Hi my name is Nici, and like Helen I love to travel. I got the travel bug a long time ago. I have been very lucky to have travelled with my partner. We’ve been to lots of lovely places around the world. We like to try different places. If you fancy something a bit different but are not sure where to go, I can tell you about some of the places I have been to. You may find it’s somewhere you might like to try.

I’ll give you a snapshot of where to go, what to see and a few other bits in between. So, if you fancy trying something a little different, let’s see if anything appeals.

Spotlight on Zanzibar:

Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights to Zanzibar. You’ll have to take a one-stop flight. These flights go from most major UK airports, with layovers in major international hubs. We chose to do a stopover in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

We flew into Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport. A taxi met us that we had arranged through our hotel. Lots of hotels will arrange airport pick-ups and drops offs for you if you ask at a small cost. Or arrange a pick up before you leave, ask Helen what’s available.

This holiday was a chill out and relax holiday for us. We chose to go South of the island where hotels are spaced out more. If you go to the North and East coast of the island this is where you will find more accommodation. If you prefer to stay in the capital Stone Town then this is on the West coast of the island.

The hotel we stayed at was set on the beach. Zanzibar is on the Indian Ocean. The idyllic photos you see of white sand and bright blue seas really are true!

Stone Town is the capital of Zanzibar and also a UNESCO world heritage site. There are plenty of shops and restaurants if this is what you are looking for. Christ Church Cathedral is a must see for anyone visiting.  Information about Zanzibar’s past history and involvement in the slave trade can be found here. You can take a boat trip over to Prison Island to see giant tortoises, or just find a rooftop bar and sip a drink looking over this beautiful town.

Take a visit to the Jozani forest. There, you can see the Red Colobus monkey. This monkey is only found in Zanzibar. You can enjoy a guided walk around the forest. The local guides will tell you about their unique flora and fauna. There is also a natural mangrove forest there which is a crucial ecosystem for many species of wildlife.

There are also several spice farms around the island. This is where Zanzibar gets its nickname of “The Spice Islands”. You can find local guides that will show you around these and explain all the different spices that they grow on Zanzibar. It is famous for growing cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper.

If you are into Instagram then you may have come across one of the most photographed parts of Zanzibar, a restaurant called The Rock. As its name suggests it is a rock with the restaurant on top of it. You get to it via a small boat, make sure you take your shoes off or roll your trousers up or you will get wet, but be warned the sand can be very hot. Food in the restaurant is good. However, it’s perfect if you just want to sip a cocktail overlooking the beautiful blue sea. It’s a great photo opportunity. Be aware the price is on the higher end of what you would expect to pay in Zanzibar. We went in 2023. At that time, we had two mains, 2 desserts, and two drinks each. It cost us 130 US dollars. If you’re into Instagram and you want to post the perfect picture, then this is the place to go.

Some useful information:

Did you know that Zanzibar is the birth place of Freddie Mercury? You can find the house where he was born in Stone Town.

Currency: Tanzanian Shilling, although most hotels will accept US Dollars. The Tanzanian Shilling is not widely available in the UK so we waited till we got to the airport in Zanzibar and then changed some U.S. Dollars into the Tanzanian Shilling.  There were no problems doing this.

Language: The main language of Zanzibar is Swahili although in tourist areas English is widely used as is Arabic and French is also understood.

Some useful phrases:

To say hello just say Jambo

To say thank you it’s Asante – Asante Sana is thank you very much.

To say please it’s Tafadalhi

Hakuna Matata is also a phrase you will hear, it means no problem, no worries.

Zanzibar is a safe place to travel but like anywhere be on guard with your belongings don’t leave them unattended.

Tipping is also very common in Zanzibar so make sure you take some additional Shillings.

I hope that you have found this little snapshot of Zanzibar interesting. If it’s somewhere that you think you would like to go, then get in touch with Helen. I’m sure she will be able to help you book an amazing holiday.

By Nici