White-green gem on the east coast of Africa, that's the best way to describe Zanzibar. Bright white beaches that reflect the sun as if you were standing on an Alpine top. With powder sand instead of powder snow, but equally hard on the eyes without sunglasses and equally hard on the skin without factor 50. Let us be clear; we went to Zanzibar for the divine beach life. We spent our time in the swimming pool, on the beach or in a hammock. But if your zen status has been reached and you feel like an afternoon of action or culture, we would be happy to suggest some trips.

MNEMBA ISLAND

Mnemba is a private island east of the beaches of Matemwe. The island itself is not accessible (unless you book a room of course). In front of the island is a huge sandbank and coral reefs where it is fantastic to snorkel. We already have some snorkeling experience and this place is at the top of the list. As you will notice, there are many locals who want to get their share of tourism on their island and they offer trips to Mnemba for families with or without kids. We went that way with our local guide for a few hours. The kids played on the sandbank, we snorkeled and saw fish in all colors. It was a great trip, on the way back we even met a family of dolphins in the open sea, to top it all! Totally unexpected, but oh boy, this made our day even more fantastic!

STONE town

The old part of the capital of Zanzibar is called Stone Town and is a UNESCO world heritage site. It consists of a maze of narrow streets with limestone houses, our kids loved the vibe. Stroll through those streets, because it is the best way to discover the city. To get an idea of the island's history, you can also visit the former slave market. At a sad peak in history, a total of 600,000 (!) slaves were traded from here. An incredibly strange place, but a moment that you can use to talk to your kids. About history, humanity and cultural differences. End the day at hotel Park Hyatt where you can have a drink or dinner on the terrace overlooking the beach. During the day this place is quite deserted, but in the late afternoon life starts. Young people come together and play soccer, have fun with capoeira or show their acrobatic skills on a rubber tractor tyre. You don't want to miss this atmosphere for the world!

PRISON ISLAND

An excursion that we missed out on due to circumstances, but which is often high on the wish list of others. Prison island -the name says it all- is an island where in the 19th century rebellious slaves and people with yellow fever were sent to. Fortunately, there is nothing left of this lugubrious setting these days. Today it is a paradise where a colony of giant turtles lives. The island lies close to a coral reef which makes it perfect for a snorkeling trip. Prison Island guarantees the bounty feeling!

MONKEY FOREST

Real name: Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, but allow us to use the popular name 'Monkey Forest'. You can probably guess why you shouldn't forget this place. You'll take a guided walk through a mangrove forest where there's plenty of local wildlife, including... monkeys! Unlike our experiences in Asia, these monkeys won’t hurt you. This trip is definitely worthwhile if you like to go out into nature. It is advisable to wear good footwear because of the many ant hills. We like to prevent others from our own mistakes :-)

In Zanzibar you can enjoy life in paradise. We love to spend a lot of time on the beach, in the pool and at sea. That made it an ideal destination for us to recharge our batteries for a week. If you're looking for a destination with lots of culture, you might not have come to the right place (with the exception of Stone Town, which is really worth it). If you ask us, we'll go back tomorrow. To relax, sunbathe and enjoy the beautiful nature.