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Zanzibar’s
coastline offers some of the best beaches in the world, but sand and surf
vary depending on what side of the island you’re on. On the east coast,
waves break over coral reefs and sand bars offshore, and low tide reveals
small pools of starfish, small minnows, and anemones. Up north, ocean
swimming is much less susceptible to the tides, and smooth beaches and white
sand make for dazzling days in the sun.
The port city of Stone Town dominates the west coast, and although the
beaches of Mangapwani, where slave caves are visible at low tide and nearby
Bububu are less than half an hour’s drive away, a night or two spent on
the east or north cost is well worth the extra hour it takes to drive there.
That said, the Chole Island Marine Park just off Stone Town – and nearby
Prison, Grave, and Snake Islands – make a refreshing day-trip and a good
break from exploring the winding passageways of the old city.
On the south coast of Zanzibar lies the Menai Bay Conservation Area, a sea
turtle protection area for the endangered species that come to breed on the
island. Roads to the southeast coast take visitors through the Jozani
Forest, home to Zanzibar’s rare Red Colobus monkeys and a number of other
primate and small antelope species.
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