Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Town, it's now privately owned, and while snorkelling in the surrounding waters is pos-
sible, the island itself can only be visited by guests of
Bawe Tropical Island Lodge
(
0773-333241;
www.privateislands-zanzibar.com
; s/d per person full board incl airport
transfers US$510/680; ).
CHAPWANI
This tiny, privately owned island (also known as Grave Island, thanks to its small cemetery
and the tombs of colonial-era British seamen) is about 4km north of Zanzibar Town. It has
a white-sand beach backed by lush vegetation running down one side. The island can only
be visited if you're staying or dining at
Chapwani Island Lodge
(
www.chapwaniisland-
zanzibar.com
;
s/d full board US$310/390; Jun-Mar; ) , with simple bungalows on
the sand and a salt-water pool. Advance bookings are required for both. As Chapwani is a
waterless island, all fresh water must be pumped in from Zanzibar.
TUMBATU
The large and seldom-visited island of Tumbatu, just off Zanzibar's northwest coast, is pop-
ulated by the Tumbatu people, one of the three original tribal groups on the archipelago.
Although Tumbatu's early history is somewhat murky, ruins of a mosque have been found
at the island's southern tip that may date to the early 11th century, and it's likely the island
was settled even earlier. As recently as the last century, there were no water sources on
Tumbatu and villagers had to come over to the mainland for supplies. In between Tumbatu
and Zanzibar lies the tiny, uninhabited island of
Popo
.
There's no accommodation, but Tumbatu can easily be visited as a day trip from Kendwa
or Nungwi, where the hotels can help you organise a boat. Alternatively, local boats sail
throughout the day between Tumbatu and
Mkokotoni
village, which lies just across the
channel on Zanzibar, and which is known for its bustling fish market. The trip takes from
30 minutes to three hours, depending on the winds (much less with a motor), and costs
about Tsh200. Residents of Tumbatu aren't used to tourists (they are actually notorious for
their lack of hospitality) so if you're heading over on your own or if you want to try to ar-
range an overnight stay with locals, it's best to get permission first from the police station
in Mkokotoni, or from the
shehe
(village chief) in Nungwi, who will probably request a
modest fee. There's at least one bus daily between Mkokotoni and Stone Town. Once on
Tumbatu, the main means of transport are bicycle (ask around by the dock) and walking.
MNEMBA
Tiny Mnemba, just northeast of Matemwe, is the ultimate tropical paradise for those who
have the money to enjoy it, complete with white sands, palm trees and turquoise waters.
While the island itself is privately owned, with access restricted to guests of Mnemba Is-
land Lodge, the surrounding coral reef can be visited by anyone. It's one of Zanzibar's
