Zanzibar Islands: Pemba Undersea Room to Boost Tourism

By Issa Yussuf, 15 October 2013

Zanzibar is preparing to open the first ever undersea room in the country which may attract more tourists to Pemba Island, where the room has been constructed.

Visiting the luxury room at Manta Resort Hotel, Makangale coastal village, Sunday, the Minister for Tourism, Mr Said Ali Mbarouk, said the construction of the room was important in attracting high class tourists.

"The room will be officially opened soon, before the 50th revolution anniversary day (January 12, 2014). Let any person who can afford to pay, go to rest in the room. It's about 2m/- per night," said Mbarouk.

 

According to the Manager of the Hotel, Mr Mathew Sausaka Babu, the room is about three metres below sea water surface with panoramic windows in all directions.

He said the seven-year study proved that area is suitable for underwater rooms. Mathew said $4,000 US dollars was paid to fishing community in the area to pave way for the hotel development and protecting the area.

Mr Mkubwa Said Ali, chairperson of the fishing community received the money, which they plan to buy fishing gears for deep sea fishing.

About 758m/- has been spent to construct the underwater room. The room is similar to the underwater room in a Swedish lake near Stockholm. The single room of the hotel lies 3m below the surface of Lake Malaren in Vasteras, Sweden and contains only twin beds and a table.

The underwater room in a Swedish lake near Stockholm (The Utter Inn)

taken from: http://allafrica.com/stories/201310151142.html [16.10.2013]

Zanzibar’s ex-slave market turned into heritage centre

Taken from Daily News Published on Monday, 14 October 2013 02:06 Written by ISSA YUSSUF in Zanzibar

THE people in Zanzibar have expressed happiness about the creation of a heritage centre at the former slave market in Stone Town, which is likely to increase the number of tourists in the isles.

Minister for Information, Tourism, Culture and Sports, Mr Said Ali Mbarouk, said at the launch of the new heritage centre that the development would boost tourism in Zanzibar.

 

 

The tourism sector accounts for about 27 per cent of the GDP and more than 75 per cent of foreign earnings. Creation of the heritage centre on the site of the former slave market, preservation of Christ Church cathedral and support for the Wakf Commission are projects being supported by European Union.

 

The three-year project is being implemented by the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and its partners, the Anglican Church of Tanzania - Zanzibar (ACTZ), the Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Society and the British charity, Christian Engineers in Development.

 

WMF representative at the function, Mr Steven Battle said, “The cultural heritage site is significant for Zanzibaris as well as the world, and we hope that the project will serve as a catalyst for the development of a stronger sense of community identity.”

 

Rev. Michael Hafidh and Mr Nuhu Sallanya, both from ACTZ, said the heritage at the former slave market would benefit many people as it was a great opportunity to promote interfaith relations in Zanzibar. The religious leaders also thanked the EU Commission, through its 10th Development Fund, the United States through the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, for their generous support which made the long-awaited dream a reality.

Head of the EU delegation, Ambassador Filberto Cerian Sebregondi, said the project was meant to create a heritage centre commemorating the abolition of slavery on the exact same site where the notorious slave trade took place in Zanzibar.

“Our hope is that the preservation and promotion of this historical site in Stone Town will fuel a sense of common belonging for Zanzibari people and of ownership of their cultural heritage. “It should contribute to building national identity in the diversity, tolerance and solidarity between faiths, communities and people,” said the EU envoy.

Taken from: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/23400-zanzibar-s-ex-slave-market-turned-into-heritage-centre [14.10.2013]

MY ZANZIBAR EXPERIENCE by Chane Barker

 

I have recently been to Zanzibar and would like to share my experience with you. If you are looking for a place full of history, culture, lush green gardens and forests plus a beautiful beach vacation Zanzibar is the place for you. From the first moment stepping off the plane you can feel the warm ocean air hitting you, it’s a true feeling of being on a tropical island. I visited Zanzibar in July being the best time as it is there winter season.  The Island does not really experience cold winters therefore weather was excellent as it was warm but not an unbearable kind of heat as in the summer season. 

Our first experience was meeting our guide Genes who is a local in Zanzibar and excellent at what he does. We then headed for Stone Town were we had lunch for the day. Stone Town is the old Town on the Island with beautiful Arabian style Architecture. As we drove to Stone Town Genes shared some information with us on the locals and some of the history. The locals are some of the most humble and friendliest people I’ve ever met. During the trip I’ve learnt they don’t have much of the finer things we are used to but yet they remain happy with what they have and very proud of their Island.

Driving through stone town reveals the islands history. The town was built with coral stone and till today they have maintained it and kept it that way. The doors on the buildings are all hand carved by the locals and one of the attractions as they are some of the biggest doors I’ve ever seen. There are also various shops were you can purchase your souvenirs. The market, some mosques and Arab houses is also located in town. The streets in Stone Town are very narrow therefore it is best to walk through the town or hire a scooter to get from place to place as it also gives you the full experience of the town. A day or 2 is a must in stone town if you are into the history and cultural side of Zanzibar and gives one a chance to mix with the locals. I suggest 2 nights before moving to one of the islands beach resorts. 

As we drove to the different Beach Hotels we passed some of the villages which are also nice to meet the locals and see how they live. Over the next few days we stayed at different hotels on different parts of the Island, each one unique in their own way. For the family travelers hotels in the Southeast and Northeast have some of the most beautiful and family orientated hotels and for the more romantic traveler the North and west would be perfect but both offers a bit of both. The most beautiful sunsets and close to home feel resort would definitely have to be sea cliff which is situated on the West of the Island. If you are young and looking for a backpacker type of experience Amaan Bungalows and Paje would be an excellent choice for you as they are vibey and filled with the younger crowds. The Hotels from on the South East, Northeast and North has the most beautiful beaches on the Island, those long stretches of beaches which are great for morning walks with some of the local people and maasai’s selling various things for tourists to buy. Most hotels also have boutiques were you can buy your souvenirs to take home with you.

 Guests can also arrange different tours from all the hotels in Zanzibar, also if they are interested in diving, snorkeling, fishing etc most hotels has a dive center or there is one close or around the hotel they could use. At some hotels some of the water activities are free except the motorized ones which you have to pay for.  The Island also hosts different beach parties were transport can be arranged from the hotel at a price. Some parts of the Island can be explored with scooters which one can hire if you would like to do some self-exploring but not available all over the Island. 

The food at the Hotels truly exceeded my expectations. It is all Buffet style at the main restaurants except when visiting the other restaurants on the resorts which you pay for.  There was a wide variety of choices with all kinds of food. My advice when visiting Zanzibar is to do an all-inclusive as things is really expensive there. The advantage of an all-inclusive is that you get a variety of meals to choose from for breakfast, lunch and supper and it includes your drinks. Some resorts also offer snacks in between meals and have waiters coming to you around the pool area and beach area in case you need anything.  Beach dinning and private dinning can also be arranged at some hotels. 

All in all this was truly an amazing experience for me and my first time out of the country. I would definitely visit Zanzibar again and would just like to thank the staff from exotic tours and all the hotels we have visited for making this a really great experience for me and to African Encounters for making it all possible

Chane Barker & Andisa Mesatywa in #ZANZIBAR

MY TRIP TO ZANZIBAR by Andisa Mesatywa

 

It has always been my dream to join the Travel industry, not only to travel the world but to also meet different people and learn about different cultures. Many people get so caught up in their own cultures and never take the time to see and learn about all the different things that happen around them.

I was given an opportunity to travel to Zanzibarthis year in August, my first trip outside South Africa, what an amazing journey it was. If only I could relive that moment again believe me I would. Traveling brings about so many exciting moments, and this I experienced on my trip. I never knew how amazing it is to travel to a place that is outside you own comfort zone.

 

 

On this trip to Zanzibar I travelled with different kinds of people from different back grounds, we shared quite a few things together, and I learned something from each and every one of them. The relationships I built with them will forever live upon me.

Zanzibar is such a beautiful Island; I never knew this until I got there and saw the blue turquoise water. I’ve heard people talking about it, but this time I was the one who was experiencing everything. The beaches are even more beautiful than what they appear in travel magazines, with their white sands and relaxing on the beach under the palm trees.

Traveling to Zanzibar gave me good knowledge of how other people live out there, how much they value their culture and their beliefs. Seeing how the people from the village live each day makes you think a lot and makes you wonder how they survive.  They don’t have much but they make do with what they have and take a lot of pride in their island and their culture. Some are even gifted in making different and creative things to sell to tourists like bags, bracelets, clothing etc. 

 

The most exciting thing I got to do while on the trip was experiencing Stone Town, the islands capital. This is where you get to see the cultural part about Zanzibar; the Swahili atmosphere gives you the chance to experience the living history. The markets and bazaars are found here, most of their historic buildings are located in the heart of Stone Town.  For a complete Zanzibar trip I would advise people to take a little tour around Stone Town and get a feel of the Swahili culture.

To conclude my story, I have to say Zanzibar is a one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to and the experience will forever live on. For as long as I have not travelled around the world and get to see other destinations, by far Zanzibar stands out for me and I’ll definitely go back again for a nice long holiday.

Andisa Mesatywa & Chane Barker in ZANZIBAR

9 reasons to go to the Serengeti

Posted By Claudia Hodkinson On September 26, 2013 @ 8:42 am In Game parks

Witnessing millions of migrating wildebeest on the flat-topped Acacia plains of the Serengeti ^[1] had been on my bucket list for as long as I could remember (read: top eight travel packages for 2013 ^[2]), until a recent trip to this iconic destination changed that. My criteria in order to tick this one off my list had to be that I saw enough drama, rolling plains and of course…wildebeest. With over 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra trekking over 3 000 kilometers on their epic journey from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, I was pretty confident that I was going to see enough to check the box. It goes without saying that most people that travel to east Africa want to see the migration at least once. What I didn’t expect was what comes with the migration. It turns out that there’s a lot more to this Tanzanian attraction than galloping gnus. Here are nine reasons why you should put the Serengeti on your bucket list (check out the October issue of Getaway magazine ^[3] for the full story).

1. Hear over a million grunts

The Serengeti delivers big herds of wildebeest with surround sound.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

Not only do you get to see the great wildebeest migration, you get to hear them too. I heard the migration before I saw it. The air was abuzz with bleating and grunting so thick it was almost palpable (read: swarms are not just for bugs and birds ^[4]). The cacophony reached a crescendo as the herd came into sight. As far as I could see wildebeest dotted the plains. I had seen large herds of wildebeest and buffalo in the Kruger National Park before, but nothing on this scale. The sheer volume of wildebeest is thrilling to see and also hear.

2. Magical sunsets over the plains

Watching the sun set over the Serengeti plains is magical.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

The Masai have a name for it ‘Siringet’ or ‘the land that goes on forever’. Great stretches of grassland dotted with flat-topped Acacia trees give the Serengeti a moving sense of space. Everyday I would watch the sky turn a palette of pinks, purples and oranges before disappearing over the horizon. The dust that had been kicked up from the migrating wildebeest and the threatening rain clouds added drama and magic to the whole scene. It will ignite your soul and give you that ‘Out of Africa’ goose bump feel.

3. Experience a different stage

Already a few months old, youngest were very much a part of the landscape.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

The herd was moving up the western corridor of the Serengeti when I arrived. Calves were already a few months old and males were starting to lock horns and strut their stuff for the rutting season. Each stage of the annual migration is unique. Depending on what time of year you go depends on what you’ll see. You may be lucky enough to watch wildebeest make the death-defying jumps across the crocodile infested Grumeti and Mara rivers or witness around 500 000 calves born during calving season. Whatever stage of the migration you experience it promises to deliver a healthy dose of drama and magic.

4. There aren’t just wildebeest

A lucky sighting of two young leopard cubs with their mother up a tree.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

Even though one can get fully mesmerized by watching wildebeest, it’s good to know that the Serengeti has a prolific array of other wildlife; and big game at that. A herd of elephant with calves, a mother leopard and her cubs playing in a tree, an impressive herd of buffalo, a mating pair of lions and a bulging pod of hippo were some of the other wildlife I ticked off my list. Wild dog, lion, cheetah, jackal and hyena are often seem tailing the herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thompson’s gazelle. With so much on the go, it’s not hard to see a full spectrum of African wildlife whilst on safari.

5. Birding

One the many colourful birds I saw in the Serengeti: the Blue-cheeked Cordon Bleu.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

The diversity of birdlife is impressive and makes for a refreshing addition to the trip. Being a bit of a bird-a-holic, there were over 500 species to jumpstart my addiction. Highlights included watching marabou storks searching for juicy morsels in freshly burnt grass, a male ostrich displaying for his female and a pair of crowned cranes calling to each other. Birds such as the blue-cheeked Cordon Bleu (no it is not a lunch special), raptors flying the thermals and pink flamingoes at Lake Manyara are common sightings.

6. Great bolt-on destinations

An impressive buffalo in the Ngorongoro Crater staring straight into the lens.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

The Serengeti is surrounded by a number of terrific bolt-on destinations that will compliment your east African safari. I was not disappointed that my tour included a jaunt to the nearby Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park. They were both special in their own right. The Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera, is a stronghold for an impressive variety of game such as black rhino, elephant and buffalo. The diversity of habitats and wildlife inside the crater made it a worthwhile visit and I would highly recommend extending your trip to include a few different locations if time and budget allow.

7. Meet the Masai

One of the highlights was watching the 'jumping dance' of the
Masai men with their colourful dress. 

Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

The Masai tribesmen, with their brilliant red dress accompanied by their tinkling cowbells, are as much a part of the Tanzania landscape as the many wild animals that are found there. Taking a walk through one of the local villages dotted with cattle-dung huts, watching their ceremonial ‘jumping dance’ and learning about their culture was a great way to get a snapshot of the Masai way of life. Tanzanians are very friendly people with big smiles. Make sure you buy a bunch of red bananas from a local vendor, stock up on colourful Masai blankets and bring books and pens to hand out to excited village children.

8. Rooms with views

The views over Lake Manyara from the lodge were worth waking up early for.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

There’s a variety of accommodation options available in the Serengeti. I stayed in the luxury Serena group of hotels, which delivered not only comfortable rooms but also incredible views over Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater (our lodge was located on the rim) and over the Serengeti plains. Each lodge had a different theme and I particularly loved the ‘bushman paintings’ on the room walls, the full-length windows and warm fires at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge. Waking up with the sun rising over the Tanzania landscape was a real treat. It was great to return to warm face towels, turndowns at night and friendly staff after an exciting day on safari.
How to camp in the Serengeti National Park ^[5]

9. Loads of photo opportunities

Vehicles with pop-up roofs were a winner especially when Big 5 game came close.
Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.

Catching a leopard’s coat in the honeyed light of the fading sun, freezing the motion of wildebeest on the run or capturing the confusion of black and white stripes of zebra en masse. There are loads of photography opportunities in the Serengeti, made easier with safari vehicles with pop-up roofs. This was a super convenient feature when we were out on game drives. Not only did this allow a 360 degree view of your surroundings, it was a great vantage point to shoot pictures from. If you’re not admiring the scenery, you’ll be clicking away to share your experience back home.

BOOK YOUR SERENGETI SAFARI NOW. 

CLICK HERE>

Article by  Claudia Hodkinson taken from http://blog.getaway.co.za

[1] Serengeti: http://guide.getaway.co.za/tanzania/serengeti/

[2] top eight travel packages for 2013: http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-blog/getaways-top-8-travel-packages-2013/

[3] October issue of Getaway magazine: http://magazine.getaway.co.za/

[4] swarms are not just for bugs and birds: http://blog.getaway.co.za/wildlife/swarms-bugs-birds/

[5] How to camp in the Serengeti National Park: http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-ideas/destinations/camping-serengeti-national-park-tanzania/