| Zanzibar
Zanzibar is the collective name for two East
African islands off mainland Tanzania: Unguja (also called Zanzibar)
and Pemba. The capital of the islands, located on the island of
Unguja, is also known as Zanzibar. The city's old quarter, known as
Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site.
Zanzibar's main industries are spices (cloves,
nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper), raffia, and tourism. Zanzibar is also
the home of the endemic Zanzibar Red Colobus. |
| Must Do's
Go on a Spice Tour Watch the sun seting over the
crystal blue waters from a Dhow Wander the winding streets of Stone
Town Taste the local delights at the famous Fish Markets Relax on
the white sands under the shade of a palm tree
Quick Facts
Full Name: Zanzibar
Area: 17,494 sq km
Population: 621,000
Languages: Swahili (official) English (official)
Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TSh)
Weather Overview
Along the coast the climate is tropical, with high
humidity and temperatures averaging 25-29°C (77-84°F). From December
to March, temperatures can exceed 30°C (86°F). Throughout most of
the country there are two rainy seasons, with the 'long' rains (masika)
drenching Zanzibar from mid-March to May, and the 'short' rains (mvuli)
doing their best from November to January.
More on Zanzibar
The Spice island of Zanzibar lies off the coast of
Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. It is famous for once being the
commercial centre of East Africa and the last place to abolish the
slave trade. Today it combines ancient Islamic ruins, noble Arabic
houses with miles of white sandy palm fringed beaches and coves. The
ocean offers warm clear blue waters, idyllic islands excellent reefs
for snorkelling and diving, fantastic deep sea fishing, water sports
and of course delicious fresh fish. And if you thought that wasn't
enough, visiting the Spice plantations (cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg,
vanilla, cardamom and others) or haggling for carvings in the
Central Market is great fun too. |
