Best Tanzania travel destinations with Warere Beach? Dating from 1883, when construction was ordered by Sayyid Sir Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid, the second Sultan of Zanzibar, the Palace Museum is a stunning confection of coral stone, silver fittings and acres of marble underfoot. If it looks like a mansion, that’s because the sultan commissioned it as a residence, in classic Omani style – Zanzibar was under Omani imperial rule for about 200 years from 1698. A museum since the mid-1990s, it sets out, over three floors, a wealth of fascinating royal relics, including furniture, clothing and sheets of writing. Find even more information at Warere Beach.
Premium Zanzibar travel destinations with Warere Beach: No trip to Zanzibar (or Tanzania) would be complete without a little ride on a dala dala minibus. These tend to be packed, sweaty, and with questionable safety records, but they are an experience and the cheapest way to get around the island. MY TIP: The best place to catch a dala dala in Stone Town in Darajani Market. You can pretty much get anywhere on the island from here. If you’re looking for a nice spot to have sundowners (sunset drinks) in Stone Town, Africa House Hotel is a great place to do it. The building was built by an Omani slave trader and later turned into an English Club, now it’s a hotel and bar. The decor of the hotel is a mix of Zanzibari and colonial style and whilst it’s not cheap, it has a lovely terrace that looks out over the ocean. You’ll see traditional dhows sail past as the sun slowly sets below the horizon. Although beware. You may think you have a nice seat facing the sunset, but lots of people want photos and will stand in front of you and block your view or squeeze in between you (it’s really annoying), so it may not be the relaxing experience you imagined.
Excellent Zanzibar travel attractions with Warere Beach: This Zanzibar Cafe is located right next to Emerson Spice in the heart of Stone Town and is one of those Zanzibar points of interest you have to see. We had lunch and breakfast here a few times, but nothing was ever as memorable as when we sat there and documented Zanzibari life. The Zanzibar Coffee house roasts its own coffee and serves up anything from cafe lattes to delicious vegetable chapati wraps. Once you walk into the cafe, it feels as if you are transported back in time to a coffee house in the old Arabic world. Even if you don’t like coffee, this is a must-visit. Make sure to visit Upendo right across the street for any shopping you may want to do. Upendo employs all local women through education and teaches them how to sew beautiful clothes. We found ourselves here a few times for unique clothing and jewelry for both men and women at an affordable price.
Recommended Zanzibar travel tours by Warere Beach: As I mentioned before, the island has a dark past. This market was the last functioning slave market in the world and it only closed in 1873. Although this might seem like a bit of a downer, it’s an important part of the history of the region. Thousands of Africans were brought to the island as slaves to work on plantations. Slave traders also used the island as a base camp before sending slaves on the long journey to the East to be sold in Persia, Arabia, the Ottoman Empire, and Egypt. At the Slave Museum, you can tour chambers where they kept slaves before they were sold. We went down to see the “rooms” where slaves were kept – a 12 by 12 foot basement with one tiny window near the ceiling. They kept over 30 people in these types of rooms. Although this happened hundreds of years ago it still gave me shivers as I stood there!
Top Zanzibar travel attractions from Warere Beach: Before we jump into this guide of things to do in Zanzibar let’s focus on the geography. Zanzibar is an island in the Indian Ocean, a two-hour (15 miles) ferry ride from Dar Es Salaam, a major city in Tanzania. Zanzibar is not a country but is considered a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. Politically it is part of Tanzania. Zanzibar is also isn’t just one island but is the largest of the Zanzibar Archipelago, which consists of several islands. The four main islands are Unguja Island (which is Zanzibar), Pemba Island, Latham Island, and Mafia Island.