TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN ZANZIBAR
The old stone is a UNESCO world heritage site found on the main island of Ungunja where it obtained its name from the 19th-century buildings whose architecture was influenced by European, Arabic, Indian, and Swahili settlers. Taking a tour of the town is a great opportunity to understand the history of the island’s inhabitants. The town is contrary placed at the very heart of Zanzibar and was once used as a stopover for both general merchandise and slave traders moving to the mainland. The streets are characterized by narrow streets, bazaars, ancient architecture, and several mosques.
Is a small island northwest of the stone town accessible by boat ride. The name Prison Island originated from the initial planning of establishing a prison. No prison institutions were built on the island but rather it was converted into a quarantine island to serve the British territories in East Africa. prison Island is a tropical paradise that contains an abundance of wildlife and great scenery where most travelers visit the Island to immerse themselves in Zanzibar’s history
The Mtoni Palace is located north of Maruhubi and it was as built between 1828 and 1834 for Sultan Said on the site of an older house that belonged to Saleh bin Haramil, the Arab trader who imported the first cloves to Zanzibar. Mtoni is the oldest palace in Zanzibar and was built in the 1800s, later destroyed by fire but still remained attractive to visitors due to its architectural design, the old slave market, the house of Wonder, and other heritage sites in the region.
The Old Fort is one of the oldest buildings in Stone Town and has a rich history in Zanzibar. It was originally built by the Portuguese in the 17th century and later rebuilt by the Omani Arabs in the 18th century after expelling the Portuguese in 1699. The Fort is one of the prominent visitor attractions as it has adapted to serve as a cultural center with curio shops selling tourist-oriented merchandise such as tinga tinga paintings, an open-air amphitheater where live dance and music shows are held most evenings, and a restaurant. The fort is also used as the main venue for larger events such as the Festival of the Dhow Countries (also known as the Zanzibar International Film Festival) and the Sauti za Busara.
Zanzibar being Archipelago, consists of several islands which are Unguja Island, Pemba Island, Latham Island, and Mafia Island. The island serves as a delightful hub for water adventures where one enjoys a variety of sports and experiences such as scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, paddle boards, and surfing. There’s a whole lot to at these beaches Kendwa, Nungwi, Matemwe, Chwaka, Michamvi, Bwejuu, Paje, and Jambiani feature some of the most beautiful beaches on the island.
Spices were first introduced by the Portuguese back in the 16th century when they were transported over from colonies in Goa and Brazil. The Sultan transported 50,000 slaves through Zanzibar each year, forcing a third of them to work on the spice farms in Tanzania — 30% of whom died every year due to the terrible conditions. These spice and slave trades combined to make Stone Town one of the richest cities in Africa. Om this tour, travelers enjoy a unique rainforest nature with lots of tropical plants, trees and spices. Experience, taste, and smell different spices that are grown in Zanzibar Islands such as Turmeric, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Black Peppers, Cloves, and Nutmegs.
This forest reserve forms part of the Jozani – Chwaka Bay National Park which spans in an area of only 50sq. km. Jozani Forest Reserve is one of the treasured natural sites and remarkably one of a few existing sanctuaries in Africa with unique primate species. Its landscape is a mosaic of mangroves, tropical forests, and coral rug forests as well as groundwater, salt marshes, and agricultural and residential areas. The reserve is a host of a population of about 100 tree species, 50 butterfly species, 291 species of plants, and 1000 Kirks red colobus monkeys and other mammal species including duikers, bush babies, African civets, Sykes monkeys among others. The forest is one of the Important Birding Areas (IBAs) in the Zanzibar Archipelago