Elsa, first we took you out of the zoo, now...
Written: Apr 18 '02 (Updated Apr 18 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice spices to perk up your curry with
Cons: Aw, I hated the rest. Maybe it's just me.
The Bottom Line: Want Africa? Read below. Want beautiful beaches? Read below. But don't go here.
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| elsa70's Full Review: Zanzibar |
Ok, so Elsa came from Africa, and that's were she belongs. And that's were I was. Tanzania. How ridiculous of me to go from there to Zanzibar, then; I assume the reason why I decided to do so is because when I'm locked behind closed doors I have to sell vacations. And Italians flock to Zanzibar. Only to return home and, supposedly from the opinions I gathered during my stay, feel as disappointed and tricked out as much as I did.
Then again, perhaps it's just that I can't fall in love with the African continent, no matter how hard I try and how many countries I've visited there. However, no place in Africa has given me such a terrible impression of what the highly industrialized, powerful and "civilized" wealthy countries can do to the Third World only to turn it into their own playground, with no other purpose than to exploit it and make it appealing for the mass tourism markets.
Zanzibar is a small island located off the western coast of Tanzania, a total of 164 kmq (about 100 square miles) of land surrounded by the waters of the Indian Ocean. I have already been to Mautirius and Seychelles, and to the Kenyan coast, and I was not expecting the beauty of the beaches I found in La Digue or Praslin or l'Ile aux Cerfs, nor the seaweed-covered, muddy waters of Malindi.... Something in between, I guess. I not only found beaches covered in seaweed and rocky lands covered with garbage, the waves were also rough in some areas, while in others the shore was sheltered by reefs so the sea was basically stagnant.. The area of the island my hotel is located has a problem during low tide, as well - the beaches extend for miles and miles, and in order to reach the water, one must walk on a long wooden bridge for fifteen minutes under the scorching sun, lest not disappear in the muddy, inch-high waters with quicksands hidden beneath them. I must say the Indian Ocean, with its green and blue shades, was very pretty to look at... I guess that's why my resort featured an enormous seaside pool: so you can just watch the sea without having to go into it.
Oh, well, I wasn't there to wade in water, so I decided I'd take a look around.
I was staying in an Italian club - called Dongwe Club, owned by Italian Tour Operator Club Vacanze - and found the resort to be quite high in standards and pretty efficient as far as the service and the rooms went. However, the food was downright awful. Warm beer was the main drink available, aside from hot tea - no bottled water unless purchased aside, although the brochure states otherwise. The buffet was laid out for the joy and thrill of a various and quite aggressive swarm of insects throughout the daylight hours, while in the evening, as so often occurs in Africa, mosquitoes banqueted on us, providing us food.... for thought: are we going to catch malaria this time around? I'm not afraid of Malaria - I think I'd have it by now if I had to - but in a five-star hotel resort, I'd expect some of those mosquito-killing machines to be running at full power during the night in an open-space buffet restaurant.
But. I wasn't expecting a gourmet spree, either. So let's pass on the food as well. My room was quite lovely anyway, and the other areas of the hotel were very carefully decorated and all services - the pool, the sports and amusement teams - were efficient and well-kept. My personal highlight was the Diving Center, but one must be quite acquainted with sub diving to take advantage of such a feature since diving is in the open ocean and might be dangerous for novices (they didn't seem to mind, though -neither the novices, nor the organizers).Then again, one night in such a resort costs (for normal customers) 150USD per night per person, and considering this is, after all, Africa....
Ah yes, we're in Africa. We have air conditioning, a refrigerated bar, teak furniture and terracotta floors, but one must not forget - we're in Africa. What a contradiction. I have a hut with a straw roof, and inside my hut, I have 55°F and chilled wine (50 euro a bottle, but who cares). Let me see how much of Africa is left in Zanzibar. Let me wander outside of my resort.
I counted six - six - resorts in a row, property of Italian Tour Operators, on the same beach within a two-mile distance. It took me three hours to walk such a distance, but not because I was tired or am a slow walker - I was stalked by locals, trying to sell me everything from necklaces to braids in my hair to papaya to marijuana to themselves. I was prepared, as I have encountered similar situations tons of time in my life, and had candies, shillings and matches readily available in a plastic bag, but I was really shocked with the amount of youngsters who believed a young, attractive white woman walking on the beach alone was there for the sole purpose of buying some fun sex. It must be popular though, since not once, not twice but five times I was offered such services, and at a budget price too... Another thing I found peculiar was the lightheartedness they appeared to give to their own religion - Muslim - in both accepting presents and asking for them. Not a thread of the self-righteous, almost shy Muslims I have come to know in other countries. Very corrupt.
Anyway.
Farther toward north, I encountered a German resort, then the Serena Lodge, where I finally heard some Canadians and Americans yelling in English. Up until now, aside from the locals in the hotel and harassing me on the beach, all I had seen and heard were tons and tons of Italians, German and French loudly screaming from their high-notch resorts. I guess Zanzibar is not a popular destination among the Western World, but rather seems to attract basically Europeans, so far.
I must point out, all resorts were very beautiful and well constructed and maintained. Most of them also had guardians in front of the beach entrance, probably there to shun annoying locals from the tourists; they all let me in each and every hotel, and I can confidently tell my customers that all the resorts I've visited are quite recent and efficient, however I heard some complaints from guests who were staying at the Alpitour/Francorosso resort of Kiwengwa and at the German resort. Everyone at Serena Lodge appeared to be quite satisfied with their vacation, however I only judged by their faces, as I didn't question anybody.
All right, so now I know what the seaside has to offer. Especially considering that everyone had told me the shore on the Western coast of the island is far worse than the one I've just visited.
My next plan is that of going to the famous Stone Town - the capital of Zanzibar.
Ah, finally. Africa. Plus, of course, Arabia... Zanzibar was an Arab colony, naturally, and Stone Town is quite an interesting Arab city to visit. However, this is a CITY, not a small TOWN; and I don't recommend any single women walking the winding small roads of Stone Town, not for the reasons they shouldn't walk on beaches alone either... But because the Muslims do not appreciate it.They want you covered up. They do not want you taking pictures of them. They don't let their children near you, for they know you will spoil them,and that's against their culture. But - Stone Town is a pleasant surprise. There are an impressive number of historical sites and museums that are open to the public, whereas, unfortunately, access to most mosques is prohibited (of the over 500 that Stone Town hosts, I was able to see about 50 from the outside, try to enter about 20, and got into one). It is a truly fascinating side of this island I wasn't prepared to find, and as a matter of fact, I spent three out of my five -almost six- days in Zanzibar roaming the streets of Old Town, attending the market where I purchased some wonderful wooden (tanzanica) scupltures, two khangas (pareo-like outfits in two matching pieces of fabric, usually in silk, one for the head, one for the body) and enough cloves, vanilla, bergamot, saffron and curry to open a spice shop back in Italy. I visited the Peace Memorial Museum, where I found quite a comprehensive and detailed overview of Zanzibar's history and culture, with expositions concerning Livingstone and his researches on the island; I traced the slavery route and the Arab dominion; and found other interesting sites to visit, such as the Palace Museum, the Arab Fort and the House of Wonders, that were quite surprising - especially the former, as it is a museum that is entirely dedicated to the history of the Sultans that have reigned in Zanzibar throughout the centuries.
Since most of the guests in the resort I was staying in recommended incessantly to visit the inland and Prison Island, I did as I was told,and missed Stone Town dearly for two half-days. My guide was very nice and accomodating, but I wasn't at all interested in viewing monkeys that were obviously accustomed to human beings and just wanted something to eat from me - for the trip to Jozani Forest offers just that, and for one arriving from a three-week expedition in Serengeti and Ngorongoro in Tanzania, the red monkeys held no appeal whatsoever. Lots of birds though... Too bad I know nothing about bird-watching. I might have enjoyed it. I guess.
And this Prison Island tourist trap was a tiny island across from Stone Town, and was basically just a pretty nice beach, overcrowded with loud and rude tourists who were scattering litter everywhere and screaming at the top of their lungs, and seeking desperately for tortoises, who were smart enough not to let themselves be noticed in such chaos, and kept quietly hidden who knows where. What a waste of time. Seriously.
The beaches were actually nicer at the northern tip of Zanzibar, a town called Ras Nungwi, that I actually found quite appealing especially because the locals there are more than willing to show you exactly how they build the Dhonis- the traditional Indian Ocean boats used everywhere,- from Tanzania, to Kenya, to the Maldives and, of course, Zanzibar - to take tourists to the reef and to wade through the lagoon when it's high tide. It was quite heartbreaking, though, to witness very old and sick fishermen smile with their toothless mouths to us while we amused ourselves with their craftmanship...
Yes, Zanzibar is an island of extreme luxury for tourists, but unfortunately, of extreme poverty for the inhabitants. I was very sorry to notice practically everywhere the unmistakable signs of deep indigence and illness among the population, which clashed stridently with the luxurious accomodations and services offered to the foreigners. It appears as though none of the locals have benefitted by the increasing number of tourists that Zanzibar hosts year after year. There has been a massive exploitation of the land and an enormous amount of construction in the past years on this island, often without even considering basic hygenic, environmental and practical services needed as premises for such an impressive expansion. However, if such careless development had brought more wealth to a starving community, I could understand it better - but I haven't witnessed an improving situation for the inhabitants of Zanzibar, unless providing the employment at lower levels all the touristic resorts may offer, but at ridiculous, slave-like wages, and only for fatigue jobs, for any sort of other position is filled by foreigners.
Beyond personal impressions on the population status, however, I cannot refrain from asking myself why should Zanzibar be a popular destination.
Why should one go to Zanzibar?
There is virtually no wildlife. There is basically no dream beach to lay upon, no cuisine to die for, no breathtaking culture that can transport you to a different era and tempt you into exploring millenia of wild traditions, for theirs are available to themselves and themselves only.
You want my opinion...NO? well,you get it anyway because that's what I'm here for.
You're seeking for Africa? You should plan a trip to the Masai Mara in Kenya or the Krueger park in South Africa if it's your first safari, or be the brave and chance Zaire, or Ngorongoro and Serengeti while they still are what they were meant to be forever.
You're seeking for wonderful, unspoiled beaches, a varied marine scenery, breathtaking coves to discover for the joy of yourself alone? Be it just you and the tortoises? Head towards the Seychelles. You want a nice place to stay, a mix of different cultures that are incredibly set far apart from our world, and a place to relax on the beaches and enjoy sunsets? Mauritius is your place.
Want a combination of them all, and are brave and undaunted? You shouldn't miss Madagascar. Are intrigued by the Arabian influences in the Indian Ocean, but don't want to forsake relaxation and warm waters? Sri Lanka and/or Maldives are for you.
Want a bad replica of them all, with everything but nothing really of the above? Want fake luxury at quite affordable costs, fake sandy beaches, plenty of real poverty and tourists roaming an island? Go to Zanzibar. And mind you, it was the rainy season, and luckily it only rained once for two hours. Had it been poor weather?? Don't let me think about it.
Yes, it was that bad. And no, I'm not a picky traveler. I just know a good thing when I see it.
Sorry, folks.
Roar.
Recommended:
No
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Sep - Nov
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Epinions.com ID:
elsa70
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Location: Ciao, baby.
Reviews written: 33
Trusted by: 24 members
About Me:
temporarily out of order. ZZZZZZZ.
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