Pemba

Step onto Zanzibar’s “second island” and leave those tourists and their bandwagon of touts behind. The island is quite beautiful and very peaceful. After the tourist insurgence of Zanzibar, i don’t see another mzungu during my stay.

There is some rivalry between the two islands; most of Pemba’s inhabitants are from Omani descent with a far more cosmopolitan population on Unguja. The friendly locals on Pemba laugh at the hecticness of Zanzibar and boasts a crime-free island, although on my journey out of the island i have my mobile and flashlight snatched out of my bag.

friendly locals request a family and friend portrait

Although it lacks much of the history of Unguja and the lavish architecture, this hilly island is verdant with all kinds of fruit and vegetable crops growing in the fields.

Nonetheless, there does seem a suspicious uniformity on accommodation prices as well as prices charged for meals.

Arriving into Mkoani late at night i turn left outside the port and head up the hill to Panorama Beach Lodge (tel no. 024256166). It is spanking new with bungalows at US$35+ per room, but i take a dorm bed at US$20 all including a hearty breakfast. It is shiny and clean and i have it all to myself. The food is also good with meals costing Tsh10,000. It is next door to the Jondeni Guesthouse with identical prices for rooms and food.

view from Panorama Beach Lodge

Boats can be rented for US$20+ to visit neighbouring islands, and there is little else to do as the village is somewhat dull.

Moslem school-girls on the way home

I move through the island heading north taking a brief stopover in Chake- Chake which is the main hub for the island. It is the nearest town to the internal airport and has a busy market place and a couple of ATMS. Regular dala-dalas run regularly throughout the day and cost Tsh1,000.

Masha, a friend from Stone Town has recommended me to Verani Beach Resort on the North Coast. From Chake - Chake open-sided dala-dalas leave when full to Konde in the northern tip of Pemba. It costs Tsh1,500 and takes about two hours.

The journey onwards is somewhat tricky. I end up hitching a ride with a local police officer with a Vespa for the 10km journey. Motorbikes seem to charge a standard Tsh15,000 whilst a car/taxi/truck/dala-dala for Tsh20,000. The journey is beautiful and goes through a nearby National Park with monkeys chasing through the vines of this primary rainforest.

Verani Beach resort is a locally owned and run guest house. It is somewhat basic with no electricity. Bungalows are US$45 including breakfast, but camping is also available. Meals can be ordered in advance for Tsh10,000.

beach-hut at Verani's

The waters sparkle along the beachfront which is a combination of rocks and the fine white sand.

the beach at Verani's

There are several dive outfits on the island that can also run snorkelling trips, but i am informed that the dive-sites are challenging and not for the unpractised recreational divers like myself.

The port town of Wete is somewhat ramshackle. There are at least two guest houses here including Sharouk and Umbrella.

If prices were cheaper i would have happily extended my stay, but the island seem to have priced themselves out from the long-term budget traveller.

Out and About in Pemba

Sceptical that i will be on-line whilst hanging out in the Zanzibar Archipelago.

Hope to be back soon - watch this space.

Election Time in Zanzibar

On October 31st Zanzibar goes to the election polls. I get a chance to meet a Political Analyst lecturer from a Washington University who is covering this year's election in the US.

The current ruling party has been in power since 1964, but this is the first year that at least locally, the opposition have a chance of success with a popularist local candidate standing as Chief Minister.

It is also the first year that there has been no violence. Rasta Dulla tells me his brother was shot dead in the 2005 Zanzibar elections, and even on sleepy Pemba there was mass beatings dished out by the army. In 2000 violence was even more a part of the course.

The manager of my current guest house on Pemba tells me with humble pride that he has been selected as a local councillor candidate for the opposition party and indeed i see his poster all over the walls of Mkaoni.

Noone predicts any change nationally. The ruling CCM party bribe, cajole and outspend its rivals and control much of the media anyway.

my landlord on Pemba and member of the opposition

Slow Boat to Pemba

Pemba is the “other" island of Zanzibar and lies some 50kms to the north of Unguja.

Fast ferries run every day from Zanzibar but will cost over US$40. The local slow-boat is US$21/US$26/US31 for basic/reserved seat/ 4 birth cabin. Payment must be made in US dollars. It departs every day except Mondays at 6pm and arrives in the following morning at 10am.

Like it’s counterpart in Dar Es Salaam, the port is hassly and touts persistently step in your way. Check out the boat tickets for yourself and save yourself a few extra bucks.

Ying jokes that i am a tight-ass, but i defend myself. Long term travelling requires budget measures, especially when a wage-check hasn’t arrived for some 30 months.

I thought i’d got yet another bargain by taking the overnight slow-boat to Pemba, but it kinda backfires.

I board the boat at 6pm with a 9pm departure scheduled. By 9.30 we are still in Zanzibar dock, but the lights go out. As indeed does the air-con in the “Tourist Cabin” of which I am the only tourist. We’re soon sweating like hyperactive pigs without deodorant.

By 1am we’re still in dock, but the electricity returns. At about 2am, panic breaks out. Women are crying and the babies and luggage are passed through the port-holes – i am told the boat is sinking. I wait for the crowds to subside before taking my bags up the stairs and off the boat. There is nothing else for it, but to head back for another night at Hotel Marine.

Returning next morning we are invited back onto the boat at 8am, but don’t actually set sail until midday. Fortunately there are two canteens on the boat where snacks and drinks are available, including a free pilau rice meal.


Unfortunately the toilets which clearly haven’t been cleaned since the previous day and the smell emanating from the Gents is completely shocking.

The boat docks by 8pm and i am delighted to flee. Although only half the price of the fast ferries, i kinda regret my choice in vessel.

POSTSCRIPT: This ship was later to sink in September 2011 due to over-loading. It resulted in the drowning of 197 passengers making it the worst maritime disaster in the islands documented history.

Jambiani

Towards the south east corner of Unguja lies the pretty white-washed village of Jambiani. The village is quite spread out across a 8km pristine white beach with turquoise and azure waters straight out of a Zanzibar travel brochure. Unfortunately the coral gardens are about 2 – 3 kms off the beach at the large breakers.

Even though the beach is quieter than usual at this time of the year, there are still plenty of touts around, selling jewelry, their restaurants, outrageous coconut sellers and a plethora of boatsman trying to sell boat trips to the reef and morning dolphin viewing. Both these trips seem to run to about US25 per head, but I can’t bargain below US$10 and give them a miss.

an outrigger in crystal clear waters

Based at Kikidini’s Cottages it is a sublime spot and currently run and owned by a local woman, Mnoga. Her two cottages are available at Tsh30,000 per night with a monstrous breakfast. This is definitely one of the cheapest in town – most seem to be around the US$50 mark. Zanzibar is certainly not cheap.


There are plenty of bars and restaurants scattered along the beach – most charging around the Tsh15,0000 per main course, but I found a few good cheapies scattered around.

My personal favourite was the Garden restaurant with excellent chicken curry and grilled fish for about Tsh7,000 per main. They also do crepe desserts. The local restaurant opposite the post office is very cheap, and although the mishikaki (shish kebabs) was poor, the fish was good and they have reasonably priced fresh pineapple juice. Mohammad Hussain on the footpath between Kikinini’s and the Jambiani Guest House also does cheap and good fish and chips. Equinox offers local and international dishes for around 10,000 a main and is another locally owned outfit.

a solitary Moslem woman adds colour to the beach

Daladalas (local buses) leave Stone Town from the central bus stand around 10.30am and cost Tsh1500. Return buses depart 10am, 2pm and 4pm from the southern end of town.

Masai jewelry seller with a huge hole in his ear

sunset over Jambiani

Zanzibar Town

Lying in the Indian Ocean off the mainland of Tanzania just six degrees south of the Equator lies the Zanzibar archipelago. The famed “Spice Islands” are actually Unguja and Pemba, and it is the former that is referred to Zanzibar.

Ferries leave Dar Es Salaam regularly every day. I opt for the Sea Horse – the slow-boat (and therefore cheaper option – foreigners pay US$20). It departs opposite St Joseph’s Church at 12.15pm. The touts surrounding the ticket office are robust to say the least! Just say “No!”

Arriving on Zanzibar is like arriving into a new country with passports stamped and immigration and health cards required.

The Arab and Indian influences remain prevalent throughout the city and Islam influence predominates throughout

For the first time since Cape Town during the World Cup finals I feel swamped by tourists and by the ubiquitous tourist touts. No doubt about it, these guys have gotten it down to a fine art with guided tours offered in Spanish, Italian and even Russian.

This place should be a highlight of the trip, and was probably amazing 20 years ago. It still is, but like Venice, it has been irreparably tarnished by mass tourism, and I am part of the problem.

Stone Town in the heart of the town centre is rightly a World Heritage Site. The labyrinth of small streets and alleys are fascinating to stroll round, although huge swathes of the shops are now geared to expensive arts and crafts boutiques and other tourist paraphernalia.

the best preserved buildings are the boutique hotels

ornate door designs predominate throughout Stone Town

spooky traditional tribal mask

There are some terrific museum options, but I plumb just for the National Museum, the Palace Museum and the Slave Market. I only get a student price for the museums which is excellent – detailed, informative and with some cracking views over the city from the Library.

the top of the National Museum

view from the top of the National Museum

The Old Fort has been turned into a menagerie of craft shops. There is also a pub and a stage with live performances several nights a week.

No visit can be complete to Stone Town, Zanzibar without paying homage to the childhood house of Farok Bolsara aka Freddie Mercury.

Born is Stone Town on 5th September 1946, Freddie grew up in the house until at the age of nine he was sent to India to attend St Peter’s boarding school just outside Bombay.

Not surprisingly it is now a Craft shop.

Freddie's childhood home

Accommodation options vary from around US$25 to several hundred for a night. I check out both Malindi Guest House (tasteful olde worlde rooms from US$35 unattached) and Malindi Lodge from US$25 both including breakfast. The former boasts an authentic Thai roof-top restaurant. Hotel Marine gives me a 25% discount and has free wifi.

Eating options are also plentiful, generally good quality and expensive. I do splurge at the Silk Road Indian restaurant for high quality samosas and a chicken biryani.

The night food-market opposite the National Museum offers slightly cheaper options but be prepared to bargain hard with some of the stall holders, notoriously the kebab barbecue vendors. Here you can find the “Zanzibar Pizza” which comes in both savory and fruity varieties. At TSh2000 a piece this has to be one of the best options in town.

During the day te town feels very safe, but i'm recommended not to carry valuables after 10pm and to take taxis at night.

I come away from the town somewhat disappointed, especially comparing it to Ila de Mozambique which is almost hassle-free and a working town non-reliant on the tourist trade. It appears to be the Venice equivalent of Africa – you can see the beauty and attraction of the place, but mass tourism has taken away its soul.

Sultan's Palace - now the Palace Museum

another passing dhow at sunset