Cycling white-sand beaches and palm-fringed tracks: A perfect end to our year in Africa!
Nungwi – Matembe – Michamvi Kae – Jambiani – Kizimkazi – Stonetown
196 km cycled
July 25 – Aug 9, 2023
Zanzibar isn’t Africa. You’re not going to like it!
So was the refrain when our final destination was mentioned. Kurt wasn’t hearing any of it – the Beach Boy had been craving a holiday for weeks and nothing was going to stop him now!
Getting there
Churn! Crash! Bang! Repeat. Two hours long. All to save a 370km ride to Dar es Salaam. Short cuts certainly come at a price! It was a bumpy ride in a small speed boat from Pangani to Nungwi on the northern tip of Zanzibar Island. And that’s where our well-deserved holiday began.
Daily routine
Well, we could have covered the 200km in a couple of days, but we took our time and got a real taste of each area. We still had two weeks at our disposal before flying back to Switzerland and they were characterised by short days on the bike in very scenic surrounds, followed by a stroll on the beach, delicious food, and a good night’s sleep in a cosy room. Perfect decompression after 12 months on the road.
Life underwater
Kurt managed to get a dive in. After all he had carted his dive-mask with corrected lenses for 15,000km through 15 countries for this one moment. Darina enjoyed a snorkelling trip at the same atoll: Mnemba Island. While the fish life there is impressive and colourful, an increase in water temperature attributed to El Niño is blamed for the bleaching and destruction of the coral reef. There is, however, an ongoing reef restoration project that appears quite promising.
Our favourite
Jambiani was our favourite beach, where the white sand stretches for miles, and kite surfers and local sailors provide constant entertainment as they tackle the prevailing winds.
Seaweed harvesting
Seaweed is harvested by women on many of the beaches and exported to Asia and some European countries for fish food, medicines and as a base for cosmetics. Actually, Zanzibar is traditionally the third biggest exporter of seaweed in the world after the Philippines and Indonesia. In recent years, however, climate change has been causing the seaweed to die, and many women in Zanzibar are facing a livelihood crisis as a result.
Coconut fibres
On beaches where there is no seaweed, another fascinating practice is the norm. Coconuts are placed under mounds of stones on the beach. During high tide, they are covered with water thus softening the husks. After five months, the coconuts are retrieved and hammered by ladies for all they are worth. The fibres are removed, twisted into rope and used to make hammocks.
A little history
In the 16th and 17th century, Zanzibar was a Portuguese colony but then Arabs took over and the island was ruled by the Sultan of Oman. With a lucrative trade in ivory, slaves and spices, Stonetown soon became one of the wealthiest towns in East Africa and even the capital of Oman.
The slave trade
Raiders based themselves inland in towns like Ujiji, rounded up slaves (and ivory) and then herded them to Zanzibar for processing. Of the 40 – 50,000 slaves arriving annually in Stonetown, roughly one third was used for the local coconut/clove plantations with the rest being sold to Arabia, Egypt, Persia and India. Europeans at the time were busy buying slaves in Ghana and other West African countries. Slavery was finally banned on the island in 1897 thanks to strong British pressure.
Independence
During the scramble for Africa in 1885, Germany laid claim on Zanzibar, so Britain traded Heligoland, a tiny island in the North Sea, in exchange for a protectorate over Zanzibar. British rule continued on the island through a Sultan of their choice until the locals revolted in 1964 resulting in Zanzibar and Pemba Island joining with the British colony of Tanganyika to form the independent country of TAN-ZAN-ia.
Food
The variety of food was amazing and many Europeans have set up restaurants on the island with menus (and prices) straight from home. Nevertheless, it was still possible to have a local meal for 2,000-3,000 Shilling (0.75-1.20€). We enjoyed many Zanzibar specialities including biryani, pilau rice and masala chips, and had our first steaks and desserts in months. Of course, seafood is king here and we went for it hook, line and sinker!
Accommodation
Zanzibar is more expensive than mainland Tanzania, but even here we got away with 15 – 26€ per night for a decent en suite room.
The verdict!
Zanzibar can be as touristy or as low-key as you want. There is “something for everyone in the audience” and it doesn’t have to be a pricy experience. Beautiful white sand beaches are the norm, the locals are amazingly friendly and hakuna matata (no worries!) is the ultimate Zanzibar phrase. We loved the place!
Zanzibar offered us an abundance of time to reflect on the fabulous year we’d just had, and as our return date approached, we could totally relate to one of Zanzibar’s most famous natives: The legendary, Freddie Mercury! Who said we wouldn’t enjoy it?
Don’t stop me now, Yes, I’m havin’ a good time. I don’t want to stop at all!
