A Zanzibar Sojourn

[DrWilly]

Zanzibar, is a smallish archipelago off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa, renowned for its pristine white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and rich cultural heritage. Steeped in history, the main island, Unguja’s capital is called Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with winding alleys, spice markets, and historic buildings reflecting Arab, Persian, Indian, and European influences. Beyond its the old town, Zanzibar offers a bunch of opportunities for snorkeling, diving, and exploring forests and spice plantations. The blend of stunning natural beauty, cultural diversity, historical significance, and birthplace of the late Freddie Mercury makes Zanzibar worth a visit.

You’ll need to transfer via Dar es Salam, a 25 minute plane flight away (but don’t forget your Yellow Fever vaccination books as they check all foreigners in the airport. We were also advised to collect our luggage and walk it the 300 metres from int’l terminal to domestic as they don’t do it for you. (Friends of ours ended up in Zanzibar without luggage because they erroneously thought their bags were checked through).



leaving Dar es Salam.




.

[cyrille]

I've wanted to go to Zanzibar since I was a kid.

And then, well Freddie Mercury made...absolutely no difference at all to that desire.


Never made it.

Looking forward to this, w.

[hallelujah]

You're busting out some top threads at the moment, Willy.

This will be another cracker.

There really is nothing in the world live travel.

[DrWilly]

And then, well Freddie Mercury made...absolutely no difference at all to that desire.

How can you say that about Freddie!




.

Looking forward to this, w.

Cheers, I’ll try not to disappoint!

[DrWilly]

Zanzibar is 98% Muslim, which is apparent in the architecture, food and clothing around, not to mention the 50 odd mosques contained in Stone Town alone. Though unlike some other Muslim majority places I have been the call to pray is not a cacophony of wailing noise as each competes with the other but more like gently singing zephyrs dancing on the sea breeze.

Decorations on the walls & lobby.




We got in late so didn’t see much, but this was our view from our (small 1m2) balcony.

[mikenot]

Attachment 114594

Decorations on the walls & lobby
We got in late so didn’t see much, but this was our view from our small (1m2) balcony.

Attachment 114595Attachment 114596

We cannot see much either...."invalid attachment"

A friend of mine went there once, everybody was asking "why the hell would you go there" but the photos he came back with were stunning.
So I hope we get to see yours

[Edmond]

A friend of mine went there once, everybody was asking "why the hell would you go there" but the photos he came back with were stunning.
So I hope we get to see yours

I just looked online to see if there was jungle so I could say 'Remember, the biggest drawback in the jungle is an elephant's foreskin', but alas no, just lots of pristine looking paradise beaches.

[DrWilly]

We cannot see much either...."invalid attachment"

A friend of mine went there once, everybody was asking "why the hell would you go there" but the photos he came back with were stunning.
So I hope we get to see yours

I think I fixed that one. Between the TD photo uploader & the painfully slow, almost dial up internet here it’s hard going.

A couple more. The hotel and surrounds are lovely, not so much pristine sandy beaches as this is a sea trading port, but plenty of colour and interesting things happening.

[david44]

A friend retired to Pemba always wanted to go til I read it all smelled of cloves, is that still true ?
Nice pix look forward to more

[Stumpy]

Great pics DW. Green owed

[Iceman123]

A friend retired to Pemba always wanted to go til I read it all smelled of cloves, is that still true ?
Nice pix look forward to more

oh FFS somewhere you haven’t been. I was expecting you to tell us the skinny on the owner of the corner shop

[DrWilly]

A friend retired to Pemba always wanted to go til I read it all smelled of cloves, is that still true ?
Nice pix look forward to more

I don’t know. If I visit Pemba island (80kms from Zanzibar island) I’ll let you know. Pemba is considered more laid back and quiet, Zanzibar more bustling. Zanzibar and Pemba are the two main islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago, surrounded by up to 50 small islands.

[Topper]

How progressively Muslim is the community? Are cold, refreshing barley based beverages readily available?

[helge]

Zanzibar

Home of the shortest war ever fought.

38 minutes

Tanzania has been a major benefactor of danish aid and I think that it once was considered one of the "hopes of Africa".

Probably only gone downhill from there.

Crowded with chinese, Harry


Promising thread

[helge]

refreshing barley based beverages readily available?

No

Probably maize/corn based, down that way

[DrWilly]

How progressively Muslim is the community? Are cold, refreshing barley based beverages readily available?

Home of the shortest war ever fought.

38 minutes

Tanzania has been a major benefactor of danish aid and I think that it once was considered one of the "hopes of Africa".

Probably only gone downhill from there.

Crowded with chinese, Harry

Promising thread

Around 1890. 500 Omani casualties and 1 British sailor.

[DrWilly]

Originally Tanganyika and Zanzibar were separate countries (well, Zanzibar was an Omani Sultanate, then a British protectorate until declaring independence in March 1963… Zanzibar lasted about 3 months before joining Tanganyika to become the confederation of Zanzibar.

[david44]

Correct I learned about Omani connection on my honeymoon.
I assume you started in Zim, Are there any direct flights one stop from BKK like Muscat Abu Dhabi/Dubai or perhaps India or is it a domestic only airport, have a squint at departtures on way out?
Like to have look , wife not so keen on muslim destinations other than reduces my sup.

If you like cloves apparently their the bees knees

[DrWilly]

Attachment 114618

[helge]

a female pole vaulter

Been to the beach yet, Willy ?

I think that Zanzibar used to be a destination for the female equivalents to the male Pattaya explorers.


Bad bad bad

[david44]

Attachment 114618

won't open

[DrWilly]

I assume you started in Zim, Are there any direct flights one stop from BKK like Muscat Abu Dhabi/Dubai or perhaps India or is it a domestic only airport

If you like cloves apparently their the bees knees

No direct flights. You need to go through Dar.

I just checked, wiki tells me that Adied Amani Karune airport is international and served flights in East Africa, Europe and Middle East.

Indonesia is also a source of cloves. The old airport used to have that sweet cloying smell as soon as you landed, usually because all the passengers light up as soon as they disembarked the plane in the terminal.

I don’t mind the smell.

[david44]

I don’t mind the smell.

me too in a kretek but not great spikes in an apple pie, probably as oil of cloves was used for toothache as a child.

Thanks for the flight info

[helge]

Possibilities from Copenhagen.

KLM, Qatar, Turkish, Kenya Air

1 and 2 stops


And Charter Flights

[helge]

Sharks, eh ?

Nice photo