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Soraya & Jeffry on Zanzibar
Our first thought of Zanzibar was luxury resorts, white beaches and clear blue waters. But we found out that Zanzibar has absolutely much more to offer than that! Zanzibar is island located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania and near Kenya and thus excellent to combine/extend with a safari, for example.
We stayed on Zanzibar for a week, we left Saturday afternoon from Amsterdam on Ethiopian Airlines to this sunny destination. After a long journey, we arrived the next day, Sunday, at Kisauni Airport, Zanzibar’s airport. After filling out the necessary paperwork and receiving our visas ($50 per person), we were picked up by a cab that took us to the hotel, Langi Langi.
Accommodation: Langi Langi
Langi Langi is located in the north of Zanzibar in the town of Nungwi. Langi Langi is a small, but nice and clean, hotel with swimming pool and restaurant located by the sea. With dinner you can enjoy the sunset and with breakfast you can wake up quietly with the sound of the waves in the background. Super relaxing!
In the town of Nungwi there are many nice restaurants with different cuisines, located within walking distance from the hotel. So in the evenings you won’t have to get bored here! Also visit a cozy cocktail bar whether you enjoy lounging on a rooftop bar or relaxing with your feet in the sand on the beach, it is all possible.
Diving at: East Africa Diving
The diving school East Africa Diving is also located within walking distance of the hotel, the morning walk on the beach is definitely not a punishment! The team at East Africa Diving speaks multiple languages and they have 3 boats, 1 Dhow and 2 ribs. A day in advance the dive schedule is determined and you know where you are going the next day and, of course, what time you need to be present.
Off the coast of Zanzibar and around the smaller islands are many beautiful and unusual dive sites. There is something for every type of diver! The water is warm, clear and full of colorful life. So ideal diving conditions.
The ocean life around Zanzibar is very diverse whether you like to encounter nudibranch, tropical fish, moray eels or barracudas, it is all possible. Sometimes even dolphins or sharks are spotted!
Sunday we left by plane for our next destination, so unfortunately Friday was our last day of diving and Saturday off! An excellent opportunity to visit Zanzibar’s capital city.
Excursion in Stonetown
The capital of Zanzibar is Stone Town, Stone Town has a historic center with a maze of narrow streets lined with stores and restaurants and is located on the ocean. Stone Town has a very rich history. Among other things, we visited the fort, the ancestral home of Queen singer Freddie Mercury and the Anglican Cathedral where the largest slave market used to be found. You can still find remnants of this today.
Should you have a day to spare, Stone Town is definitely worth a visit! In our hotel Langi Langi they had booked a cab for us, which came to pick us up at the hotel in the morning and brought us back in the afternoon, the ride takes about 1.5 hours.
Zanzibar is a tropical island par excellence with ideal diving conditions and much more!
A little tip from us: Get your vaccinations in time and especially don’t forget your cholera stamp, this will save you a lot of time and expense at customs!
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