ZANZIBAR

Zanzibar is an island off the East Coast of Tanzania, North of Dar es Salaam. It is a semi-autonomous part of the United Republic of Tanzania and comprises numerous small beautiful tropical islands, and two large ones (Unguja (also known as Zanzibar) and Pemba). It has a long trading history with the Arab world and is still largely a muslim state. Stone Town, Zanzibar’s capital and a World Heritage site, is a bustling market and a World Heritage site. The white soft sand and crystal clear azure water of the Indian Ocean truly is paradise, and there are a plethora of luxury lodges and hotels to relax in after a safari in Kenya or Tanzania.

Zanzibar is a popular destination for weddings and family holidays, with its variety of activities such as sailing, swimming with dolphins, and diving. It is also ideal for those more active, with PADI dive centers dotted all over the Island.

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STONE TOWN

Stone Town is the capital of Zanzibar, located in the 19th century. It is known for its palaces, mosques, and old Arab houses, as well as small shops selling paintings, clocks, and chests. The market on Creek Road is a great place to explore on foot, but visitors should be aware that it can be noisy due to the five-times-daily calls to prayer from the mosques.

There are many options for staying in Stone Town, including hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants. Zanzibar, Stone Town and Africa are all great places to stay when in Africa.

**Places to stay whilst at Stone town

Zanzibar Serena
Park Hyatt
Emerson Spice

ZANZIBAR ISLAND

The Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean offers stunning views of turquoise-blue water, sandbars, and small, nearly deserted islands. Visitors can explore the World Heritage Site of Stone Town and enjoy the beauty of tiny fishing villages.

**places to stay in Zanzibar

MAFIA ISLAND

Mafia Island is one of the five sleepy, tropical islands in the Indian Ocean, known as the Mafia Archipelago. It is a 30-60-minute flight from Dar es Salaam and is home to lush vegetation and wildlife, with coconut palms, baobabs, cashews, mangos and papaya trees in the interior.

On the coast, there are mangrove forests and tidal flats attracting sunbirds. In 1995, the Mafia Island Marine Park was formed to protect the archipelago’s reefs, and there are more than 50 kinds of coral, including giant table corals, huge stands of blue-tipped staghorn corals, and more than 400 species of fish. Dive sites outside the bay are often only safely accessible from about mid-September to the end of February due to local winds and currents.

**Place to stay in Mafia

Pole Pole Bungalows
Kinasi Lodge
Chole Mjini

PEMBA ISLAND

Pemba Island is an untouched and pristine island of great beauty and fertility, separated from the mainland of Tanzania and Zanzibar. It is known for its forests, swamps, mangroves, hidden beaches and lagoons, and the ruins of mosques and tombs. Pemba Island is also a magic island, a center for ju-ju traditions of medicine and wizardry. Chake Chake harbor is mainly used for swimming and fishing. The monsoon climate is characterized by seasonality of its precipitation.

Monsoon precipitation is concentrated into the high-sun season due to uplift by maritime equatorial and maritime tropical air masses. Orographic uplift is an important mechanism for promoting precipitation. The low-sun season is characterized by a short drought season when high pressure inhibits precipitation formation. The Asian monsoon has a distinct dry season from October to May when the interior of Asia is a region of high pressure. A wet season from June to September occurs when the wind changes direction and blows in the region of low pressure.

Winds from the equator bring a lot of moisture and rain to Pemba, an island with a population of 500,000. Traveling in Pemba is a magical experience as the villagers are eager to talk to anyone who passes and small children will give you their biggest smiles as you pass by. Unlike Unguja (Zanzibar), Pemba is hilly with gentle undulating hills and deep verdant valleys.

**Places to stay whilst at Pemba

The Manta Resort
Fundu Lagoon

PRIVATE ISLAND

Mnemba Island

Mnemba Island is an exclusive paradise featuring twelve rustically chic beachside bandas, for just 24 guests, connected to the breathtaking Mnemba atoll. It is known as the spice island due to its centuries old trade of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. The island offers simple yet luxurious bandas with beautiful open views of the beach and spectacular vistas of Zanzibar beyond. For those wanting to indulge in a lie-in, fresh sushi and chilled champagne can be delivered to the beach banda. Romantic candlelit dinners are served on the beach.

Zanzibar is a tiny island located in the African paradise of Mnemba, just 1.5 km away from the beach. The island offers irresistible snorkeling and swimming directly from the beach, as well as yoga and wellness activities to rejuvenate the soul. The lodge also offers fresh food that is locally-produced, wholesome and natural, served at a time and location that suits each guest perfectly.

b) Thanda Island

Thanda Island is a luxury private island located in the turquoise waters of a marine protected reserve off the coast of Tanzania, East Africa. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and has repeatedly been voted by the World Travel Awards as the World’s Leading Exclusive Private Island.

It offers an exclusive, single-key Villa with five romantic, air-conditioned suites that open directly onto the beach, as well as two traditional, open-air Tanzania bandas (beach chalets) for your exclusive use. Thanda Island is committed to conservation and partners with the Tanzanian Marine Parks and Reserves Unit in a range of marine conservation programmes. It also participates in community programmes on nearby Mafia Island, including education, sustainable fish harvesting and sport.