Unguja is a small, privately run beach lodge in Kizimkazi on the south coast of Zanzibar. Only completed in 2007, its been built as far as possible from local materials, with lots of makuti, coconut wood and coral rock. A little heavy on the cement perhaps but these places are all about how well they're managed and Unguja is still run by its co-owners, Ralph and Elies, which counts for a huge amount.
Nicely understated it has just 10 rooms, wonderful swimming pool and central areas and great views overlooking the Menai Bay, as well as lovely gardens (with its own troupe of Red Colobus which is a nice touch) and even its own small secluded beach.
The seven Sea view villas have huge bedrooms, nice bathrooms, their own semi open sitting area and private terrace overlooking the sea. The three Baobab villas are slightly grander versions of this with their own plunge pools as well as air conditioning in the bedrooms. They are oriented towards the gardens but do have sea views from the upper floor.
If you can muster up the energy to tear yourself away from the swimming pool, gardens and library area there is an excellent dive centre here and plenty of opportunities for snorkelling, diving as well as fishing and dhow trips. As much to do as anyone is likely to need but all in a pretty relaxed atmosphere.
There are some excellent, competitively priced, packages combining Unguja with Fumba Beach Resort across the water to the west which we can highly recommend. These two places compliment each other well and are great value. Perhaps important to note that neither of these areas boast the wide sandy beaches of Zanzibar's East Coast but the quid pro quo is much quieter, rather more private locations which have real charm.
Zanzibar, along with nearby Pemba Island lies just off the coast of Tanzania and is a heady mix of tropical island life and historic Swahili culture that has beckoned travellers for centuries. During our years of living and working in Tanzania, we often took time out here, and have wound our way through Zanzibar's crumbling streets and padded along the miles of soft white beaches working out how to make the most of this fabulous island. In a nutshell, the first basic choice you'll need to make on Zanzibar is between beach and heritage - and you can, luckily, do both. Zanzibar's Stone Town is the vibrant, cultural heart of Zanzibar, the ancient capital of the sultans and site of the main trading port. As it has been a major hub for traders, explorers, and invaders for centuries, it boasts most of the historic buildings. As the island's only proper town, it is still very much alive and bustles with activity. Many visitors choose to stay a couple of nights here to really get the vibe of the place. There are also a number of beaches near Stone Town, either a little way north or south of the town,or on small islands that lie a short distance from the harbour in the Zanzibar channel. These places offer a great way to get a bit of everything, with private hotels that allow an easy trip to Stone Town at any time of the day, and peace and quiet for some blissing out at the beach. Serious beach fanatics will head for the east coast of Zanzibar, which is lined with long white stretches of fabulous sands, the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean and a good variety of beach hotels. Though development has been fast and dramatic along this coastline in recent years, many of the beaches are still pratically empty of tourists, and traditional coastal village life continues unabated. Some of the most lovely beaches are to be found on the north coast of Zanzibar,which because the island ends here in a sharp point, encompasses some eastern and western coastline. Here the sea is textbook turquoise, the beaches smaller, often more exclusive, and, most importantly for underwater adventurers, yields a wide and wonderful choice of snorkelling and dive sites within easy reach of all the hotels. As Zanzibar is a small island - 53 miles long by, at its widest point, 23 miles wide - these beaches are far flung enough to feel well castaway, yet they are still less than two hours' drive from the airport and Stone Town. The largest island beyond the main island of Zanzibar (or Unguja) itself, is Pemba Island,which lies 25 miles north north east. A little smaller than Zanzibar, and much, much less developed , it has superbly beautiful seas, world renowned diving and real tropical tranquillity, and is one of the most stunning islands on the whole African coast. Read more?
Tanzania safaris rival a safari any other country in Africa in terms of sheer wilderness, formidable landscapes and volume of wildlife. At Natural High, we have travelled all over the country, worked in some of its best Tanzania safari camps and lodges and flown all over as bush pilots so we feel qualified to venture such opinions. Read more?
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Vanessa's 16 years in travel has seen her knowledge develop from sub-Saharan Africa into North Africa, Central and Southern America and the Galapagos. Consequently, she’s a veritable encyclopaedia of travel information and exceptionally cool, calm and collected in the face of the greatest planning demands.
At Natural High, we've had long experience putting together trips in Africa that really work. Whether it's intimate bushcamps in out of the way places, or a private lodge in one of Africa's top-billing wildlife areas, light mobile camping or remote island escapes, we know there is a lot to choose from. We're absolutely confident that we can recommend the right places for you.
