Guide Note

Zanzibar is part of the East African republic of Tanzania, which was formed when Zanzibar united with Tanganyika. Zanzibar is comprised of two main islands — the larger one is Unguja, often referred to as Zanzibar, and the smaller one is called Pemba. The capital of Zanzibar is Zanzibar City. Sometimes referred to as the “African Spice Islands,” Zanzibar is a large exporter of spices and relies heavily on tourism. ¹ Zanzibar is a conservative, Sunni Muslim society and throughout its history has been influenced by its ties to the Middle East, Portugal, Great Britain and mainland Africa.²

Fast Facts

Country: Tanzania
Language: KiSwahili
Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS)
Country Code: 255
City Code: 024
Time Zone: UTC+3
President: Amani Abeid Karume
Climate: 75-81ºF³

Attractions

Stone Town: Wander the narrow, winding streets of the city, which has been deemed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.⁴
The Palace Museum (Beit-al-Sahel): This palace served as the home of the Sultan of Zanzibar until the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964.⁵
The Old Fort: Also known as the Arab Fort, it is the oldest structure in Stone Town. It was built in 1560 and was used by Omani Arabs to defend against the Portuguese.⁶
Spice Plantations: Visit the spice plantations, where cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and other spices are grown. You can purchase spices and spice oils at the plantations.⁴
The Jozani Natural Forest Reserve: See the rare Red Colobus Monkey that roam freely at the reserve.⁴

Mahalo Suggests

If planning a trip, please see Zanzibar Hotels, Zanzibar Restaurants and Zanzibar Tours.

More Help for Your Trip

Categories

Travel | Vacation | African Destinations

View Note History

Zanzibar Vacation

The Mahalo Top 7

Official Tourism Site: Zanzibar Commission for Tourism
Concierge.com: Zanzibar Travel Guide
Lonely Planet: Zanzibar Travel Information
TripAdvisor: Zanzibar Tourism
Wikitravel: Zanzibar Travel Guide
VirtualTourist: Zanzibar Island Travel Guide
Rough Guides: Zanzibar

Zanzibar Flights

- Consider flying into Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar-Es-Salaam, then taking the ferry.
Tanzania Airports Authority
Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) - Condor - Kenya Airways
Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) - British Airways - KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Zanzibar Travel Packages

TripAdvisor: Zanzibar Vacation Deals

Zanzibar Basics

Weather: Weather Underground - AccuWeather.com - BBC Weather
Map: Lonely Planet - Wikipedia - Google Maps
Current Events: Google News - Topix
History: Official Government Site - Wikipedia - Lonely Planet
Photos: Google Image Search - Live Search Images - Flickr
Currency Exchange Rate: Yahoo! Finance - Fxtop.com

Zanzibar Info

Frommer's: Tanzania Regions in Brief
Tanzania Tourist Board: Zanzibar Island
Wikipedia: Zanzibar
Zanzibarhistory.org: Zanzibar Unveiled
Discover Tanzania: Zanzibar

Zanzibar Transportation

Lonely Planet: Getting Around Zanzibar
VirtualTourist: Zanzibar Island Transportation
Rough Guides: City Transport in Zanzibar
Frommer's: Getting Around Tanzania

Zanzibar Activities

Zanzibar Attractions

Concierge.com: Zanzibar Sights and Activities
The New York Times: Mount Kilimanjaro - On Africa’s Roof Still Crowned With Snow (January 20, 2008)
Lonely Planet: Zanzibar Attractions
TripAdvisor: Zanzibar Attractions
IgoUgo: Things to Do in Zanzibar
VirtualTourist: Things To Do on Zanzibar Island
Zanzibar Commission for Tourism: Castles & Forts - Coastal Heritage

Zanzibar Events

Zanzibar Tours

- The Mahalo Guide To Zanzibar Tours
Official Site: Tanzania Association of Tour Operators
Rough Guides: Organized Tours
InfoHub: Zanzibar Tours
Zanzibar Dive Adventures

Zanzibar Hotels

- The Mahalo Guide To Zanzibar Hotels
Concierge.com: Zanzibar Hotels
TripAdvisor: Zanzibar Hotels
Yahoo! Travel: Zanzibar Hotels
IgoUgo: Zanzibar Hotels
VirtualTourist: Zanzibar Island Hotels
ZanzibarTourism.com: Zanzibar Hotels

Zanzibar Restaurants

- The Mahalo Guide To Zanzibar Restaurants
Concierge.com: Zanzibar Restaurants
IgoUgo: Zanzibar Restaurants
Rough Guides: Stone Town Restaurants
VirtualTourist: Zanzibar Island Restaurants
ZanzibarTourism.com: Zanzibar Restaurants

Zanzibar Shopping

VirtualTourist: Zanzibar Island Shopping
Rough Guides: Shopping
ZanzibarTourism.com: Zanzibar Shops

Zanzibar Nightlife

VirtualTourist: Zanzibar Island Nightlife
Rough Guides: Drinking and Nightlife

Zanzibar Blogs and Message Boards

Related Searches

Zanzibar Hotels | Zanzibar Restaurants | Zanzibar Tours | South Africa Vacation | Johannesburg Vacation

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