Stonetown is full of great shopping, restaurants and laid-back bars. At night, be sure to go to Forodhani Gardens outdoor food market for a unique experience of tasting fresh fish and local plates, watching local families stroll, and teenagers trying to meet for romance! [be sure your food is well cooked]
Be sure to see other parts of the island. Especially the spice farms and Jovani Natural Forest.
LADIES!!! Please take care not to wear mini-skirts, short-shorts and flimsy tank tops in Stonetown, the villages or on tours. [You will see this on other tourists.] But Zanzibar is a Muslim area, albeit only midly conservative and women are relatively empowered. These outfits are for babies, not grown women. The locals are certainly too polite to harrass or make comments. But Zanzibaris can be very offended by our lack of respect. There's no point in creating a cultural barrier, when you can encounter and get to know such beautiful and nice people as the Zanzibaris. You can wear longer shorts or a cotton skirt, and a t-shirt. But save the Jessica Simpson look for the beach resorts!!
Three other accommodations -
Both are nice for quiet honeymoons and solo travelers who are trying to kick back hard. Pongwe Beach Hotel (east side) http://www.pongwe.com/ lies in a peaceful cove on the Eastern side of the island. Matemwe Beach http://matemwebeach.com/ is also nice, but a farther trip from Stonetown.
If you want a more active vacation, try Mapenzi Beach Club (1-1 1/2 hours away from Stonetown). http://www.planhotel.com/mapenzi/index.h… There are a lot of all-inclusive groups chartering in, so the bar and pool are hopping. One downside is the beach is buzzing with craft-sellers, because there are so many guests. If you don't want to be bothered, you just have to be strategic in where you sit.
Stonetown is full of great shopping, restaurants and laid-back bars.
At night, be sure to go to Forodhani Gardens outdoor food market for a unique experience of tasting fresh fish and local plates, watching local families stroll, and teenagers trying to meet for romance! [be sure your food is well cooked]
Be sure to see other parts of the island. Especially the spice farms and Jovani Natural Forest.
LADIES!!! Please take care not to wear mini-skirts, short-shorts and flimsy tank tops in Stonetown, the villages or on tours. [You will see this on other tourists.] But Zanzibar is a Muslim area, albeit only midly conservative and women are relatively empowered. These outfits are for babies, not grown women. The locals are certainly too polite to harrass or make comments. But Zanzibaris can be very offended by our lack of respect. There's no point in creating a cultural barrier, when you can encounter and get to know such beautiful and nice people as the Zanzibaris. You can wear longer shorts or a cotton skirt, and a t-shirt. But save the Jessica Simpson look for the beach resorts!!
Three other accommodations -
Both are nice for quiet honeymoons and solo travelers who are trying to kick back hard. Pongwe Beach Hotel (east side) http://www.pongwe.com/ lies in a peaceful cove on the Eastern side of the island. Matemwe Beach http://matemwebeach.com/ is also nice, but a farther trip from Stonetown.
If you want a more active vacation, try Mapenzi Beach Club (1-1 1/2 hours away from Stonetown). http://www.planhotel.com/mapenzi/index.h… There are a lot of all-inclusive groups chartering in, so the bar and pool are hopping. One downside is the beach is buzzing with craft-sellers, because there are so many guests. If you don't want to be bothered, you just have to be strategic in where you sit.
Enjoy...