Overview
A cluster of islands nestled in the Indian Ocean just off the east coast of Tanzania, East Africa.
A cliche it might be, but Zanzibar is one of those words, like Casablanca or Timbuktu, that conjures up adventure, remoteness and excitement in the minds of most Westerners. The kind of name that figured in your dreams when you first decided that traveling was in your blood. Despite its legendary status, however, many people are in the dark about Zanzibar's actual position on the map. One of my friends, on being informed of my proposed destination, even said, Zanzibar? Is that a real place? It is, indeed. And Zanzibar really does have something for everyone. If your idea of heaven is to lie on the most perfect of perfect beaches, undisturbed by anything more than the occasional hermit crab, you'll find tiny, abandoned coves where you can forget the rest of the world exists, and stir only to flop into the bath-warm sea. But if lying immobile on the beach fills you with horror and your burning desire is for colorful local traditions, crumbling picturesque ruins and dim, fascinating markets, Zanzibar has all this in spades, too. And if, like most of us, you'd prefer a bit of both, the small size of the islands and proliferation of places to stay in all price ranges makes Zanzibar the ideal destination for touring. For watersports enthusiasts, the coral reefs and open sea between Zanzibar and Pemba are justly famous for the quality of their snorkeling, diving and big game fishing.
Diving Description
The diving in Zanzibar is very good with some exceptionally good reefs in and around the various locations. The best location for the serious divers and deep divers is out on the Pemba Reefs. If you are into this, be sure to have a look at the Pemba reef descriptions. These reefs are awesome and there is a large variety to choose from. The diving around Zanzibar, particularly Mnemba Island is exceptional, with some good wreck dives in the Stone Town area.
Snorkeling Description
For those who don't dive there is a wealth of snorkeling opportunities around Zanzibar. Many of the sites have reefs almost reach the surface and the fish are used to divers and cluster round you. The most famous place for snorkeling in Zanzibar is the beautiful Mnemba Atoll Marine Reserve. This private island is about six kilometers from the dive centre and has three different places to snorkel. The area is well known for its fish life and you can expect to see lion fish, moray eels, stingrays and turtles swimming around in the shallows. If you venture further out the reef drops away into a big wall where you will see schools of giant trevally and emperor fish hunting, yellow snappers, barracuda and if you are lucky napoleon fish and turtles.
Getting There
BOAT: Frequent ferries --11 at the last count -- make the crossing between the port of Dar-es-Salaam, on the Tanzanian mainland, and Zanzibar. PLANE: There are no direct flights from the USA to Zanzibar. As flights from Europe -- and especially London -- to East Africa are among the cheapest around, you may be better off buying two tickets -- a cheap fare to London or Milan, then a separate scheduled or charter ticket on to Zanzibar.
