This East African archipelago in the Indian Ocean has a truly unique culture. Zanzibar is known locally as an Unguja. The island is semi-autonomous, and decisions are made by its local power units. With its location near the equator, Zanzibar enjoys a warm climate all year round with moderate to high rainfall. Zanzibar has historically served as a trading base for spice traders from India and the Arab regions. The inhabitants identify themselves more as inhabitants of the island than with the country of Tanzania.
Zanzibar has an entirely Muslim population given the fact that it was a colony of Oman until 1963 thus it makes Zanzibar a very recently independent region. The language spoken in Zanzibar is Swahili and some locals also speak Arabic, French and Italian but English is also very widely spoken. If you are wondering about how to get there, then you must know that flights to Tanzania fly from almost everywhere and from there you may take small local flights to get to Zanzibar or ferries, both of which comes at an affordable cost.
An amusing fact about Zanzibar is that people start counting their time from sunrise to sunset rather than associating a new day from midnight as in the rest of the world. This means that a new day starts at sunrise and ends at sunset. Because of its location near the equator, sunrise and sunset times generally remain constant. People usually coordinate by mentioning morning, afternoon and evening as times rather than saying a specific number to indicate the time.
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If you are in Zanzibar, try to learn some local jargon as Swahili is a fairly easy language to learn. The most fun is to say hello in Swahili, which is either mambo/jambo! Yes, this can be a fun language. Also, don't forget to go to Zanzibar's Stone Town which is a labyrinthine area of the island with winding streets and lost allies. Getting lost in the Stone Town itself is an experience.
The pace of life is rather slow in Zanzibar, don't lose your patience, try instead to understand the concept of time and the way of life in this exotic island. You can make your own plans here and you will be totally satisfied rather than sticking to the tourist itineraries. We also recommend that you visit the villages of Zanzibar to unwind and get even a closer look at local life. A must in Zanzibar is to taste the local cuisine! Given its long history of colonization and the influences of different cultures including Portuguese, Chinese and Indian, its gastronomy is a mixture of cultures resulting in an extraordinary culinary experience. Try octopus curries and local teas which is a significant culture.
The wildlife in Zanzibar is abundant but this is not the typical wild Africa with lions and carnivores, the attraction here is underwater. With colourful corals and endemic aquatic life, water activities during your stay in Zanzibar are a must! There are water sports such as snorkelling, parasailing, scuba diving and windsurfing. You can also visit the dolphin watching site in Zanzibar called Kizimikazi. Finally, enjoy the island's nightlife. The island enjoys a lively and vibrant nightlife with luxury restaurants and nightclubs. You will have your own way of making your trip to Zanzibar perfect with your own choice of experiences and adventures, which is the speciality of this island nation.
>>> Visit Zanzibar with your family: our selection of activities
