Stone Town is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar, little changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses, whose original owners vied with each other over the extravagance of their dwellings. This one-upmanship is particularly reflected in the brass-studded, carved, wooden doors. Many hours can be spent just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways.
Zanzibar boasts amongst the best beaches in the world, with coconut palms and powder soft coral sands washed by shimmering clear seas. The beaches in Zanzibar are paradise, scattered with picturesque fishing villages, where people live a simple way of life, unchanged over the years. There are more than 25 fantastic beaches, and some are so peaceful and remote that the only noise breaking the silence is the ocean.
The Zanzibar archipelago is reputed to have some of the best diving in the world. The waters around the island are awash with colorful marine life. Good visibility (20-60 metres) and a year-round average water temperature of 27°c ensure that you enjoy your Zanzibar diving experience.
Diving in Zanzibar isn’t restricted to beginners. Experienced scuba divers can enjoy exciting wall dives, night dives and drift dives. In deeper waters, lush coral gardens often stretch as far as the eye can see, and large game fish such as barracuda, kingfish, tuna and wahoo hunt together with large Napoleon wrasse, graceful manta rays and sharks.
Shallower waters are the playground of tropical fish, including a huge variety of Indo-Pacific marine fauna.
The beaches on the east coast include Matemwe, Pwani Mchangani, Kiwengwa, Uroa, Bwejuu and Jambiani. The sea is generally fairly shallow here – at high tide it can cover the beach and at low tide it almost seems to disappear.
