If you are thinking of Zanzibar and imagining blue water, white sandand palm treesyou hit the nail on the head. You can even add floating starfishes to your dreams. And if you want to make your dream come true, there is a list of places which are the closestto the ideals from postcards:
Kendwa
The wide, sandy beaches on the north coast of the island. White sand, azure water and perfect place for swimming all day – tides are not that strong as on the eastern side of the island, so you don`t have to walk a kilometer from the shore to swim. Beautiful sunsets that can be seen also on the high seas with a rented fishing boat.Near Kendwa there are several reefs so it’s a good place for snoorkling as well.
Nungwi
The beaches arenarrower than couple kilometersaway in Kendwa butencouraging with turquoise water, white sand andfriendly atmosphere,thanks to thebeach bars in “hakuna matata” style.
Going further to the north, moving away from the typical tourist places, you can run into a fishing village.It is worth to come in the morning to see amazing view of the fishing boats “parked” on the shore, waiting for the evening tide to go again on a night fishing trip and fishermen resting and repairing their nets. And if you desire to buy freshly caughtfish, there is a fish market around 50 meters from the beach, at the beginning of the village.
Paje is a different story. Locatedon the eastern shore of the island is known for its ideal conditions forkitesurfing, due to strong tides.As a result, the village has typical surf atmpsphere but also wonderful, idylliclandscapes. During the day, the water at the shore is very shallow, so if you want to swim you have to walk a bit. It`s worth to stay couple of days to try kitesurfing.
Tip: If youhave not selected kite school before and you care about low prices as much as quality you should go a bit towards Jambiani, skipping thelargest and most popular kitesurfing schools. Few minutes walk from the mainentrance to thebeach there is asmall woodenhutwith rental and kite school. If you can not find it, ask for the instructornicknamedKingSalomon. He is very good teacher and prices are much lower than in other places.
Jambiani
Option for those seeking less crowded places. This peaceful village is located about 10 minutes drive from Paje. Good place to spend a honeymoon.All shades of turquoise water, white sand and picturesque,underwateralgaeplantations. Peace, quiet and relax awayfrom the crowdsandthe bigchain hotels.
Pongwe
According to many sources, including Lonely Planet guide, the beach in Ponwge is considered one of the most beautiful and close to the ideal landscape.Ascalm asJambiani, 5 km away from the larger and louder village of Kiwengwa.
As I live in a country where there is no nightlife, sometimes I try to make up lost time during traveling, and I am looking for not only wild places but those where something happens. Not necessarily loud clubs with commercial music and drunken teenagers. I try to avoid them, but it could be nice to find a reggae bar somewhere on the beach, a hidden street with a spot where you can listen to alternative music or a vibrant place where locals and travelers can meet and enjoy a drink.
Let’s face it – Zanzibar is not Ibiza, Goa or Thailand, where thousands of people practicing party-tourism, but there are exciting places where you can have some fun. If you belong to people who like to relax but also to dance or listen to music in a vibrant bar somewhere on the beach, definitely select the northern part of the island – near Nungwi and Kendwa. Below there is a list of places that are worth checking:
Nungwi
The most bustling area in Zanzibar. Most of the attractions are on the beach.
Gerry’s Bar – definitely my favorite spot in Nungwi, run by a lovely expat couple. Good music, delicious drinks made by a friendly bartender with his head full of dreadlocks, the view on a paradise beach, and surprisingly good food, so you can come for dinner as well.
Guru Guru Bar – we popped in during the day for a drink accidentally, catching our attention to quite a large crowd having fun and dancing to local music. At the same time, there was a kind of “miss Zanznibar” show.
Cholo`s Disco Bar – run byItalians,one ofthe most popular places in Nungwi, worth checking out. They organize bigeventson Thursdaysand Saturdays.
Coccobello – another place run byan Italian woman. It`s located between Nungwi and Kenwa village. They organizelargeevents on weekends, admissionapprox. 2$.
Kendwa Rocks – the most famous place when it comes to partiesin Zanzibar. Kendwa Rocks Hotel is located 10min away bytaxi from Nungwi – costapprox. 15,000 TZS (7$). They organize Saturday’s events at the beach bar and large Full Moon Parties, where you can see live performance of African culture and then dance till sunrise. Kendwa Rocks also organizes the biggest New Year’s Eve parties in Zanzibar. In 2016, about 6,000 people took part in it. Admission to the Full Moon Party 20,000 TZS (approx. $ 10), New Year’s Eve approx. $ 25. No need to book tickets in advance because the event takes place on the beach. Free for residents of Kendwa Rocks Hotel.
Last but not least, something for the fans of rasta – in Nungwi, near to the White Ocean Reastaurantand Bar there is a small bazaar. At theend of the street (going perpendicularly to the sea) there is a very small bar with a mix of happy tourists and locals with a nice reggae atmosphere. Worth a visit during the day. Beware of so-called Beach Boys hanging out in the area and proposing to sell drugs and tours through the village – I do not recommend to use their services.
Paje
Paje is the second after Nungwi village concentrating nightlife in Zanzibar. Especially from December to February, where the town is filled by a crowd of kitesurfers enjoying ideal conditions for surfing.
Paje by Night – the hotel bar with a pleasant atmosphere is a no. 1 place on the map of bars in Paje, not only for kitesurfers. Good food, a mix of Spanish, Italian, and local cuisine. The hotel is located on the second line from the shore, near the main entrance to the beach.
B4 – nice beach bar with cushions, lounge chairs, and even beds makes it an ideal place for an evening chill out. The owner is Spanish, so you can drink sangria and eat a good burger. Famous also for incredible milkshakes. Once a week, they organize a movie night. Events with good music (minimal, deep house).
Jambo Beach Bungalows – they organize Friday’s parties at the beach (admission $ 5).
Coco Blue Night Club – located in Jambiani village, 10 min by taxi from Paje. They organize events on Fridays with live music and Saturdays with DJ.
Red Monkey Lodge (Jambiani) – beach bar, have a look on Mondays when they organize Blues Evenings with live music.
Zanzibar Town
Travellers Cafe – rather a restaurant than a bar, but you can enjoy a drink in the evening there. Pretty good place with food, with a sea view.
Forodhani Gardens – although it is not a bar or club, talking about the nightlife in Zanzibar Town, you can not miss this place. Forodhani Gardens is a small park located by the sea, which at night turns into the center of street food. I recommend trying the local pizza from Zanzibar while sipping a beer purchased from a shop nearby. Open approx from 8 PM to 12 PM.
Africa House Hotel– rooftop hotel bar, they play live music in the evenings.
Mercury’s Bar – situated near the port, a good place for Queen and Freddie Mercury’s fans.
The nightlife in Zanzibar is continuously changing. Every month, new clubs and places are opening, so I will be grateful if you share your experience in the comments!
As I know Dubai and its main attractions pretty well, my last 24-hour layover was good opportunity to see something new and check the place I have heard about several times from my friends – Dubai Miracle Garden.
Dubaiis a cityknown for itssplendor– if they build something it will be abig, expensive or unique.It was the same withMiracleGarden. More than109 millionflowers were used to build the place. Opened in 2013, worth 11 milion $ became world’s largest natural flower garden.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
How to get there:Miracle Garden is located quite far from thecity centerand major tourist attractions. There is a bus nr 105 going straight to the place. It runs every 20 min from metro station Mall of Emirates (5 AED). Taxi: from Mall of Emirates, costs approx. 30-35 AED, around 15 min.
Tickets: Adults 40 AED, kids 3-12 years old 30 AED, kids up to 2 years old and disabled people free access.
Opening hours: from sunday to thursday – 9:00-21:00; fridays, saturdays and holidays 9:00-23:00. On weekends andafternoonsMiracle Garden is very crowded, so try to choose less popular hours.After sunset,the garden ismuch less populated but very welllighted so for me, the besttime to visit the place is arriving approx. one hour before sunset.
Bringing food and animals isprohibited. Guests can find restaurants, cafes, shops with sweetsand souvenirs there.
According tome Miracle Garden is a place worth to see if we have a bitmore time inDubai andwe have already got bored by sunbathingor visitingthe bars and shops. Number of colorsandfloralinstallations isimpressive.It isalso a big attraction for children. But once it is enough for me, because of thecrowds I can not imagine the garden as a place for rest and relaxation.
Calledliquid Moroccan gold,argan oil is for sure number one on the listof souvenirsworthof bringing from this country.Also oneof the most expensive oils in theworld so very easy to findfake mixtures. Made from the fruit of the argan tree, occurringendemically only in southern Morocco between EssaouiraandAgadir. To produce 1 liter of this precious oil, 30-35kgof fruits is needed.
FOR WHAT?
Argan oilis produced for cosmetic and culinary purposes. In the kitchen,added to salads, meat or dips is treated as a healthier alternative tosunflower oil.Its expensive, cosmetic and cold-pressedversionis used for body and hair as well as serum forhands and nails.
APPEARANCE
Edibleargan oil hasambercoloras a result of roasting argan fruits. Cosmetic oil is a little bit brighter, similar to gold. Only stored in glass bottles, so that it does not lose its benefits. The label describing the composition should contain only 100% Argan oil without the addition of parabens or other vegetable oils. The safest products are marked by ECOCERT certificate, which also indicates that the oil is organic.
SMELL AND CONSISTENCY
Edibleargan oilhas a very characteristic nutty aroma, stronger thancosmetic version. Therefore, it is important always to smell the product before purchasing. If also the color is similar to brown, there is high probability that this is culinary hot-pressed oil, often sold for cosmetic purposes at a higher price. Pure argan oil does not solidify at room temperature, so any lumps or nonuniformed texture can indicate the presence of fillers.
WHERE (NOT) TO BUY
Argan oilloses its propertiesin contact withsunlight so certainly it`s notthe bestidea tobuythe product from roadside sellers even at a bargain price. It is also better to avoid the shops “with everything” and go to a small cosmetic stores or pharmacies, which often produce oil (still with certificate) or work with particular factories. Between Essaouira and Agadir are plenty of workshops where you can directly buy the oil at the best possible price (be aware of typical factories for tourists, they are rather situated on Marrakech – Essaouira road). A verified place in Marrakech is the Firdaous Herboristerie shop, in a small shopping center, approx. 2 minutes walk from Jemma El Fna square. Prices are fixed so no need to bargain.
Bottle of 100% Argan oil can be storedapprox.2 years in a dark place. How do you knowthat the oil isalready stale?It will just smell like rancid.
Every year the Black Rock desert in American state of Nevada turns its sands into a bustling city. At first glance a city full of oddly dressed people, surreal installations, loud music and cosmic vehicles. Or maybe the city of modern hippies, freedom expressed in every possible way and celebration of life in each of its aspects. City of multicultural community which follows its own rules. Rules created to be a better version of reality.
No, Burning Man is not a typical music festival, which main attraction arelive concerts. There is no lineup, sponsors and fast food booths. But anyway thousands of tickets are sold out in just a few minutes.
BurningMan is a place where the community from around the worldmeet once ayear,building aself-sufficientcity.A placewhere you canexpress yourselfthrough art, musicand dance and exceed thelimits of imagination. Population without religion or money but guided by 10 principles.
The idea of the festivalemerged already in 1986. Starting with a few friendson the beach inSanFrancisco,the festivalhas grown to an event for approx.90,000 of participants.
It doesn`t matterwhere you come from, what your skin color or religion are. On Burning Man you can meet either older people or newly-born children. Everyone can findsomething for himself regardless why he went there. It may be an opportunity to know and associate with fascinating people from all over the world with a similar worldview, crazy parties at sunrise, meditation during a sandstorm or getting lost on a bike somewhere between great and surreal sculptures. All of art installations and events are organized by the participants. At the end of the week most of them are burnt, as well as the greatest symbol of the event – a wooden, giant sculpture of the man, set in the central part of the festival.
And yes, it‘s true thatmost of the peoplewho came back from Burning Man have somehowchanged.It is not aboutswitching to veganism and meditatingall day. It’s aboutfindingthe joy of lifein simpleactivitiesandtransfereverythingwe have learnedin the past fewdaysto our everyday lives. And then remains only the countdown to the next edition of the festival.
Named one of the 25 wonders of the world by National Geographic and the best SPA in Scandinavia.Should be onthe list ofanyone whohas plans to visit Iceland. What actuallyis theBlue Lagoon?
Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa situated in the south – western Iceland, between Keflavik AirportandReykjavík. The complex was created by humans but uses naturally heated sea water inside Earth (the temperature is about 38 ° C). Rich in minerals and algae, such as silica and sulfur nourish and help in the treatment of various skin disorders. One of the many attractions is the bar with clay and silica mud mask which can be used without leaving the water. Lagoon takes its name from milky – blue water, completely exchanged every 40 hours.
Prices and reservation
Before comingto theSPAit is necessaryto book in advancevia the websitehttp://www.bluelagoon.com/. Prices depend on the selected package, season and time. For example I paid 65 Euro for booking in the evening of August 2016.
Important: make your reservation as early as possible, because the number of slots per hour is limited and usually a few days before all the hours are already sold out. Paymentupon booking, whichin case of cancellationis not returned.
How to get there
bus – during the reservation processyou can order transport by busfor an additional fee. Organizedaccording to scheduleavailableon the website,fromthe airportinKeflavikandReykjavik city.
shuttle from the hotel–most hotels arrange transportation to the biggest attractions of Iceland, as well as Blue Lagoon.
taxi – 7,200 kr. (Approx. 55 euro) from Keflavik
private car – GPS Coordinates:: N +63.881363 (63°52’52.9068″N) W -22.453115 (-22°27’11.214″W). Blue Lagoon is about 23 km (approx. 20 min) away from the airport in Keflavik, Reykjavik – 47km (approx. 50 min).
Attractions
Blue Lagoonis primarily aSPAoffering a widerange of options forrelaxationsuchassaunaand a steam bath, waterfallsand caves,a barwith masksand massagesin the water.More demanding customers cantake advantage ofexclusive lounge, enjoyingprivacy. Guestsare also providedwitha barlocateddirectlyin the water, LAVA restaurant anda shop sellingnatural cosmeticsbased on clay and silica. Blue Lagoonalso offers 4**** Silica hotel.
Good to know
An optimaltime reservedtousemost of attractionsis about2-3hours.Thereis no problem withphotographing, cameracan be storedin a lockablecupboard. Before entering the water, apply conditioner to the hair, because sea water can cause dryness and difficultiesto comb.
Traveler and Vip flight attendant working and living in the most mysterious country in the world – Saudi Arabia. This blog gives a glimpse of lifestyle and undiscovered culture of Saudi and useful travel feed from around the world. Follow my Instagram to stay in touch with me: @olasupertramp
