Where is Zanzibar Tanzania? | Stone Town | Zanzibar Beaches

Where is Zanzibar?

Zanzibar is in Tanzania Africa. It was once home to one of the largest and most important slave markets in Africa. The Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ stands nowadays where the slave open market used to be!

Today, there is little evidence of this dark history. Zanzibar is now an island paradise off the coast of Tanzania, with some of the best beaches in Africa and the world. Even from a city lover’s perspective, the remote island is the perfect place to unwind after a stressful couple of months at work. The historic Stone Town, the white sand Zanzibar beaches, and the friendly locals make it the ideal exotic destination to add to this year’s travel list.

P.S. Take plenty of pics for future reminiscence when experiencing those Mondays Blues back at work!

While planning our trip, we decided the resort area of Kendwa/ Nungwi was perfect for us to stay. We wanted to relax by the beach, sail on traditional wooden dhow boats, discover small islands, and create new memories. We also planned to spend some time in Stone Town at some point. It’s a long trip to get to Zanzibar, and we couldn’t wait to get out and experience the island to the fullest.

Stone Town Zanzibar

I was feeling those island vibes from the moment we exited the airport. Our taxi driver asked if we wanted to stop at Stone Town before heading to the hotel, and we were definitely eager to take him up on the offer! I couldn’t wait to check out the city and get a feel for the local lifestyle.

The area had a fun colonial feel to it, and we immediately fell in love with the town. Street vendors, old buildings, the smell of the spices and the sound of the ocean blended perfectly. It was like nothing I had ever seen before!

Stone Town is the old part of Zanzibar, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the Arab and European influences create a unique environment.

If enjoying the city life, talking to locals, and visiting sites like the Old Fort, Old Dispensary Zanzibar, and Prison Island sounds ideal to you, then consider splurging to stay at one of the best hotels in Stone Town Zanzibar: the Park Hyatt Hotel. Located in the heart of Zanzibar Town, it’s an incredible hotel that puts you in the middle of the action!

If you prefer to just make a quick stop in Stone Town, some of the can’t-miss sites include the museum of Beit el-Sahel (the old Sultan’s Palace), Freddie Mercury’s childhood home (yes, the legend was born and raised here!) and the Darajani Market. Then continue on your way to experience the rest of Zanzibar and one of the great adventures of your life!

Zanzibar Beaches

The sun had already set when we arrived at our hotel. We had spent the last couple of hours discovering Stone Town and getting a feel for local life.

A taxi ride from Stone Town to Kendwa/Nungwi is just over an hour with no traffic (we weren’t that lucky), and we spent that time asking our driver all kinds of questions about traditions, history, culture and religion on the island.

The view from our room was incredible even after the sun had set. I can still remember the smell of salt from the ocean and the sound of the crashing waves while lying in my African style bed.

The next morning we had booked a private dhow (Zanzibar traditional wooden sailboat) to sail all day to infinity and beyond.

As we set off, we sailed past a shallow coral reef that the locals would walk on and catch octopus and mussels. It was an amazing site, and at first we thought they were floating on the water before spotting the reef under their feet.

Not even five minutes later, we had another surprise when a school of dolphins began swimming feet away from our boat.

                         “Under the sea, under the sea!
                          Darling is better, down where it’s wetter
                         Take it from me!”

was playing on repeat in my head while we enjoyed the unique experience. Our sailor guides told us they hadn’t seen the dolphins for months before that day… I guess we had a bit of luck after all!

As we sat in the shade of the mainsail eating mangos, life was pretty perfect both under and over the sea! This was definitely one of our favorite things to do in Zanzibar. You won’t want to miss this experience, either solo or with friends and family.

One or two dolphins later we had arrived to one of our snorkeling spots. We were surrounded by the clearest water and what seemed to be a deserted island nearby. Our guides told us this was actually a private island owned by none other than Bill Gates… this is an unconfirmed rumor, but still pretty cool to imagine! There’s actually a small, exclusive all-inclusive resort on the island (“&Beyond Mnemba Island”) that can accommodate 24 guests at a time. A bit out of our budget, but maybe one day…

We napped and we danced before heading back to Zanzibar having spent an incredible day swimming, snorkeling and eating delicious fresh fish.

If you want to do this boat trip yourself, check for boats on AirBnB. They will be listed as sleeping accommodations, but we just asked if they could take us around for the day instead. There are also several boat tour companies you can choose from. The day was definitely one to remember. Our local guides were friendly and very knowledgeable about which restaurants to try and other fun areas of the island to visit.

The next day you might be tired from all that sailing, so spend some time relaxing by the pool and drinking good rum cocktails (like I did). You can take the girl out of Cuba, but you can’t take Cuba out of the girl!

Don’t forget to grab a prime spot on the Nungwi beach to watch the sunset! Zanzibar sunsets are famous for a reason, and you’ll see the sky go from dreamy shades of orange to pink and light blue.

Zanzibar Hotels

We stayed at the Diamonds Star of the East/Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est resort, a fabulous hotel in the Kendwa/Nungwi area. This part of the island has the best beaches in Zanzibar, and when the tide is low you can walk from one town to the other along the beach.

Diamonds Star of the East is an exclusive enclave within the Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est resort (confusing, but amazing!). An all-inclusive hotel with fantastic African-themed villas, private pools, and (of course) gorgeous ocean views right from your room. The perfect place to spend your dream vacation!

There are also plenty of other options in the area that have a range of prices. Make sure to check them out on booking.om.

The beach was a place to relax, swim and exercise, but also to go on some spontaneous shopping sprees. The locals’ beach cars were full of treasures: colorful scarves, hats, pants, dresses, necklaces and paintings. I couldn’t leave Zanzibar without purchasing some unique pieces that would turn eyes this summer.

Make sure to check the hotel stores as well! I was surprise with the quality and diversity of the pieces.

For those on the hunt for authentic Zanzibar flavors, there are tons of places to eat along Kendwa and Nungwi beach

For a taste of the local cuisine head to Essence Restaurant, a popular spot among recurrent visitors and new tourists. The seafood is as fresh as it gets, and the happy hour deals start at 5:30pm.

The Rock Restaurant is the most famous restaurant in Zanzibar. You have probably seen pictures everywhere!

It’s a long drive from Nungwi, but the unique location and the delicious food make it impossible to resist. Head there after exploring Stone Town or for dinner after a long day on the beach.

Other places you might want to check:

Mocco Beach Restaurant on the beach in Kendwa.

The Secret Garden at Emerson Spice.

Zanzibar Travel Tips and Advice

Since most of us will travel long hours to get to Zanzibar, make sure you fully take advantage of this and visit other areas of Tanzania and its neighbor Kenya on the same trip.

Safaris in the Serengeti or the Masai Mara are always a must while vacationing in Africa. You’ll be able to experience the wildlife, especially during the Great Migration months (from the end of June to October), and discover many of the region’s ancient tribes.

There are several ways to spend time in the Serengeti/Masai Mara, and many fun activities to do there: a game drive at sunrise/sunset, an air balloon/plane safari(!) to experience the savanna from above, or spending some hours with the Masai tribe.

To hear more about my adventures in the African savanna, click here.

To learn more about Kenya and other African Destinations click here.

The best time to visit Tanzania and Kenya is from the end of June to October. If you are traveling to Kenya, make sure you get the yellow fever vaccine and bring your malaria pills.

You can arrange to fly directly to the game parks from the Nairobi airport!. It will be on a small “bush plane,” so (try to) pack light!

We didn’t rent a car in this trip, as we found it easier to take taxis and hire a private driver/guide.