Travel guide Zanzibar Archipelago

Zanzibar refers to both the main island (also known as Unguja) of the archipelago, which is actually made up of two islands - Unguja and Pemba - as well as a dozen smaller satellite islands. Mafia Island is geographically part of the archipelago, but is administratively attached to the mainland region of Pwani.

Zanzibar is the capital of the semi-autonomous eponymous archipelago, while Dodoma - a small town with only the Parliament - is the constitutional capital of Tanzania, and Dar es Salaam is the populous economic capital. Why so many capitals? The country was born from the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964 (Tan-Zan-ie).

This is the cheapest local transport, a van with two seats facing each other in the back. The fleet in Zanzibar has been partly renewed by more secure vans. The money is managed by the mpigadebe, "the person who hits the debe", formerly a 4-gallon can of petrol which he taps to attract customers

These traditional wooden dhows with their large white triangular sails are typical of Zanzibar, magnifying the sunset scenery in Stone Town and Nungwi. These boats are the heritage of the first trade routes on the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean coming from Arabia and then from Asia, carried by the Moonsoon (monsoon wind).

It was the first Omani sultan, Seyyid Said, who initiated the cultivation of spices in Zanzibar at the end of the 19th century to compensate for the end of slavery. Most of them were imported from Southeast Asia. In addition to the precious clove, cinnamon, pepper, vanilla, turmeric, cardamom, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, chilli, lemon grass...

Zanzibar is 98% Muslim, unlike mainland Tanzania. This particularity is correlated to the arrival of the Persian Muslims in the 10th century, then to its reconquest by the Sultans of Oman in the 18th century, who ruled there for two centuries. It is a rigorist Sunni Islam of Shafi'i obedience, as on the Arabian Peninsula

The kanga is the local loincloth, a large, rectangular, colourful printed cloth with a Swahili proverb written at the bottom. It is made of two identical pieces, quite thin and made of cotton, and it is used by women to dress (one piece for the loincloth, one for the veil), to carry their child on their back, to make a bundle...

Don't be surprised by this exotic interjection, which is more reminiscent of the Canadian steppes than the tropics. Karibu means both "Welcome" and "You're welcome", as in English. To be polite, you should answer "Asanté Sana", "Thank you very much", at every corner, as you are always welcomed.

The south-east coast of the island is subject to regular and strong enough winds to practice kitesurfing. The clubs of Jambiani and Pagé attract many enthusiasts of this sport. In recent years, they have multiplied on this coast, attracting young tourists. The lagoon, very smooth at mid-tide, is the perfect place to try.

The coral reefs of Mafia, Pemba, Unguja and Mnemba Atoll are renowned for their spectacular biodiversity and rich marine life: schools of multicoloured fish, whale sharks, turtles, dolphins, manta rays... The archipelago is sought after by divers (especially Pemba and Mafia). The water clarity can reach 40 meters!

The original Bantu population mixed over the centuries with peoples from Persia, Oman, India, and the Great Lakes of Africa (due to slaves exiled to the plantations). Thus was born the Swahili identity, tinged with Islam, spiced with spices, veiled with animist rites, whose Kiswahili language is an integral part of its culture.

This musical style specific to Zanzibar was born in the 19th century in the entourage of the sultan, initially played as a singing competition, accompanied by Egyptian instruments, especially violins. Then Indian and Arab instruments completed the harmony. Initially sung in Arabic by men, female singers such as Bi Kidude feminized it.