The ultimate guide to Zanzibar's attractions

DW (English)

Tanzania's breathtaking Zanzibar archipelago is famous for its spices, azure ocean and historic Stone Town. Join DW for a tour.

Transcript

00:00 Hello, my name is Minali.

00:02 Today, I'm showing you an island that has history

00:06 and is one of the most incredible

00:07 heritage sites of the world.

00:09 This is Zanzibar.

00:11 Zanzibar, located off the East African coast,

00:15 is known for small islands and two large ones.

00:18 It is a prominent hub in the spice trade

00:21 and is famous for its fragrant spices.

00:23 So we're here at Stone Town,

00:25 one of Zanzibar's best historical sites.

00:29 It is a beautiful place indeed to watch.

00:31 The architecture in Stone Town is nothing short of amazing.

00:36 And it is highly influenced on different cultures

00:40 like the Indian culture, Arabic culture,

00:43 and Swahili culture.

00:44 We cannot forget about this intricate multi-stone balconies

00:50 which are made in so many Stone Town houses.

00:53 I'm here at the artisan shops in Stone Town,

00:59 that make the beautiful Zanzibar doors

01:01 that grace the fronts of very many buildings in Zanzibar.

01:05 How are the Zanzibar doors made?

01:09 We carve the doors manually without using machines.

01:14 They are handmade.

01:16 The flowers and decorations are made by hand.

01:20 The door artwork for Zanzibar is considered to be the best.

01:24 These are the final products of the doors.

01:27 Could they not just scream creativity?

01:30 (laughs)

01:31 Now it is time to move and see more things,

01:35 as we're still not done.

01:37 This is the old slave market.

01:39 In the 18th and 19th centuries,

01:42 this was one of the biggest slave markets in the world.

01:45 Well, this is where the slaves were being tied.

01:51 Obviously, really, really harsh.

01:54 In this old slave market,

01:57 that is now being used,

01:59 part of it is now being used as a church.

02:01 Before the spice trade took root,

02:07 Zanzibar was the place where East African slaves

02:10 were being brought, until 1873,

02:14 when slavery was officially closed

02:16 under the British government.

02:17 This paved way for the spice trade

02:21 to become the main economic activity in the island.

02:25 Today, Zanzibar offers pristine beaches

02:28 and clear waters, among other attractions.

02:31 This is Narayani Market,

02:35 the spice center of the island.

02:37 Zanzibar is home to organic spices,

02:39 such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom,

02:42 black pepper, and many more.

02:44 Come, let's check it out.

02:46 The Arabs planted large spice plantations,

02:48 which made Zanzibar the biggest clove exporter

02:51 by the 19th century.

02:53 Today, Zanzibar is hailed as the spice island

02:58 because of its vast array of exotic spices.

03:01 - So you could tell me a little bit

03:04 about the spices that you have.

03:06 - Over here, we have vanilla.

03:09 It's organic.

03:10 Most people haven't seen vanilla in its natural form.

03:14 They tend to see it sold in liquid or powder form.

03:18 This is called cloves.

03:20 This is one of the spices

03:22 that's grown on a large scale in Zanzibar.

03:24 It is highly used for medicinal purposes.

03:27 (upbeat music)

03:31 - Zanzibar has some of the most finest beaches in the world,

03:34 if you ask me.

03:35 The locals are really, really friendly,

03:37 and the views are priceless.

03:39 Right now, I'm taking you on a boat ride

03:42 to Nakupenda Sandbank.

03:44 Nakupenda is a Swahili word, by the way,

03:45 which in English means I love you.

03:47 I love you all, and I'm taking you to this trip

03:50 I hope you enjoy.

03:51 Come with me.

03:52 Nakupenda Beach offers beautiful blue waters,

03:56 colorful corals, and exotic sea creatures,

03:59 perfect for swimming, sunbathing,

04:01 and snorkeling in crystal clear waters.

04:04 With a firebird, to move from Stone Town to Nakupenda

04:10 is about 12 minutes.

04:13 But if you're taking a boat,

04:14 then it will take about 20 minutes.

04:16 That's not so long.

04:17 So there are three things you can do,

04:19 and even more, actually.

04:20 There's snorkeling, there's having some seafood.

04:24 In Nakupenda Sandbank, it's beautiful, honestly.

04:29 Seeing families come together in an adventure like this.

04:34 You can't come to Zanzibar

04:39 and fail to buy something you like.

04:42 Here we are, Fadili Originals.

04:44 If you're ever in Zanzibar, this is the place to be.

04:48 - What do you sell?

04:51 We sell African prints, commonly known as vitenges.

04:55 We source the fabric from Dar es Salaam,

04:57 and then come design them here in Zanzibar.

05:00 - And so this is Fadili Original.

05:02 It's exactly at the heart of Zanzibar in Stone Town.

05:06 As the sun sets, Forodhani Gardens is illuminated

05:11 by the warm glow of colorful street food stalls

05:14 that stretch endlessly.

05:16 But the evening's magic doesn't end there.

05:18 Enter the Forodhani divers,

05:21 fearless souls who are met with an enthusiastic crowd,

05:24 creating a thrilling atmosphere.

05:26 Now those are five things to do

05:29 in this archipelago island, Zanzibar.

05:31 Make sure you make time to visit

05:33 with your friends or family.

05:34 My name is Meen Ali.

05:37 Bye-bye.

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