Zanzibar Tourism

What awaits you in Zanzibar

From Dar es Salaam we went on a weekend to explore the beauty of Zanzibar, the paradise of the tourists, which took just two hours by ferry. After 1 1/2 hours of journey, you can start seeing this beautiful island from the ferry itself.

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Zanzibar is located in the Indian Ocean, and 36 km from the Tanzanian mainland coast. It consists of Zanzibar Island and several other small islands. This panoramic lowlying land is a beautiful tourist destination of East Africa. People of this region of Africa mainly speaks Swahili, the national language, which is believed to be originated from Zanzibar. A good percentage of people also speak English which is a great advantage for the tourists.

Zanzibar has a rich and colorful history and the inhabitants of the country are a melting pot of cultures both modern and cultural.

Arabs and Portuguese were the main traders who visited Zanzibar in the early days which were later controlled by Omanis in 18th and 19th centuries. The other visitors include Egyptians, Indians, Arabs,Chinese, Persians, British, Dutch, Sumerians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Malays, and Portuguese who came as traders, travellers, raiders and colonisers. The British established their protectorate in 1890. In the year 1964, Zanzibar joined with Tanganyika,(the old name of Tanzania) and they together formed Union Republic of Tanzania.

During the period of slavery, Zanzibar was used as one of the main depots for the export of east African slaves to Europe. During the period of the sultanate of Oman, Zanzibar experienced the best luxurious life.

What to see in Zanzibar?

Though Zanzibar tourism is still in its infancy, there are lot of areas to be visited.