| Unguja
Island |
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| Unguja
Island is situated in the Indian Ocean about 40km east
of Bagamoyo on the Tanzanian mainland. The island is
about 85 km long and 30 km wide at it's widest point.
Unguja is the home of Stone Town which is the main
city for the islands of Zanzibar. Most of the
population on the island stays in and around Stone
Town. Most of the farming community stay out on the
northern and western sections as this contains the
most fertile land, whilst the the eastern part of the
island consists of coral rag and is ideal for
tourists. This sections also has the greatest beaches
and reefs, thus making it very popular with tourists. |
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Zanzibar
east coast |
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| Pemba
Island |
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Unlike
the landscape of Zanzibar, Pemba is very hilly and
appears a lot more unexplored. A more fertile land is
very hard to imagine. The beauty of Pemba is it is
basically unexplored territory. It has a strange
atmosphere, with some 300,000 locals and only a
handful of tourists to be seen. Possibly one of the
reasons that tourists keep away is the difficulty
accessing the island. The locals on Pemba are
extremely friendly and always eager to assist. This is
possibly due to the lack of tourism on the island. The
downside to traveling Pemba is the lack of
infrastructure and facilities. Food must be bought
from local shops and markets, and this does not appeal
to everybody. It is however one of the most beautiful
places you will ever encounter should you decide that
a visit is worthwhile. |
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| Underwater
at Pemba |
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| Surrounding
Islands |
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Prison Island (Changuu)
This is the most popular island to visit from
Stone Town as it is only a short boat ride (about 10
minutes) away from town. The island was owned by a
wealthy slave owner who sent unruly slaves to the
island for discipline. Later it was owned by a British
General who used it as a quarantine station. The
island offers the largest tortoises we have ever seen,
and visitors can take a walk around the island
sightseeing the old prisons and various other
historical artifacts. Snorkeling off the island is
fantastic with snorkel equipment hire available when
you land. Visitors are well advised to take a half or
full day trip to see this beautiful place. |
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Giant
killer tortoises
Prison Island |
Snake Island (Nyoka)
This island is not frequently visited as there is
no beach. Legend had it that this island was infested
with snakes, and the local community stay clear away
from it. No known trails are offered.
Bawe Island
Lying south of Prison Island, this island has some
of the best snorkeling spots in the archipelago. About
a 30 minute boat ride and slightly more expensive than
to boat to Prison Island, this island is much less
visited. Bawe island was used in 1870 to anchor the
first telegraph cables to Zanzibar, linking it to
Aden, South Africa and the Seychelles. There are no
facilities on the island, and visitors are advised to
bring all their own equipment and food.
Chumbe Island
This is Tanzania's first Marine Reserve and also
boasts in impressive nature reserve with an abundance
of local flora and birds.
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| Stone
Town |
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| Stone
town is regarded as Zanzibar's capital. The town was
named after the coral stone buildings, largely built
during the 19th century. The town is known for it's
narrow alleyways, large carved wooden doors and
covered balconies. The doors are part of the Swahili
culture and were largely influenced by Arab and
especially Indian motifs. The large brass studs on the
doors became decoration after having served as spike
covers to protect the inhabitants from elephant raids
during the Indian wars. The town currently
house over 16,000 people and is home to 51 mosques, 6
Hindu temples and 2 Christian churches. The people are
extremely diverse and fascinating. A walk through the
town will show you just how interesting the place is.
On the waterfront is an old tree known as "The
big Tree". Some locals believe that Sultan
Khalifa planted it in 1911. Many locals hang out here,
and it is a good spot to find a driver to take you out
to the surrounding islands. |
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Myriad
of alleyways
Stone Town |
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| Surrounding
Coast |
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| The
coasts of Zanzibar vary according to their location.
The East Coast is the most popular with tourists as
this has the best section of beaches and contains many
of the large resorts. The North coast is just as
beautiful with Nungwi point being accessible to many
of the best diving and snorkeling reefs. The South
coast of Zanzibar is not particularly popular, except
for Kizimkazi where tourists are able to dive with the
local school of dolphins. The west coast is probably
the least popular as the beaches are not as private as
those found elsewhere and tourist facilities are not
readily accessible. |
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| Some
interesting facts |
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- 85 Buildings in
Stone Town have collapsed between 1982 and 1992
due to lack of maintenance.
- 1998 marked the
year of Zanzibar's first traffic light
- The second train in
East Africa was completed in Zanzibar in 1905. It
traveled only 8 km either way.
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House
of Wonders, Stone Town
After the war
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