Stone Town, or Stone Town, in Zanzibar is the oldest city on the archipelago. The area was inhabited as early as the 16th century, and in the 17th century the first stone buildings began to appear here. From 1840 to 1856, Stone Town was the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Now Stone Town is the most visited tourist attraction of Tanzania in Africa. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
General Information on Stone Town in Zanzibar
Weather in Stone Town
The average annual air temperature is + 30 ° C, the water temperature on the beach is almost always + 26 ° C. You can come to Zanzibar year-round, but in May-April and in November the rainy season, so some hotels are closed or lower the cost of living. From June to October, there is practically no rain and the air temperature is quite comfortable for tourists.
Currency exchange
The national currency in Zanzibar is the Tanzanian shilling, coins are called cent. In the course of banknotes 200, 500, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 shillings, coins are practically not used on the island. You can import any currency - here both dollars and euros are accepted, and shillings are prohibited from exporting from the country. Exchange currency at the airport , hotel, banks and licensed exchange offices. The currency exchange on the street is illegal and threatens with deportation from the island. Banks in Stone Town work from 8-30 to 16-00 on weekdays and to 13-00 on Saturday. Exchange offices in the city work until 20-00.
Credit cards are almost not accepted here, even in large hotels and expensive restaurants. Therefore, they can be left at home. There are no ATMs in the city, and it is impossible to cash out the cards in banks.
Sights of Stone Town
In Stone Town, we advise you to go on excursions to the Palace of the Sultan, or House of Wonders, Old Fort and Cultural Center, Anglican Church and the slave trade area. An equally important attraction of the Stone Town is the St. Joseph's Cathedral.
The most beautiful place here is the Forodani Gardens, which were recently restored for $ 3 million. Every evening after sunset here begins performances for tourists, the sale of seafood on the grill and sweets according to the Zanzibar recipes. In Stone Town is the main diving center of Zanzibar . The maximum depth is 30 meters, there are beautiful corals, seamounts, various marine life and fauna.
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Hotels in Stone Town
Among the city's most popular tourist attractions are Doubletree By Hilton Zanzibar and Al-Minar - chic hotels that are decorated in warm colors in a traditional Zanzibar style. Handmade carved furniture and African décor give a special comfort to the rooms. At Forodhani Park, you can swim on the roof with an outdoor swimming pool and dine at the cafe of national cuisine , the hotel is located across from the Forodhani Gardens. The price is from 100 $ per night.
For budget travelers, hostels Zanzibar Dormitory Lodge are available within walking distance of the Old Fort and St. Petersburg. Monica's Lodge in the territory of the slave market. Breakfast is included in the price. The night of stay is from 60 $.
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Restaurants in the Stone Town
The best restaurant is the Terrace Restaurant at Maru Maru - a refined institution on the roof of the hotel, where you can order a hookah and watch the sunset on the ocean. Also positive feedback from tourists about Tea House Restaurant with vegetarian, Middle Eastern and Persian cuisines and Zanzibar Coffee House Cafe with authentic interior and tasty dinners. The best ice cream in the city can be tried in Tamu Italian Ice Cream - a family cafe of budget type, 2500 shillings for a ball of any taste. A wonderful selection of smoothies, cocktails, fresh from selected fruit and neck for 3,500 shillings, you can try in the cafe Lazuli.
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Shopping
Fans of shopping in the Stone Town will not like it very much. There are only two shopping centers - "Memories" and "Curio Shop". Prices for clothing and jewelry are low, but the choice is meager. The main purchases are various souvenirs . The most popular are Tingating paintings, which are sold only in Zanzibar . They depict a gay African life on the island. Pictures are very popular not only among tourists, but also among the inhabitants of the mainland of Tanzania .
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To the tourist on a note
- Call home is best at the post office, because calls from the hotel are much more expensive. At night and on Sundays the cost of long-distance calls is two times cheaper. Mobile phones practically do not catch the network, and in order to call, it is necessary to have a GSM-900 communication standard and connect international roaming. The Internet can be used in special business centers for hotels.
- To visit Zanzibar, you do not need to get a yellow fever vaccination now, although you would not have been allowed to go to the border without a certificate. The island has a low level of malaria, so rest is considered safe.
- In addition to the local police, which monitors the order, the city has a special tourist police. There were practically no cases of theft, tourists are respected and helped as far as possible, because they bring most of the income to the state.
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How to get to Stone Town?
9 kilometers from the city there is Airport Zanzibar Kisauni, which accepts regular flights from Dar es Salaam , Arusha , Dodoma and other major cities. From the airport to the center of Stone Town half an hour drive. The taxi costs about 10,000 shillings. Also from Dar es Salaam to Stone Town in 2.5 hours you can swim by ferry.
Transport
In Stone Town very narrow streets and the city itself is small, so the transport system is almost not developed. But on the main streets you can see motorcycles that are used to transport people and cargo. Public transport in the city is called Daladala - it's a taxi in the form of minibuses. The main station is located in Arajani Market. For trips between cities, mabasi are available - trucks that the local have adapted for transporting people in the body and on the roof. The main station is near the slave market.
Also in the city, unlike the mainland of Tanzania, you can freely rent a car. The roads in Zanzibar are magnificent. Renting a local car costs twice as much as for tourists, so if you want to save money, ask someone from the local to hire you a car or arrange a hotel.
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