Day tour Activities in Zanzibar
Zanzibar is full of tour activities. If you drew a list of all the places to visit, restaurants and cafes to eat out and beach activities to engage in, you’d feel exhausted before reaching half-way. There are so many Swahili cultural experiences not to leave out the Indian Ocean trips to snorkel and enjoy what nature has to offer.
And these day tour activities can get quite intense for such a small island. In spite of its size, the island packs a punch when it comes to tour attractions that range from underwater sports to kite-surfing. All the tourist attractions are tightly interwoven with a heavy dose of the laid-back Swahili culture where time seems to move at a snail’s pace. Arrive on the island, and in no time you’ll get so engrossed with the day tour activities you’ll end up forgetting your own home altogether. Here are the day tour activities to die for:
1. The spice tour
You can’t claim to have visited Zanzibar without checking out detailed facts about cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices which form the core fabric of Zanzibar’s social and economic life. The island’s entity and spices is a romantic entanglement that goes back to the 15th century. These spices could be seen and understood well if you took out a spice tour. This guided walking tour passes through the spice plantations and the villages where the farmers live. You will also get a chance to sample some of the dishes made with the spices.
2. Paje beach
Paje beach is the longest beach in Zanzibar’s eastern coast and one of the world’s most famous kite-boarding spots, for both new-comers and pros. You can take a stroll along the beach and enjoy the sun, kite-surfing and sample the tasty meals sold in cafes that straddle the beach. You can also enjoy snorkeling in the blue lagoon as well as explore tropical fish and coral reef.
3. Uroa Bay
You can spend some quality time at the Uroa Bay beach as you check out the low and high tides. When the water is calm, you get the best chance to view underwater corals and fish as well as take a swim. There is also a buffet dinner in the evening.
4. Kendwa and Nungwi beaches
Visit the villages and beaches on the Zanzibar’s northern circuit where you can get free time to play and explore. Book a sport such as flyboarding, water-skiing, parasailing and kite-surfing or go for a kid-friendly tour on a Ringo or banana boat
5. Visit Tumbatu island from Zanzibar
Visit the pristine island of Tumbatu on the Zanzibar coast as you ride a Jet-ski out of Nungwi beach. The planned tour takes around one hour and 15 minutes of playing on the water. The Jet-ski tour includes a pickup and drop-off from Zanzibar hotels.
6. Cruises and sailing
You can sail from Menai Bay in a Swahili dhow from Zanzibar and take time to explore the neighbouring islands, marine wildlife, and the sandy beaches. While at it, you can also swim, snorkel, drink fresh coconut juice and enjoy a sumptuous lunch while still on the island. This is a great time to spot some of Zanzibar’s bottlenose and humpback dolphins.
7. Forodhani Gardens for the feast
After the exhausting excursions and weary trips in town, its time to head for the massive entertainment at Forodhani Gardens on the seaside. But you need first to build up a humongous hunger to enjoy the hearty meals offered here. You can choose from 20 varieties of Tanzania’s’ local dishes to 100 international menus that feature grilled lobster, beef, and prawns, mutton and chicken. And don’t leave out the incredible Zanzibar pizza.
Our article Zanzibars street markets will provide much more details.