Zanzibar

Places To Visit In Zanzibar

Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania that consists of 2 large islands – Unguja and Pemba – and numerous smaller islands. Zanzibar is renowned for its breathtaking beaches, its extensive coral reefs that provide world-class scuba diving and snorkeling, and for its historic Stone Town with its narrow, winding streets and mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian and European architecture. Besides forming part of Zanzibar’s capital city Stone Town is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Zanzibar has been cut off from the African mainland since the last ice age and its native flora and fauna reflect this isolation. You will not find large wild mammals in Zanzibar such as elephants, lions and zebras. Instead, you will find smaller but no less compelling animals including the Zanzibar Red Colobus monkey (one of the rarest primates in Africa), the Zanzibar Sealine Genet (an extremely rare type of feline carnivore), and the critically endangered Zanzibar Leopard.

There are several dozen more mammal species on the islands that make up Zanzibar along with more than 200 bird species and, for the snorkeling aficionado, more than 700 types of fish. Diving and snorkeling are actually major tourist activities attracting tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. Divers and snorkelers will be treated to a plethora of dazzling reef fish including lionfish, bannerfish, anthias and powder blue tangs.