From the moment you set foot in the airport, from the passport control to the taxi driver, the waiters, tour guides, cleaners and hosts, all you will receive is beautiful smiles and heartwarming smiles.
This is what I will take back from Zanzibar, this spirit of happiness despite the many misfortunes that the people of Zanzibar still experience, from shortage of water & electricity to brittle houses for most parts of the city.

The beach is beautiful with clear waters and we had the chance to experience an amazing weather that scored high on my tanning goals! The area itself is really beautiful and extremely peaceful except for the taxi rides that tend to become a bit scary and bumpy. The scenery is mostly green & blue with vibrant colors of bougainvillier and flamboyant trees.

When we booked this Yoga retreat, it was all about disconnecting from home, work and my fast-paced life in Lebanon. I wanted to breathe, sunbathe, sip on wine by the pool, and walk in streets without knowing where I was headed. The perk of Africa is its animal kingdom, which is definitely not in Zanzibar but other areas where Safaris are best experienced in the wild. Not planning a proper 3 day safari is my only regret after this trip. I mean I should have researched better and asked around before getting there.

I definitely recommend you to look into what you want to do and where to visit before you travel there. I had higher expectations of the plans that were set out for us by the retreat planners, but we managed to do some research ourselves to make the best out of it.

Our town was called Jambiani, and is quite low key. Walking in a town nearby, Paje, was not too pleasant in terms of walking & accessibility, but, we got the chance to shop for some nature freshness selecting fruits & vegetables that the economy here thrives on such as avocados, pineapples, mangos, jack fruit amongst others. Oh avocados, don’t get me started on those avocados! In Zanzibar, I can say I discovered what a real avocado should taste like; a mesmerizing taste of avocado & a sweetness that tastes like mangos. It just melts in your mouth so beautifully.
I tasted my first on a boat that was supposed to be our vehicle for a snorkeling trip, and it was love at first bite!

By the way, the “blue lagoon” snorkeling trip did not start off well at all. Why? Well, because of the low tide in the morning hours, our first attempt to hop on the boat, made us walk 1 KM on seaweed and hidden sea urchins and shells. And yes, we got deep cuts on our feet and only realized it when we had gotten to the boat. But guess what, we weren’t able to move the boat again because of it being stuck on sand so we had to walk all the way back!! We waited until the tide was up again for the boat to pick us up from shore. The afternoon was windy and cold, and the ride was around an hour and a half only to reach a place where snorkeling was “not that impressive” as per my nature expert friend Lea. I personally just enjoyed the ride back as we got the chance to watch the sunset and its enchanting colors. This, I tell you, was really magical! And we danced to the african beats played by our tour guide; that was fun too!

Stone town is definitely a must-visit. Although you are greeted by an awful fishy smell, once you walk in, it gets better. Walking there reminded me of walking in the small alleys of my hometown Saida. Streets are narrow, windows are shaded by African print curtains, food stalls that sell you corn on the cob (overrated), chapatas (a local signature bread which I highly recommend) and samosas (okay stuffed pastries, that can be a bit too oily). While you walk, you will constantly be harassed by honking motorcycle drivers or tuk tuks that need to pass through, and of course, store owners that greet you with a “Mambo” (as in Hello) and a “Where are you from?”

What to do in stone town? Well, here’s what we did, and I felt was perfect for our full day. We walked around the streets, going in & out of shops and tried to focus all our souvenir shopping on the little shops owned by locals. Look out for brightly coloured kanga and kikois (traditional wrap-around clothing). Our destination was set to Freddy Mercury’s home in one of the alleys and the Tanzanite jeweler next to it. Freddy was born & raised in Zanzibar by Parsi-Indian parents and left with them to England in 1964. The museum there is not much but it’s nice to visit if you’re a Queen fan.
I also wanted to buy myself a tanzanite. Originally from Tanzania, the stone is known to stimulate intuition, perception, communication and consciousness when worn on the body. In yoga language, it stimulates the throat, third-eye & crown chakras. I chose a triangular cobalt blue one that attracted me to it without knowing what I will turn it into and how I will wear it. I just knew I wanted it close to me.

A must-visit in Stone Town is Emerson Spice hotel and its Secret Garden restaurant! Really, the definition of a hidden gem amidst the chaos of the town. We had lunch there and I would say the food rates not more than a 7.5/10, but still worth an hour of your time and a couple of nice pictures.

I’ll take you also to a beach area called Michamvi, where, literally on a rock, lies a foreign run restaurant called “The Rock”. The restaurant is less casual menu & food-wise in comparison to the rest of Zanzibar. To be honest, I had the lobster in mind and glad I did, because my friends ordered several other dishes from their menu and the food is not that great. The grilled lobster with chips is the one to go for! You can also go there for drinks and benefit from the nice terrace overlooking the Indian ocean.

In the same area, we taxied ourselves to Kae Beach Bar for a sunset & sip. And what a great choice we made! The place was full of good energy while a group of local dancers were performing over some cheerful African beats around sunset time. The music was then toned down to match the peaceful sunset and bonfire they lit while we sat down on the sands of Michamvi.

Uzuri Villa was a nice place to stay. It’s only 6 rooms, has a nice cosy pool and the rooms are quite spacious. Let me tell you, I was really amazed by how hospitable & caring the owner “Elga” was & all her team, especially Grace & Mary & Ali who were by our side every step of our stay! And again, smiles all the way! They even brought us a local band for a nice dinner night by the pool. We danced together and with the staff while they taught us some of the African moves! It was really fun. The location though, maybe not as fun, unless you are looking for a secluded getaway with little exploring. I would rather we spent it a bit more north on the same coast. Another two downsides that might be Zanzibar related are frequent electricity cuts, water refills & wifi issues. But I mean, know where you’re going and set your expectations well.

We had daily morning Yoga & afternoon Meditation planned out by the Yoga House Dubai. Our yoga teacher, Danielle, was very sweet and looked after us well during our sessions. I would have wanted to have the whole retreat be richer in terms of Yoga & Mindfulness learnings and planned out better in terms of excursions, food & experiences overall. The fact that we had to take matters into our own hands while we were inside Zanzibar (instead of before traveling there), distorted our focus for a day until we managed to inquire about where we should go & plan out our own outings.

Overall, Zanzibar is highly recommended but as part of a total African experience that must include a Safari in Serengeti or Mikumi and pre-planned visits throughout the whole trip.

What not to forget to pack with you:
Anti-Mosquitos Spray
Aloe Vera Cream
Sun Screen
Aquatic shoes
Plenty of disposable masks
Sanitizer spray
A very good camera! Maybe an underwater one.

What to leave behind:
Heels
Evening chic dresses
Makeup
And your worries 🙂