Tumbatu Island Guide : Off the northwestern coast of the main island of Zanzibar, Tumbatu Island is a territory of Tanzania in East Africa. Two islands, Jongowe and Kichangani, are located in the south of Tumbatu Island, which is located in Tanzania in East Africa. One of Tanzania’s most stunning locations is the island. It is a place that must be visited. Yearly tourists would appreciate taking a stroll down the beach, seeing the lighthouse, and snorkeling off Tumbatu Island’s stunning beach.
ABOUT TUMBATU ISLAND
Shirazi ethnic islanders have always been drawn to the island. The Shirazi people, also known as Mbwera, are an ethnic group living along the Swahili coast and the neighboring Indian Ocean islands. The Tumbatu Lighthouse, a six-stage tower that is situated at the northern extremity of the island, is another lighthouse that can be found in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It is one of the country’s oldest lighthouses.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Touring the hub of Zanzibar’s dhow-building activities
- Explore the massive, 900-year-old baobab trees.
- Take advantage of the opportunity to explore and learn about traditional and cultural activities.
- Snorkeling at Coral Gardens
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
The third-largest island in Zanzibar, Tumbatu Island, is a dagger-shaped wedge that is 14 square kilometers in size and is located north-west of Unguja Island in Tanzania, east Africa. From Mkokotoni, it takes approximately 30 minutes, and from Nungwi, it takes about an hour. Even though its southern shore is only two kilometers (1.2 miles) from Mkokotoni on Unguja, there are two common villages there: Jongowe and Kichangani, both of which have an estimated 20,000 residents living there. These villages are surrounded by coral reef rocks, which give Zanzibar’s southern shore a sense of isolation from the rest of the island, Tumbatu Island Guide
Tumbatus are renowned for their pride and strict preservation of Swahili traditions. Those who belong to the Shiraz ethnic group claim descent from Persian royalty who supposedly came in the ninth century, and there are notable ruins at Makutani in the southeast of the island, which were apparently one of Zanzibar’s principal communities.
While admiring the natural beauty of this island, you will have the chance to visit and learn about the customs and cultural practices of the locals. For example, Voodoo is a form of local astrology where people consult their horoscopes to find solutions to problems, luck in business, cures for diseases, and other superstitions. The tools used in this practice are a smooth piece of wood with sand and a small, sharp pointed stick. Before sailing back to your accommodation for the night, have a brief rest at your leisure.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The brief rains that occur in November and December are followed by clear skies after the downpours. It’s only very wet during the peak of the long rains in April and May.
Tumbatu Island, the third-largest island in the Zanzibar Archipelago, is best visited from July to September during the dry season. It is highly popular to travel during this season, Tumbatu Island Guide
It is worthwhile to visit the island at any time of the year, though, like with most of Uganda. There is sunshine and a temperature range of 28 to 34 degrees.
ACCOMMODATION
There are many lodging choices to select from on Tumbatu Island. The best hotels in Tumbatu, however, are Aluna Nungwi, Coccobello Zanzibar, and Village View Hostel.
TRANSPORTATION
Since there are no cars on Tumbatu Island, bicycles are the primary mode of transport there.
THINGS TO DO IN TUMBATU ISLAND
Zanzibar’s Tumbatu Island is a very thrilling island. It has something to offer everyone. For beach lovers who want to spend some time in peace, it is a terrific location. It is also quite useful for those who prefer to explore and learn on their adventures.
The island is a terrific destination for beach lovers to unwind and enjoy a sunny day on the sand.
Adventurers can spend uninterrupted dive and snorkel sessions discovering the underwater treasures of the island and learning about the mysterious secrets of the Indian Ocean.
SNORKELLING IN TUMBATU ISLAND
Snorkeling on Tumbatu Island: Despite being barely 2 kilometers from the main island, the wedge-shaped Tumbatu Island is encircled by a reef, which gives it a sense of isolation from the rest of Zanzibar.
On Tumbatu Island, snorkeling is regarded as a safe, shallow, and accessible dive location with a thriving marine life and excellent visibility (10–30 ft.). The coral reefs at all three dive sites—Shetani, Popabawa, and Mwana—are magnificent and thriving, and they are home to a wide diversity of both soft and hard corals, Tumbatu Island Guide
You may take a half-day excursion to the outer-lying reef, where you can’t just jump in. There, you can explore the shallow corals and search for unique species like turtles, leaf fish, octopuses, scorpion fish, moray eels, and nudibranchs. Even though tribal elders strictly control access to the island, you will be able to enjoy a tour by boat before returning to your stay in stone town.
You can anticipate seeing turtles, leaf fish, octopuses, scorpionfish, moray eels, and nudibranchs on Tumbatu Island. The best coral gardens on North Zanzibar Island are on Tumbatu Island, which is a popular diving location. There is stunning coral reefs with a wide variety of soft and hard corals. The reef begins at a depth of three meters and descends to a depth of twelve meters. Because of this, Tumbatu Island is a stunning location for snorkeling and beginning dives.
