The author of this article is Robert Stefanicki, a journalist at Gazeta.pl
The starfish are the size of a plate, with vibrant colors that stand out even from beneath the crystal-clear water lapping against the vast sandbanks of Zanzibar’s southwest coast. Starfish are scattered everywhere, but they've chosen an unlucky spot to live and will likely pay the price through evolution. Tourists, brought here by wooden boats on day trips, frequently handle the echinoderms, lifting them from the seabed to pose for photos. They toss them back into the water, but more tourists soon arrive, and the process repeats.
In the nearby bay by Kwale Island, surrounded by coral-covered rocks lush with green vegetation, the water is as warm as a bathtub. Relief can be found in the open sea, where the reef stretches out. A snorkel and mask open a portal to a world of vivid colors, strange shapes and textures, with schools of glimmering fish and swaying sea anemones. On the way back to land, dolphins often join in.
Zanzibar is small, and now that the roads have improved, you can drive across the island from top to bottom in two hours - one of the many advantages of this place. Along the roads, besides palm and mango trees, are rows of shops, closed for the night with iron shutters. There are fruit stands, tiny homes with rusted tin roofs, and small craft workshops. Along the roadside, women and girls walk by, some in Muslim headscarves, others wrapped in brightly colored kangas fluttering in the wind - they resemble starfish in the sea.
Kangas, large cotton wraps in colorful patterns, appeared here in the 21st century. A merchant came up with the genius idea of printing sayings and aphorisms in the local Swahili language on them – and thus, the garment became something that not only decorates but also speaks. Different kangas are worn for weddings and funerals. You can even express your views through a kanga, like one popular with feminists that reads, "Women, wake up". Political parties also release kangas with propaganda slogans. Beata Lewandowska-Kaftan, in her book "Zanzibar, the Island of Treasures" - tells a story of a woman who wanted to send a message to a friend who had been gossiping about her. She visited her friend's shop wearing a kanga that read, "Stop constantly watching and commenting on everything I do" - along with, "You have friendship in your eyes, but anger in your heart". The friend responded the next day with her own kanga message: "You may hate me, but I will still tell the truth about you".
Stone Town: Under renovation and in ruins
While on Zanzibar, it’s essential to visit the UNESCO-listed Stone Town, the historic district of Zanzibar City, the island’s only city. The best way to explore is to get lost in the maze of narrow streets and old buildings left behind by wealthy Arabs, Portuguese, British, and Germans. Some buildings are in ruins, while others have been restored. Only in recent years has there been a concerted effort to restore the historical heritage of Stone Town. More ruined palaces are being transformed into cultural institutions, and decaying mansions are being revived as upscale restaurants, trendy cafes, and charming boutique hotels.
The most magnificent building, the House of Wonders, was built for the Sultan by a Scottish engineer 150 years ago. It was the first house in the city equipped with electric lighting, running water, and even an elevator - the first in all of East Africa. It most recently housed a history museum, which I had the chance to visit on a previous trip to the island. Despite years of painstaking restoration, the House of Wonders collapsed completely on Christmas Day 2020.
Other beautiful buildings still stand, such as the 19th-century former Sultan’s Palace, known as Beit el-Sahel, which now houses a museum showcasing the life of the upper classes of the past. One of the palace’s most famous residents was Khalid bin Barghash, who in 1873 was forced by the British to abolish slavery. Zanzibar was a major center of Arab slave trade.
On the site of the former slave market now stands Christ Church Cathedral. Remnants of the shameful history of slavery are still present in many places, including a museum with two tiny basements where slaves were once kept before being sold.
One of the most famous historic homes - still unrenovated - belonged to a slave trader known as Tippu Tip. This, and many other buildings, draw attention with their elaborately carved doors. These doors are probably the most recognizable symbol of Zanzibar, although they can also be found in places like Lamu, Kenya. According to the latest count, there are 560 historic doors in Zanzibar. The oldest date back to 1694. Traditionally, when a house was built, the front door was constructed first. The wealthier and more socially prominent the homeowner, the larger and more intricately carved the door.
Many doors are studded with brass spikes. This may be a modification of the Indian practice of preventing elephants from breaking into homes. In the late 13th century, Marco Polo mentioned that Zanzibar was teeming with elephants, though the Italian traveler never actually visited - and he was also wrong about the elephants.
Though Zanzibar had no elephants, it thrived for a long time from the trade in their tusks. Małgorzata Szejnert, in her book "Dom żółwia" ("The Turtle House"), suggests that the residents, who likely came from ancient Assyria, had retained memories of elephants being used as siege machines, tearing down walls and gates with their trunks.
Fans of Freddie Mercury (born Faroukh Bulsara in Stone Town in 1946) can visit his former family home - architecturally unremarkable - and the small museum dedicated to the artist housed within.
Nearby is a well-known market selling fruit, fish, and spices. Zanzibar is famous for its spices, and a popular tourist activity is visiting a spice farm, where you can see how pepper, vanilla, turmeric, and cardamom grow in the wild. On the waterfront of Stone Town, boys show off by jumping into the water from heights - a local sport. In the evening, food stalls, mainly selling seafood and pancakes, fill the square by the port. Cats of all kinds gather in the area, all of them skinny. However, you won’t see any dogs, as they are disliked by Muslims.
Where did the Maasai come from?
"Ah, to be on the beaches of Zanzibar" - sang Grzegorz Turnau. There’s nothing to criticize about the beaches of Zanzibar: they’re wide, covered in fine sand, and free of trash. The only nuisance might be the beach vendors constantly offering excursions, massages, sunglasses, or handicrafts to tourists. It’s nearly impossible to take a solitary walk on the beach - before long, someone will join you.
The most distinctive are the Maasai, easily recognized among the locals: tall, slim, dark-skinned, with a red shawl draped over one shoulder. They come from Tanzania or Kenya to work during the tourist season, either selling goods or working as security guards in hotels.
The solicitations are not aggressive, more in tune with the "hakuna matata" philosophy - "don’t worry, be happy." It’s one of three phrases, along with "jambo" (hello) and "pole, pole" (slowly), that visitors hear everywhere on the island.
In addition to tourism, many Zanzibarians make their living from fishing. On the horizon, you can see fishing boats called dhows, with a triangular sail stretched on a long boom attached diagonally to the mast. These boats, unchanged in design for centuries, ply the waters of the Indian Ocean. There are also smaller dugout canoes with outrigger floats splayed out like seagull wings.
Each day, the turquoise waters of the ocean recede, leaving behind boats, shellfish, and seaweed on the sand. During low tide, women head out to collect algae from ropes strung between stakes in the sand. After drying, the harvest is sold to local factories and used in the production of soap, creams, and medicinal scrubs.
Giraffes, lions, and hippos
At dusk, geckos crawl along the white walls, and the evening brings a soothing polyphony of three sounds: the whisper of the sea, the call of the muezzin from the minaret in the fishing village, and the hum of cicadas. Music is often heard as well, as hotels provide entertainment for their guests in the form of folk performances - lively Maasai dances and bands playing the eternal hit with the refrain "hakuna matata".
There’s no safari on Zanzibar, but it’s worth taking a day trip to the mainland, for example, to Mikumi National Park - just a short flight by small plane.
Except for rhinos, Mikumi is home to all of Africa’s most iconic animals. Lazy lions nap in the middle of the road like house cats, tempting you to scratch their bellies. Monumental giraffes leisurely nibble on acacia leaves. A family of warthogs scurries across the road. Hippos blissfully wallow in their designated pond. Curious monkeys watch as people poke their camera lenses out of safari jeeps with raised roofs.
A small tip at the end of your stay: the shops at the new Zanzibar airport offer a wide selection of unique and attractive souvenirs.
Zanzibar gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, it was one of the few tourist destinations without restrictions, thanks in part to Tanzania’s then-president (Zanzibar is part of Tanzania), a devout coronavirus skeptic. Today, Zanzibar’s tourism industry is still booming, and judging by the languages heard on the beaches, the majority of visitors are from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Poles can travel here affordably thanks to the large Ukrainian travel agency JoinUp!, which has opened a branch in Poland and offers trips to Zanzibar.
