Romantic Safari: Questions regarding Zanzibar
 

We are in the preliminary stages of planning a safari vacation to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary next summer. We are fairly well traveled; however, neither my husband nor I have ever been to Africa. A trip planner we are using has recommended an itenerary ending with 3 days at a beach resort in Zanzibar and I am wondering how "romantic" the Zanzibar beach resorts are. Do people usually go there more for the cultural aspects or is this the type of place where one would don a swimsuit and sip cold drinks while tanning in a lounge chair all day--or something in between?

Absolutely, as most beach resorts - swimsuit, pareo and a cold drink. If you wish to add some culture, you can spend the last day or afternoon in Stone Town or arrange as a day-trip thru your resort.

Whether you choose this for romance of just some R&R it's not unusual to conclude your safari on the coast or one of the coastal islands. It's a good way to wind down. The romance itself, is up to you.

Which resort/s has your planner suggested?

How romantic are the resorts on Zanzibar?

Well, Mnemba Island is by far the most romantic for many reasons - but mostly because of the privacy and because you can safely walk at midnight on the beach under the moon and even take a swim with no worries. Cost is an issue though but how do you price romance?

On the main island, I would rather not walk with a female late at night on the beaches.

Most resports are rather large and while there are always plenty of honeymoon couples, the romance is all a bit too manufactured for me.
All the honeymoon couples take turns to use the little candle-lit barge in the water, or the candle-lit gazebo at the edge of the garden or the private little table on the beach!

So like Sandi, I believe the romance has to come from within - it will help a lot of you get a room with an oceanfront on the beach. Then you can dine on your verandah and stay clear of the crowds. Just your basic romance with waves breaking a few yards away!

Only a few resports feature ocean-front rooms so some research may be needed. Matemwe Bungalows comes to mind as an example of a smaller resort with oceanfront rooms and nearby cultural attractions without mixing with the crowds from nearby tourist mega resorts.

About culture. I am one of those people who "don't get it" about Stone Town. Too crowded, too many tourist shops, to many ugly buildings, too much harassment from street pedlars and no beach or boardwalk.

I much prefer to talk to the fisherman and seaweed farmers on the coast far away from Stone Town. So your resort stay can be quite interesting if you take the time to visit the small beach villages in the neighborhood.

If you must experience Stone Town then it can be done in a few hours, half day or even a full day. But that depends on your interests!

Thank you. When I searched for threads about Zanzibar, it seemed that the topics always addressed modesty, seaweed and insect bites, but when I think of a beach resort, it's bikinis, sunbathing, cold drinks, and ocean views that come to mind. I would appreciate any additional feedback or suggestions for this portion of my trip--it will be helpful in corresponding with my planner to finalize the details.

We recently finished a 3 week trip to Africa. We spent 3 nights at the Hakuna Majiwe resort just south of Paje on the east coast of Zanzibar. It is not cheap by any means, but it is quiet and romantic (without the cheese) and the beach is beautiful. You won't get much culture there, but you will have a great time if you like to relax and tan on a white sand beach with a good book, swim in a nice pool, and take the occasional dip in the ocean. You can also take a snorkeling trip just off the beach.

We also spent 2 nights in Stone Town, where you can find more cultural activities if you look beyond the touristy facade. We actually wish that we had a couple more days to spend on Zanzibar so we could have spent more time in Stone Town and the smaller islands.

We stayed at Matemwe Bungalows and thought it was very romantic--nothing like having your own oceanfront bungalow with double size hammock for lounging.

The most private unit is number 12 (but also the farthest from the swimming pools, bar, and dining room.) The manager indicated that it had its own slice of beach next to it (at certain times of day based on the tide).

If you go to the East Africa trip index you can read descriptions of various places on Zanzibar.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...86&start=0

Here is my trip report with the description of Matemwe Bungalows about 2/3 of the way down.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...ion+wildebeest

We literally just returned from Zanzibar where we stayed on the north end at the Ras Nungwi Beach Resort. We really enjoyed it-great beach, water activities (diving, fishing, etc), excellent service and first class food. They do have several ocean front rooms. The local village was also very interesting including a turtle sanctuary. I would recommend it. We did dive right off Mnemba Island and it seemed beautiful, if a bit exclusive and remote, although seen only from a distance. As for Stone Town, you can count me in the 'don't get it' camp. It is litered with trash and has no appeal to us even though i am sure there is culture there. After driving through many poorer areas on Tanzania mainland, it must be something cultural in Stonetown as we didn't see as much trash in 10 days as you see in 10 minutes in Stonetown.