The Dhows of Nungwi

Nungwi is on the northern tip of the main Zanzibar island. Although prime real estate of the beach are occupied by enormous 200+ room luxury resorts (filled predominantly by Italian tourists), it's actually a traditional dhow building village. Dhows are traditional Arab sailing vessels.



The beaches of Nungwi were dotted with dhows either being built or repaired.

"Spirit of Africa"-



Some were beautifully painted.


Despite all the tourists, Nungwi is still a conservative Muslim fishing village.

Drying nets-


Boats and nets-


And of course, the euro speedos and bikinis don't exactly go over too well in the conservative villages. Constant reminders are needed I guess, hah!


There's something serene about watching dhows set sail. I can't even imagine all the hours of labor that went into ensuring it's seaworthy.

Fishermen on dhows setting sail at sunset-



Maasai and Dhow-

More Scenes from Stone Town

More shots from wandering around Stone Town.

Orange seller in the plaza-


Sisters walking in front of a door-


Scooter-


Beautifully carved doors-



There was a lot more graffiti in Stone Town that what I remembered back in 2000. Some of it was a lot more interesting and inspirational though...

No AIDS here-

Island of Peace-


A Romantic Boat Ride? Nope, fishermen getting a ride from the shore to the bigger fishing boats.


And of course, bikes galore...





... and people riding them around.



True words to travel by-

"Be intense take advantage of every opportunity now because it may not present itself again."

Things to Do in Zanzibar When You're an Adult (2)

Of course there are plenty of tours that one could go on as well like spice tours, dolphin tours (although it's more fun watching everyone jump off boats and climbing back in after the dolphins freak out and swim off).

The endangered and rare (yet friendly) Red Colobus monkeys of Zanzibar in Jozani-Chwaka National Park





Feeding sea turtles that got caught in fishing nets-



Of course there are plenty of other lowkey "tour" options that are just as interesting like-
Having henna done-



Lounge in hammock-



One of my favorite things about Zanzibar are the genuinely friendly locals. Everyone seemed to be willing to extend their hospitality from informal tours to informal Swahili lessons.

I met this high schooler as he was preparing for his biology tests. He was really excited about completing his studies and getting ready for tryouts for the Tanzanian Youth Football team.

Playing a game of bau-

Things to Do in Zanzibar When You're an Adult

Zanzibar is part of legendary trade routes among east Africa, Arabia, Asia, and Europe. During its heyday from the 12-16th centuries, Zanzibar traded in everything from spices (especially cloves which the "Spice Island" is famous for), to gold, ivory, wood, and slaves. As a result, the island has a rich cultural heritage influenced by Swahili, Arabic, Indian, and Portuguese cultures. Like the spices that used to be traded, Zanzibar is one of the places that "feels" exotic.

Stone Town, the main town in Zanzibar, is actually an UNESCO Heritage site. It's a living site, meaning that it's still in active use- people live and work there, which makes it a mesmerizing place to visit. Some of the fun things to do while you wander around include-

Navigating the narrow alleyways of Stone Town-




Shop for souvenirs-


Drink a Stoneys and eat a cinnamon bun and take in the rooftop view-


Eat at the night market- about 2 dozen vendors grilling and selling skewers of fish and seafood.


Peer around corners-

Peer into courtyards-

Peer downstairs (at the National Museum)-

Peer into open, beautifully carved doors-

Things to Do in Zanzibar When You're a Kid (part 2)

Of course the cheapest entertainment when you're a kid is swimming in the ocean. Everyday at sunset, large crowds would form to watch kids dive off the waterfront walkways and piers.

Watching along the waterfront-


The kids would get a running start, jump in, climb out, and repeat. Just a fun thing to watch and enjoy.




Some of the dives by the older "kids" might even rival that of Olympians for athletic feats.


But of course, a guard would have to come around and run everyones fun...
Watch out for 'da man-

As soon as he'd turn his back though, 3 or 4 kids would dive in right behind him. When he'd turn around to warn them, another 3 or 4 would sneak in on his other side. Yep, the lack of respect to the authority of mall cops seems to be universal...


Synchronized swimming at sunset-