Zanzibar consists of a series of small tropical islands off the coast of Tanzania in the southern waters of the Indian Ocean. There are in fact two main islands – Unguja (commonly known simply as ‘Zanzibar’) and Pemba. Now part of the United Republic of Tanzania, Zanzibar was once a separate state and has a long trading history with the Arab world. The country has lured traders, adventurers, explorers – and now discerning tourists – to its shores for centuries.
Zanzibar’s history begins when the island became a base for Arab traders voyaging between Arabia, India, and Africa. Although the island had few resources of interest to the traders, it offered a good location from which to make contact and trade with towns on the East African coast.
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Vasco da Gama’s visit in 1499 marks the beginning of European influence, and the Portuguese established control over the island four years later. In August 1505, it became part of the Portuguese Empire It was to remain a possession of Portugal for almost two centuries.
In 1698, Zanzibar became part of the overseas holdings of Oman, falling under the control of the Sultan of Oman. The Portuguese were expelled and Zanzibar soon became famous worldwide for its lucrative trade in spices and slaves. It was East Africa’s main slave-trading port, and in the 19th century as many as 50,000 slaves were passing through the slave markets of Zanzibar each year.
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Vasco da Gama's visit in 1499 marks the beginning of European influence in Africa.
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The United Kingdom‘s early interest in Zanzibar was motivated by both commerce and the determination to end the slave trade. In 1822, the British signed the first of a series of treaties to curb this trade. In 1876 the sale of slaves was finally prohibited and in 1890 Zanzibar became a protectorate of Britain.
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In the 19th century Zanzibar was East Africa's main slave-trading port [Image: Courtesy
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In 1963 Zanzibar gained independence from Britain but it was only in the late 1980s whenZanzibar opened as a free market. It was then that Zanzibar started taking advantage of the tourism potential.
The capital of Zanzibar is Stone Town, the heart of which mostly consists of a maze of narrow alleys lined by houses, shops, bazaars and mosques. The name “Stone Town” comes from the use of coral stone as the main construction material. It is this stone that gives the town a characteristic, reddish warm colour.
Stone Town’s architecture has a number of distinctive features – a result of Arab, Persian, Indian, European, and African traditions mixing together. The most well-known feature of Zanzibari houses are the finely carved and decorated wooden doors.
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A street in the Stone Town, Zanzibar [Image: Courtesy
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Besides having interesting architectural features in most of its houses, Stone Town is punctuated with major historical buildings, several of which are found on the seafront, including the old External Communications headquarters and the Chinese Doctors house. The Ex-telcoms headquarters was built in the early 20th Century by British Colonials. The next door house, known as the Chinese Doctor’s Residence is an old Arab house, possibly pre-dating Stone Town itself. Both of these buildings lay empty and had fallen into a bad state of repair before they were carefully restored and rehabilitated into today’s Zanzibar Serena Inn.
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The name "Stone Town" comes from the use of coral stone as the main construction material.
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Zanzibar Serena Inn[one_half]The design of Zanzibar Serena Inn reflects Zanzibar’s Indian, Arabic and colonial heritage and remains true to the authenticity of the history of both buildings. Officially opened in 1997, the walls of the hotel are decorated with historic prints and contemporary paintings, but perhaps the most interesting ‘decorations’ are the old telecommunications equipment that were discovered in the basement of the Ex-telcoms building. Abandoned and forgotten by the colonial staff 100 years before, several items have now been restored to their original condition and are displayed throughout the property.[/one_half][one_half_last]
 Zanzibar Serena Inn [/one_half_last] [one_half] The main attraction of Zanzibar Serena Inn has to be Stone Town itself, and guided tours around this functioning historic town can be arranged as well as spice Island tours, which revisit the famous spice plantations of the past. In case clients would like to combine this fascinating cultural experience with some beach time, Serena’s Mangapwani Beach Club is an easy 30 minute drive away. A private beach hide away, Mangapwani beach is surrounded by thick vegetation. With a fully stocked bar, BBQ lunch and changing rooms, this makes for an ideal day outing. [/one_half] [one_half_last]  View of Pool and Sea [/one_half_last] [one_half] Day trips to the south of the Island can also be organized, offering clients a chance to swim with dolphins and to visit the Jozani Forest to see the red Colobus monkey, endemic to Zanzibar. The Island also has a busy schedule of festivals throughout the year, including the increasingly popular Sauti za Busara music festival – and the Zanzibar international film festival.But perhaps the most intimate of all of the activities on offer would be a morning outing with our Chef from Zanzibar Serena Inn…. expertly negotiating around the fish market, sourcing the catch of the day. [/one_half] [one_half_last]  Romantic Zanzibar [/one_half_last] |
