The Mtoni Marine Center Hotel in Zanzibar

Dear Farzanah  
 
I apologize for the delay in getting back to you with some feedback on our recent holiday to Zanzibar. 
 
Overall:  
We really enjoyed the trip and definitely plan to go back for another visit! We had excellent weather, with just enough wind to make the humidity bearable. In the end, we were very glad that things worked out in such a way that we didn't visit during the peak season. Going during Ramadan also didn't pose any real inconveniences. 
 
Air carrier - 1Time: 
We have no complaints about 1Time. They were on time, the flights were fine and service available on request. The ground staff at Zanzibar airport were efficient and particularly helpful in directing us through the departure procedures. 
 
Accommodation - Mtoni Marine: 
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Mtoni Marine and really have nothing to complain about! Our room was spacious, very clean and well-appointed with a good mosquito net, ceiling fan, air conditioning, good bathroom facilities and a balcony. The staff were always very friendly and helpful. The hotel is well maintained and there is a lot of attention to detail. We appreciated the bottled water supplied every day, as well as the excellent efforts at mosquito control! They also offer a very fair USD to Tsh exchange rate and meals can be paid for in either currency (or a combination thereof). They have credit card facilities at the main desk, but the restaurants, especially the Mcheza Sports Bar, prefer cash.  
 
One disadvantage of Mtoni Marine is that the sea and beaches close to Stone Town is fairly polluted and not great for swimming. However, Mtoni's newly renovated pool area makes up for this to a large extent and is excellent and a great spot to relax and enjoy the beautiful sunsets every night.  
 
Breakfast served at the main restaurant every morning was very comprehensive and scrumptious. We particularly enjoyed the fresh fruit. We had most of our lunches and dinners at the Mcheza Cafe, which offers a good variety of reasonably priced meals and drinks. We ate at the more upmarket main restaurant on the Saturday evening only, during which a beach braai buffet was offered. Although the setting on the beach and the service was great, the meal was a bit disappointing for the price, and drinks are very expensive. It is worth a visit though, but going on an evening when the ala carte menu is available is recommended. 
 
Mtoni Marine is a good base for first time visitors, as its proximity to Stone Town makes it easy to arrange tours and go into Town. The hotel can arrange a taxi to town at any time for Tsh 4000 (per taxi, not per person). Tours are much cheaper than from this area than from other parts of the island, especially to the islands off Stone Town, which are a must for visitors interested in snorkelling. The Mtoni Palace Ruins, which are a 3 min walk away - through the hotel grounds or along the beach - are definitely worth a visit. 
 
Ground handler:  
A representative (Hassan) was waiting for us on our arrival at Zanzibar airport. We undertook most of our day tours with them and found them very professional, well-informed and honest. We always felt safe and well-looked after! Receipts were issued for all money paid and bottled water was supplied most days. Our guide for most of our trips (Genes) was exceptional and definitely added value to our experiences. The minibus in which we were transported was always clean, air-conditioned and the driver (Mohammed) was very responsible. They were very prompt with arranged pickup times (mostly early), except for the last day when we had to leave for the airport. This was due to road works, but the extended travel time should have been anticipated since the roadworks had been in progress for the past three days. In the end we didn't mind though, as processing through departures doesn't takes far less than 2 hours and we were glad to spend less time waiting for the plane. 
 
When we first arrived at Mtoni Marine, Hassan indicated that he would like to discuss day tours that they can arrange for us during our stay. This was a bit unexpected, but turned out to be the best time to plan things for the week ahead. Fortunately, we had a good idea of what we wanted to do. The descriptions and costs of tours offered by the ground handler did not exactly correspond to the information supplied by African Encounters, and it may be a good idea to supply travellers with the ground handlers updated information. We paid a bit less for most tours than expected based on the information we had, so no complaints. 
 
We undertook five of the standard tours with the ground handler: Spices & Stone Town (combined on one day); Kizimkazi and Jozani Forest (combined on one day) and Prison Island. All of these were worthwhile and well guided. Their spice tour is, however, not as comprehensive as advertised (no lunch included). Although we really enjoyed it, and especially the spice guide at Jambo Farm, visitors that stay at Mtoni Marine may prefer Mtoni's version of the spice tour, which includes extra stops and activities not offered by the ground handler.  
 
The Kizimkazi dolphin experience left us ambivalent. While the ground handler used a good local operator, and it is quite special to swim close to the dolphins for a short while, the boats actually harass the dolphins. This was not peak season and we wouldn't like to experience the spectacle when the area is crowded with 20 boats or more. The snorkelling offered as part of the tour was our first introduction to Zanzibar's corals and was great! We also had a simple, but delicious lunch in a great setting. 
 
Jozani forest was a worthwhile visit, with another very well-informed local tour guide. One should definitely opt to visit all three parts of the forest - the dry forest, moneys and the mangrove forest.  
 
The trip to Prison Island was interesting, and offered some more great snorkelling. 
 
 
Other tours not usually offered by the ground handler: 
The two highlights of our trip were undoubtedly the visit to the Chumbe Island Coral Reserve and to Bawe island. These are not standard tours offered by the ground handler, but are a must for visitors that enjoy snorkelling. We read about Chumbe Island in our guidebook, and Hassan was able to arrange it for us without any problem. However, if we didn't know about it, we would have missed a great experience. It may be worthwhile to ask the ground handler to mention it to visitors who are not well-informed when they arrive in Zanzibar. 
 
Sunday was the only day for which we didn't arrange a tour with the ground handler. However, after the great snorkelling at Kizimkazi on the Thursday and then the amazing! snorkelling at Chumbe on the Friday, we decided that we needed to do more snorkelling. We read about Bawe Island in our guidebook and Abu at Mtoni Marine arranged a tour for us in no time. We were really impressed with One Ocean, the local diving operator with whom he booked this tour. One Ocean has excellent equipment and guides and are very safety and environmentally conscious. For anyone interested in scuba diving and snorkelling, we can definitely recommend them. The tour included two snorkelling sessions, one close to Bawe Island and one on an old shipwreck further south, with a light lunch served on the boat in between. The corals in these areas are second in splendour only to those at Chumbe, and much better than can be seen during the more popular tour to Prison Island. Another must for visitors to Mtoni that enjoy snorkelling! 
 
 
Some general tips and suggestions for other visitors: 
Come prepared with a rough idea on what you plan to spend on tours (best paid in US$) and food and drinks (can be paid in US$, but works out cheaper over the course of a week when paid for in Tsh). Some hotels and restaurants offer a fair exchange rate, but some don't and change is always given in Tsh and rounded (not in your favour). The best exchange rate appears to be available at the airport, so it is a good idea to change whatever you estimate you will require in Tsh in one transaction when you arrive. Otherwise, you may end up having to make several trips to Stone Town (as we did), where the exchange rate (particularly at the banks!) is less favourable. Queens Exchange in Kenyatta Street in Stone Town offered the best rate apart from the airport. Don't bring Traveller's cheques! Make sure you get some small denomination Tsh notes (500 and/or 1000) when you first change money, as you will need this for tips from the moment you arrive. Tipping Tsh 500 - Tsh 1000 for most small services (like carrying luggage, serving food, etc.) is a good habit and really appreciated by the locals, as many rely on tips to supplement a very meagre income. 
 
Come prepared with a good idea what tours you want to go on, especially if you are interested in tours other than those mentioned in the African Encounters brochure. the ground handler can arrange any other tour that is not on their standard list, but you have to take the initiative to request it. 
 
If you are interested in scuba diving and snorkelling in less well-known and deeper spots (such as Bawe) make sure you go with a reputable and safety-conscious operator. One Ocean operate all over the island and are really good. 
 
The Rough Guide to Zanzibar (available at Exclusive Books) can be recommended. The current edition is from March 2006, but having been there we can verify that the information is fairly accurate. It has excellent information on the history of the island, detailed descriptions on the different regions and recommended activities in each area, and a very helpful section with Swahili words and phrases. The locals really appreciate it if you try their language! 
 
Don't worry to take mosquito repellent, that seemed to attract the mosquitoes! But do take malaria tablets, as you are likely to get bitten even despite the best precautions. We took the newer generation Malanil this time (expensive, but without any serious side effects). At night outside, a long sleeve shirt, long pants and socks worked best! 
 
Livingstone's Bar in Stone Town is a nice spot to take a break and was one of the few places open during the day throughout Ramadan. They are on the beach where the ferries are loaded, close to One Ocean and the NBC Bank. Food and drinks are reasonably priced, the toilet facilities are clean and wireless internet is available. 
 
September appears to be a great time to visit weather-wise. We had a light wind most days, that caused a bit of a swell, but that made the humidity bearable. Boat-based tours and snorkelling was possible every day.  
 
If you prefer long white beaches, the west side of the island around Stone Town isn't the best location. However, it is a good area to use as a base for snorkelling, most standard tours and easy access to Stone Town. The sea and beaches appeared to be quite clean at Mbweni already, which is 7 km south of Stone Town and the place from where Chumbe tours depart. 
 
Mtoni Marine offers free 24/7 internet, but don't rely on it! The connection is very slow and even using Gmail or Yahoo mail is virtually impossible. 
 
Bring a beach towel. Mtoni Marine offers towels (at a USD 20 deposit), but you'll need your own towel if you go snorkelling. Snorkelling gear is readily available, but it is convenient to have your own. 
 
The local beers are great, especially Kilimanjaro (light and very drinkable) and Serengeti (special malt and honey flavour). If staying at Mtoni, you have to try the Mcheza Dawa ("sports medicine") at Mcheza Bar. 
 
Zanzibar have elections next year in October, and there is already a bit of political tension building. Based on Zanzibar's recent history, the couple of months before and after an election is not a good time to plan a visit. 
 
 
I trust you will find this helpful. Once again, thank you for (re-)arranging our tour! We are planning to go back to Zanzibar in 2011, and will most likely be contacting you for arrangements.  
 
Best regards 
Maryke and Fritz