| Product | Zanzibar Discovery |
| Country | Zanzibar Island (Tanzania) |
| Where to Buy | G Adventures |
| Duration | 5 Days |
| Dates | January- December |
| My Rating | 9.8 out of 10 |
Beach Holidays Review — Zanzibar Island
The Zanzibar Discovery package is a 5-day vacation on the paradisiacal Zanzibar Island.
The Zanzibar Archipelago contains more than 50 islands. The main island known as Zanzibar is the largest, with a superficies of about 579 square miles (1,500 Km²).
Your vacation begins in Stone Town, where you will spend two days strolling around the narrow streets. Then, the adventure continues for two more days in Mangapwani with a guided tour of a spice plantation. Also, some optional activities are offered to fill up your free time and to enable you to explore Zanzibar Island further.
Also, some optional activities are available to fill up your free time and to allow you to explore Zanzibar Island further!
The Zanzibar Discovery package offers an upgraded service, meaning enhanced comfort. As a result, this is a deluxe package, which comprises private transport to different locations and all the airport transfers (arrival and departure).
However, there is a time restriction. Your flight must arrive at the island no later than 8:00 PM and leave after 12:00 PM.
The Zanzibar beach holiday is not physically challenging since it involves walking either around Stone Town, Mangapwani, or the gorgeous Zanzibar beaches!
Stone Town
Stone Town is on the west coast of Zanzibar Island. During the 19th century, the town was a trading center for spices and slaves.
Stone Town harbors a rich cultural heritage that comes from the Arabs, Indians, Persians, and Europeans who helped build the town. Consequently, the cultural trademarks of the Muslims and the Indians are all over the city, as shown by the style of the houses and the spicy cuisine!
As a result of its unique architecture, Stone Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. One of the architectural signatures is, without a doubt, the wooden doors decorated with exquisite carvings.
Here are some of the famous landmarks that you will visit during your walking tour:
- The House of Wonders was in the 19th century the home of the Sultan, but nowadays harbors the museum of the Zanzibar culture.
- The Christ Church (Anglican Cathedral) is built on the spot where the slave market used to be. The altar sits exactly where the whipping post was!
- The Forodhani Gardens harbors a market very popular with tourists, especially for its seafood barbecue!
Mangapwani
The town of Mangapwani, which means “Arabian shore” in Swahili, is 25 km to the north of Stone Town.
During your free time, you should take a walk down the Mangapwani beaches and visit the coral cavern containing a pool of freshwater and the slave cave used for the slave trade during the 19th century.
Moreover, additional optional activities are available, including relaxing at the spa. If you are looking for more action, you can go scuba diving or snorkeling to explore the spectacular coral reefs and the marine wildlife in the breathtaking turquoise sea.
Other Adventures to Consider
- Sailing trip.
- Game fishing.
- Horseback riding in the Jozani forest.
The Best Time to Go?
The best time to visit Zanzibar Island is during the months of December to February and May to August, which corresponds to the dry seasons.
Furthermore, the month of December is the hottest whereas the month of July is the coldest!
Vaccinations
You need to get vaccinated for yellow fever, and don’t forget to bring your immunization proof with you. Otherwise, your vacation will be cut short since you will not be allowed to enter the country!
Respect the Locals
The inhabitants of the Zanzibar island are mostly Muslims. Therefore, there is a dress code to follow to prevent being harassed by the locals. To dodge any awkward situations as well as possible altercations with the locals, the minimum length of the shorts and skirts should be at the knee, and women should cover their shoulders.
Zanzibar Island, an Earthly Paradise
Zanzibar Island harbors a rich cultural history and is the perfect destination to escape your stressful daily routine! There is so much to do and to see that five days might not be enough!
Dive into the ocean and discover the breathtaking coral reefs and impressive marine wildlife.
Awaken your senses to the unique aromas of spices that fill up the air all over the island of Zanzibar.
If you are looking for a paradisiac beach, then Zanzibar Island is the destination of choice for your next vacation!
If you have any inquiries about the Zanzibar Discovery vacation package or want to leave your review of Zanzibar, leave a comment below.
Hey, nice site you have here! Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks, I sure will 🙂
Hello there,
First off, thank you for the detailed description of this beautiful place: Zanzibar.
It looks mind-blowing.
Being an avid traveler, I immediately want to teleport there.
The good thing is that it is not simply a beach destination, but a place with a history where one can do some proper sightseeing.
Thanks, hope that the avid traveler that you are will get the chance to escape to Zanzibar!
What a great review and the place looks lovely. It’s good that you can do activities as well as learn some cool things about the area.
Stone Town looks really exciting. It’s great to visit places that have an intriguing history about them. Excellent article. Have you visited or is it on your bucket list?
Sharon
It’s on my bucket list. What about you? Have you put Zanzibar on your bucket list? Thanks.
Wow Sonia, very nice article, this would be a place to explore. For 5 days vacation in Zanzibar sounds like an awesome vacation. It’s like going back in time. It’s unbelievable that such a place still exists. Stone Town has a lot of history dealing with the slave trade, 3.3 million slaves were believed to be traded. That’s a lot of people.
It’s quite a beautiful place! Are you planning to go to Zanzibar on your next vacation? If not, you should at least put it on your bucket list!
Thanks.
Hi Sonia,
It looks like Zanzibar is quite the place. I hadn’t heard much about it up until your article. Spice and Slave trade seem to have been all the rage back then. I need to make room for this local on my bucket list to visit one day. The slave cave, despite its name, looks beautiful, the beaches as well look wonderful. I can see myself strolling down old stone town learning all about its rich history. Thank you for this.
A visit to the Slave cave is a must! Zanzibar has a lot to offer to its visitors.
Thanks for your input.
I’ve always dreamed of taking an exotic vacation. Though with my busy schedule, it really inhibits that. Tanzania looks beautiful. The video you have of the old Stone Town looks right up my alley.
I’m also a big fisherman, do you know of any good exotic locations in that area I could book a big game trip too?
With G Adventures, you can customize your vacation to fit your personal preferences. Furthermore, the Zanzibar vacation package shown in this review has a few optional activities that you can sign up for if you are interested, so just make sure to book them before your departure. Among those optional activities available, you can opt for game fishing off the coast of Zanzibar Island, a fisherman dream, wouldn’t you agree?
Thanks.
Hi Sonia.
I like your post about the Zanzibar Island. Also, I would like to mention that I can use a getaway trip, and need to find a place where I can spend a few days to unwind.
Your review about Zanzibar looks quite intriguing, and I thought of going in July since I don’t like scorching temperatures, I am more a “cold weather” person. I am going to come back to your site and look for more reviews about other getaway destinations.
Armand
Zanzibar is the ideal destination to get away from your daily routine and, as you said, to unwind. If you don’t like to sit still, Zanzibar has plenty of landmarks, such as the Slave cave, spice farms as well as cultural experiences that await you! You will not get bored while taking a break from your stressful routine!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I love your review on Zanzibar’s beautiful beaches. This package is well priced and there seems to be so much to do there.
I’m definitely going to mention this to my girlfriend as we have been stuck on where to take our next holiday later this year.
Thanks again for this wonderful post, Sonia.
Well, Zanzibar has so much to offer besides the white sandy beaches that if you are looking for a change of scenery as far as your vacation destination goes, Zanzibar Island is the place to go!
I really enjoyed reading about Zanzibar as the next great beach holiday vacation spot.
It seems like a great place to escape with the exception that it seems you’d have to cover up so much because of the muslim culture.
That’s great to protect yourself from skin cancer, etc., but don’t most people who go on a beach vacation want to be out in the sun in their swimsuits and shorts/t-shirts?
Seems like that would be too restrictive for most travelers. Great review though, enjoyed it.
You can wear shorts while on vacation in Zanzibar. Just make sure that the length of your shorts is above the knee. Nowadays, most people that wear shorts anyhow are just above the knee. Furthermore, short sleeves shirts are OK.
If you are interested in going to Zanzibar but feel that you have nothing appropriate to wear, then you should read my review about African clothing by clicking here.
And finally, you will not find many Muslims on the Zanzibar beaches per se, so you are OK to wear your swimsuits on the beach!
Thanks.
Hey Sonia thanks for the article, I was thinking of going on a vacation in the near future, and I wasn’t too sure of where I wanted to go, but this may have convinced me!
Zanzibar looks like a beautiful place to do some sailing, snorkeling, etc. I will be sure to revisit this site soon!
Thanks,
Dyl
I am glad that you are considering Zanzibar, worthy of making the shortlist of destinations for your vacation! It is a paradisiac destination.
Thanks, and don’t hesitate to drop by regularly to discover more incredible places to visit!
Hi Sonia,
I have no words. Zanzibar looks absolutely incredible! I am really intrigued by the city, Stone Town. I think I am definitely putting it on my list of places to visit. It will go on the list together with Tanzania.
Thank you for capturing my attention with this great country. You really caught my attention.
If you are looking for a Beach holidays, then you shouldn’t overlook Zanzibar as it offers endless possibilities!