of Europe and I think it’s time to go to more exotic locations. Africa is something that fascinates me since adolescence: their culture, their cuisine, and their lifestyle.
In today’s article, I would like to do a little research together on what are the perfect attractions for tourists.

Zanzibar is not a country as many think but is considered a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. Politically it’s part of Tanzania. Zanzibar is the largest of the Zanzibar Archipelago. The four main islands are Unguja Island (which is Zanzibar), Pemba Island, Latham Island, and Mafia Island.

A highly recommended place to visit is Stone Town. Most travel blogs and travel agencies have this city in their recommendations. In the beautiful park on the Indian Ocean coast is Forodhani Gardens, where you can sample the street food. The garden truly comes alive after dark for its nightly food market. You can try coconut bread, grilled cassava, garlic chapatti, meat kebabs, and much more but the hottest selling dish here is Zanzibar pizza ( Mizingani Rd, Zanzibar, Tanzania).

After a working long day, most of the locals go to the beach to relax. A walk on the beach is a great way to get acquainted with the locals, also you can see people dancing, doing acrobatics, singing, and just having a good time, especially during the sunset.
You can also pay a visit to the Old Fort, which was built in the 19th century, transformed over the years into a prison, then into a tennis club and now there are a lot of shops with souvenirs and restaurants, and if you’re lucky you might even have a live concert while you’re there.

Another destination is Prison Island. Don’t worry, you’re not going to visit a prison. Its name comes from the fact it was once used to imprison slaves. They were staying there until they were shipped abroad or sold in Stone Town.
Now is just the home for giant tortoises. Big, cute, and very friendly. The giant tortoise is not a joke, they are literally huge. They like to be fed and massaged so the bond gets created pretty fast. The only way to get to this island is by boat which means you can enjoy the view of this amazing turquoise water and you can see the life underneath it.

If you want to dine in an absolutely unique place with a view that leaves you speechless, then The Rock Zanzibar is the place that offers you all the above. This is a unique restaurant that is off the coast of Pingwe, located on actual rock. The prices might be a bit higher than other places but it’s because of the uniqueness, also don’t forget to make a reservation in advance because it might be hard to find an available table.

You may have heard of “sleeping with the fishes,” but never like this! It’s not the way someone would tell you so you worry. This is literally sleeping with the fishes, like underwater. Welcome to The Manta Resort.
The top floor of the room is a lounge area where you can lay out in the sun and chill or get tan. The main floor has an outdoor living room area, a deck, and a bathroom on the same level. Then, you head down a ladder and experience the magic of the ocean. This is also good for those, like me, who are terrified of water.

Although Zanzibar is not very big, it is amazing how many places you can visit and how many you can do. For example, you can visit the Jozani Forest, where you can quickly become friends with the Zanzibar red colobus monkey.

If it happens to be on Paje Beach, the beach has hip cafes, burger joints, kite surfing companies, bars, and hostels, making it one of the great places to visit in Zanzibar. If you walk for a while you’ll find offers to try all types of things they might have, so go ahead and make the most of your trip.

I would like to travel 12 months a year, 365 days if I could. Maybe one day. I hope I aroused your curiosity about this great place. Until then, I’ll let you enjoy this article, make your vacation plans for this summer, and see you next Sunday at 2 pm Helsinki time or anytime in the comment section.

DEEA OLIVIA

Sources: www.continenthop.com, www.therockrestaurantzanzibar.com, www.themantaresort.com

Photo sources: Pinterest