Hakuna Matata!
Winter is not exactly my favorite time of year, so planning a mid-winter getaway is a must for me. Uros on the other hand is more of a winter person, but stunning, endless sandy beaches definitely catch his attention as well.
So one cold and dull evening we took a pen and paper (fine and a glass of champagne), started writing down options and searching for our next destination. Where to go? Africa? Sounds perfect. OK, so the continent is agreed upon. Now to choose a country. Maybe Mozambique, Namibia, Madagascar? They are all on our bucket list. But not this time. This time we chose the spice island – Zanzibar.
Jambo rafiki!
Welcomed by all the locals, we immediately felt at home. Well I wasn’t far from my use-to-be home Kenya (read all about that in one of our previous blogs) so I was enthusiastically translating all the need-to-know phrases I remembered to Uros. Below are just a few basic ones everyone needs to know.
Jambo rafiki means “Hello/welcome my friend”. You should always greet everyone with this phrase and trust us you will come a long way with this kind gesture.
Hakuna matata – the infamous phrase means no worries and I would dare call it their way of life. No stress and no modern day worries. Repeat it three times in a row and you will slowly feel an easy vibe and understand what they are talking about.
Asante sana means thank you.
And the most important of them all – POLE POLE. It means slowly slowly. And there everything happens slowly. No rush, no hurry. Everyone is easy going. The first day that we were walking along the beach, a local saw Uros and his walking speed and immediately stopped him and said “Mr. hurry hurry, why you in such hurry?”. We laughed so hard. And from that moment on we were also “pole pole” and it felt wonderful!
Discovering Zanzi
We chose Zanzi for two main reasons – first was kite surfing, second was the fact that even on no-wind days we would have so many things to do and see.
Unfortunately we didn’t kite surf as much as we would have wanted to. Uros injured his knee already at the beginning of our trip and also the wind season was rapidly coming to an end, which resulted in not as many windy days. So we decided to thoroughly discover the island. We got a super taxi driver who was also our local guide when needed be. Thanks to Mustafa we saw places that surely we otherwise would never have found and seen.
From Zanzibar Town to Prison Island
Zanzibar Town is divided into two parts – the “New City”, which isn’t as eye-catching to the tourists, as it shows a less glamourous part of Zanzibar, but where the real locals live and work. On the other hand you have the old part which is more famously known as Stone Town. It is said to be the heart of Zanzibar Town and the endless maze-like streets really give it a magical touch and enchanting energy. Parts of the town still hold the memory vividly alive of this island being a major slave trading centre during the 19th century. The chambers where the slaves were held still make you shiver and you can actually feel the misery of all the souls that were captured in this place.
On the other hand you have a lively and bubbly part of Stone Town with super tasty local food, souvenir shops and authentic bars. We were also super lucky to catch the annual music festival. If you are by chance visiting during this festival we really advise you to take the time and join in! The whole town sings, dances, there are local food stands on each corner and everyone has an even happier vibe than usual.
So, Zanzibar Town leaves you with a bunch of feelings and over all a unique experience.
From here we continued our trip to Changuu Island or more known as Prison Island. For all who wonder from where the name Changuu Island – Changuu is the Swahili name for a small fish which is common in the seas around the island.
Let the name Prison Island not mislead you either. The island was never actually used as a prison, just as a quarantine in the 19th century.
Today the island is best known by its giant tortoises. We visited the island just in their mating season, so we stumbled upon a quite “vibrant” atmosphere J, but seeing these gentle giants was something you have to experience. They really do seem like dinosaur descendants.
If ever we were to be arrested, this island would definitely be our choice of prison J. The crystal clear beaches, turquoise water, a rustic wooden bridge and beautiful surroundings make you not want to leave the island.
The fauna of Zanzibar Island
On this island you never have a dull moment. Not just because of all the amazing things you can do, but also because of all the interesting animals you can encounter. From the cows that greet you on the beach, yes you read correctly – the cows come to the beaches of Zanzibar everyday and they seem to love it J. In the Jozani Forest you are warmly welcomed by Red Colobus monkeys that aren’t the least bit shy and afraid of visitors. A little more shy are the Bush Babies or Sykes’ monkeys but are also often seen.
We also took a trip and went swimming with dolphins. This was a super cool trip – we felt as if we were part of an navy squad J They took us with a small speed boat to the bay where the dolphins usually come at sunrise and when our captain spotted them he started screaming for us to jump into the water awhile the boat was speeding, this is so the boat moves away from the dolphins asap and doesn’t scare them as much. And we actually saw a mother dolphin with its young one. Oh my gosh! That was amazing and so sweet.
If you still have some extra time on your hands you can go visit the butterfly centre which is in a beautiful tropical garden – a fast and inexpensive trip.
What not to miss on Zanzibar?
Besides all the listed there are a few must-see places on Zanzibar. One of them is definitely The Rock Restaurant, an amazing place to dine and a friendly piece of advice – book your table on the terrace!
Nungwi and Kendwa beaches are known for their amazing sunsets. But are also more crowded. Michamvi Kae beach also has amazing sunsets and bars that offer stunning views, cocktails and super good food. One place to go is for sure Michamvi Sunset Bay. But be sure to book ahead!
Zanzibar was an amazing experience and trip and left such sweet memories that we will surely be back to visit the island of spices. It definitely spiced up our life with an additional tasty experience!
