Less expensive than the Maldives, this destination is popular at the moment.
Do you dream of turquoise waters, white sand, coconut trees…? At this mention, some mythical destinations continually come back. Hawaii, Bora-Bora, but also the Seychelles or the Maldives. With its numerous islets, its hotels on stilts and its dream beaches, the Maldives have everything to make you dream. Except the price! Flight, accommodation, catering but also taxes of all kinds, the archipelago is inaccessible to many budgets.
What if we offered you a much cheaper alternative, with fewer flight times and which has quickly emerged as one of the trendy destinations of the year 2024? Its success continued throughout the year. This more economical little paradise is nicknamed “the spice island” and also offers sumptuous beaches like in the Maldives. You can find a hotel room for less than 100 euros per week, while a meal in a restaurant costs around 5 euros.
In addition to its attractive prices, this “spice island” seduces with its warm climate all year round with temperatures oscillating between 20 and 30 degrees. Summer, from June onwards, is a good time to go there. Did you guess? Yes, it is indeed Zanzibar, the small island off the coast of Tanzania. With its attractive prices, vacationers can take full advantage of the sublime beaches of the east coast, from Kiwengwa to Pingwe via Jambiani. Lovers of relaxation will be delighted.
But Zanzibar is not just about its beaches! The island also allows you to immerse yourself in Swahili culture by strolling through the colorful streets of Stone Town, a UNESCO world heritage site. Nature enthusiasts can go on safari to meet elephants and giraffes in Mikumi National Park or observe red colobus, a rare species of monkey, in the Jozani forest.
So many assets that attract a growing number of visitors. Reservations have exploded since 2022, making Zanzibar one of the trending destinations for 2024 and 2025, in the wake of the Balearic Islands or the Canaries. Nearly a million tourists were expected there this year, compared to only 550,000 in 2022.
Unfortunately, this success already has a downside. The rapid growth of mass tourism is already disrupting the balance of the island. Concrete constructions are increasing to the detriment of nature. Dolphins and turtles, disturbed by visitors, desert the coastline. Waste from hotels piles up in illegal dumps and pollutes groundwater.
Faced with this situation, the authorities have decided to regulate access to certain sites such as the preserved island of Mnemba, which became a protected marine reserve in June 2023. From now on, only 80 visitors per day can go there for 25 euros. An emergency measure taken to try to save corals and underwater life, threatened by overcrowding. Zanzibar is therefore already at a turning point and will have to find a balance to preserve its natural treasures…