Choose Zanzibar Holidays For Fun On An Archipelago

If you wish to get away from the mundane humdrum of your stressful routine for a few days and rejuvenate your sagging energy levels, Zanzibar holidays is one of the best options. Zanzibar is a coral island that is part of a coralline reef stretching down the Indian Ocean south of Dar es Salaam till MafiaIsland. In this archipelago that lies 25 miles off the Tanzania mainland on the east coast of Africa, you can relax in a tropical paradise that has palm-studded, superb white sandy beaches that are resplendent with azure clear waters and blue sky. The atmosphere in this tropical island is uniquely romantic and ideal for complete relaxation.

Zanzibar has a colourful history that recounts tales of many visitors such as the Egyptians, Indians, Chinese, Persians, Arabs, British, Dutch, Sumerians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Malays, and Portuguese who came as traders, travellers, raiders and colonisers. They came at different times and each of them left behind a different legacy on the sands of time. The present inhabitants of Zanzibar are the Waswahili who speak Kiswahili and share a lineage that is a combination of the people of Bantu tribes and the Persians and Arabs who came as traders.

When you take Zanzibar holidays, you can perceive the impact of this rich and colourful history in the architecture, narrow lanes, leaning old buildings, the people and their way of life. The cultural heart of Zanzibar is the old city of StoneTown which was the seat of the Sultan’s rule. It still has the same winding alleys, mosques, bustling bazaars, and the grand Arab house that have existed for the past 200 years. The carved, brass-studded doors of the Arab house are a testimony to the extravaganza that existed at that time. The Market building, PeoplesPalace and the House of Wonders are examples of the amazing architecture of the days gone by.

Besides admiring its glorious history, you can also visit the vibrant markets of StoneTown during Zanzibar Holidays. Meat, spices, fabric, jewelry, vegetables and different kinds of freshly caught fish are sold in these markets. There is a plethora of restaurants that serve Indian, Italian and traditional Zanzibar cuisines. The Forodhani gardens food market comprises of many food stalls that serve different types of fish, meat and vegetable dishes. Zanzibar pizza and sugar cane juice are the local delicacies that are great accompaniments of the main food items.

Zanzibar Holidays cannot be complete if you do not take advantage of the opportunity to do some exotic shopping. Zanzibar is a shopper’s paradise where you can find a large variety of carvings and curios in silver, brass, and copper besides models of canoes, dhows, coffee pots, outriggers and Arab doors. Shopaholics can indulge in their shopping addiction by buying silver jewelry, bracelets, clove pomanders, woven baskets, cocktail sticks and coffee spoons.

Pemba, Mnemba and Uzi are the neighboring islands of Zanzibar and during your Zanzibar holidays, you just cannot afford to skip these places from your itinerary. In Zanzibar Pemba and Unguja (or Zanzibar) are the two main islands. There are roughly 50 more islets nearby. Moreover, there are many villages that are a part of Zanzibar, with each of these villages having different surroundings, atmosphere and sceneries. Paje is a small seaside village that has a fantastic beach where you can relax and watch the harvest of seaweeds during the outflow of the tide. The seaweed is trapped by the local people with the help of stakes and then it is dried and exported.

If you are a beach lover and enjoy water activities such as diving, fishing, sunbathing, swimming or snorkelling, you must visit Nungwi which is another village of Zanzibar. You would also be able to indulge in other water sports like wind surfing, sea kayaking or even a sunset cruise on a local dhow boat at the end of the day. If you are interested in watching marine life, you can see baby sea turtles being cared for in the different natural aquariums of this area.

When you are on Zanzibar holidays, the two main activities that you would be enjoying are relaxing on the beach or indulging in water sports and experiencing the rich cultural heritage of the place. Zanzibar is a popular location for snorkelers and scuba divers. Diving is another popular activity because experienced divers have ample opportunities to wall dive, night dive and drift dive. People who wish to learn diving get the opportunity to take lessons. Diving also enables the divers to appreciate the splendours of the Indian Ocean that include manta rays, colourful tropical fish and big game fish. People who are shark enthusiasts can enjoy their Zanzibar holidays by hunting in the reefs for whale sharks, white sharks, reef sharks, tiger and lemon sharks and hammerheads.

During your Zanzibar holidays, when you have had enough of the beach, you can visit a game park and a spice plantation. You can also see an old abandoned prison which was meant for truculent slaves but was never used. Zanzibar has a sizable population of Aldabra tortoises. The size, weight and lifespan of these tortoises are similar to those of the Galapagos Giant Tortoises. Zanzibar can boast of the existence of the oldest living tortoise which is 170 years old. The name of this Aldabra tortoise is Esmeralda.

It is important to know about the weather conditions at different points of time in the year in order to plan your Kenya holidays or Zanzibar holidays. There is no point in going there when the weather is not conducive for outdoor activities. Zanzibar is a tropical country and is subject to extreme weather conditions. The prime time for Zanzibar holidays is from November to March when the weather is hot and humid and there is hardly any rain. Zanzibar experiences torrential rains from April to June when the monsoon is in full swing. However, it does not rain the whole day and tourists can indulge in their favourite activities in the sun, surf and sand during the intervening periods when there is no rain. This is the ideal time for people who are planning their Zanzibar holidays on a shoe-string budget because most holiday resorts offer discounted rates.

December and January are not very conducive for holidaying in Zanzibar because the Muslim festival of Ramadan falls during this period and most local restaurants and bars are closed but you can still have enough entertainment because the holiday resorts remain open.

The humidity levels are low during July to October and the average temperature is around 77°F. This is an ideal time for those tourists who wish to remain in peace and away from the crowds because not many people take Zanzibar holidays during this period. The amount of rainfall is low and it lasts only for a short time. The sun shines brightly in the intervals between the rains.

The best way to plan wonderful Zanzibar holidays is to browse the websites of different tour operators and compare their offers. Reliable online agents have some great deals that are designed to enhance the reach of your travel budget so that you can get better standards of travel and accommodation at the lowest costs. These agents have contacts with all elements of the holiday and are able to negotiate the best deals for flights, hotels, travel insurance and excursions. They can arrange the most convenient accommodation options because they have wide contacts and because their travel consultants are highly experienced in this field. They can also help you to plan a complex itinerary so that you can derive maximum pleasure in the shortest time and at the cheapest rates.

There are more than 25 spectacular, white sandy beaches in Zanzibar and the hotels offer top-class service. There are many hotels and guest houses in the old town and they are suitable for all types of budgets. Daily flights from Dar es Salaam and Arusha can take you to Zanzibar. Many international airlines also stop at Zanzibar airport. You can also go there from Dar es Salaam by taking a hydrofoil cruise boat ride.

Zanzibar is also known as the SpiceIsland because the smells of spices and cloves are strongly felt in the markets and they lure the visitors to the island and make their holidays unforgettable. The fun of Zanzibar holidays can be doubled if you combine it with a Tanzania safari because it takes only 20 minutes to fly to Tanzania. By doing so, you will be able to witness exciting scenery, see interesting wild animals and relax on the idyllic beaches. The luxury safaris will give you a taste of African adventure and will provide you with an experience that you will never forget for the rest of your life.

When you are planning your next holiday you must think of going to the exotic locations of Africa such as the beaches of Zanzibar, the game parks of Kenya, the exotic locations of Cape Town in South Africa and the splendid Mount Kilimanjaro among many other interesting holiday locations. The fun of Zanzibar holidays can be considerably increased if you take your family along with you so that you can get some quality time with your loved ones. The main objective of any holiday is to relax so that you are away from your daily routine and you can get rejuvenated before you go back to your roots and Zanzibar holidays will afford all opportunities for you to do so. However, in order to have a hassle-free holiday, it is essential to contact a reliable online tour operator for planning your vacation.