Why you absolutely do not want to vacation in Zanzibar
The Bachelor was filmed there. Zanzibar, the paradise island off the coast of Tanzania, evokes images of turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and lush green palm trees. It seems to promise a dream vacation. But according to experts who have been there (like Monica Geuze), it’s really not as beautiful as it seems. In fact, it’s quite disappointing in real life. Sorry for being the bearer of bad news.
Of course, there are beaches to be found and nice resorts. I once went there with my girlfriend. To be honest, we didn’t do much more that week than eat and lounge in the sun. So look, for sun and beach and nothing else, you can definitely go here, but if you want a bit more and some real luxury? You won’t find that here. Zanzibar has seen a rapid increase in the number of tourists, leading to overcrowded beaches, especially during peak season. The idyllic beaches you see on Instagram are often quite cramped in reality.
And there’s more misery. Zanzibar is a tropical island, which means there is a higher risk of diseases like malaria and dengue. Although preventive measures like using insect repellent and taking malaria tablets help, this can be an extra concern, especially when traveling with children. The public transport system in Zanzibar is limited and often unreliable, so you quickly end up needing expensive private transport. It’s also not safe everywhere, especially not for women alone. And then there’s the weather. During the rainy season (March to May and November to December), heavy rain showers and high humidity can disrupt your romantic beach club days. Muggy air that you can hardly breathe in: great. The dry season is more popular, but also more expensive and busier, which brings other problems. It’s a bit of a search for that one nice week per year.
Enough reasons to choose another beautiful island where you do find that nice travel luxury. Ibiza, for example. After a week in Zanzibar, we were secretly quite bored. I can go to Ibiza every year. That says something, right?
