Rough, beautiful, and full of surprises
The fishing village of Kizimkazi at the southwest end of Zanzibar used to be a mere stopping point to go on controversial dolphin tours. Still, the sleeping beauty is waking up - not least thanks to a very, very important lady.
Unusual restaurants, hotel expansions, a cliff coastline and a few smaller beach bays await visitors daring to head south-west rather than exploring the usual northern or eastern dream beaches of Zanzibar.
Caves have been around the West End and other parts of Zanzibar for thousands of years as part of extensive limestone reef terraces. Tidal waves have eroded the coral cliffs – particularly dramatic at the Kizikula boutique hotel on the West End. During high tide, guests can swim through a cave into the ocean here.
And the hotel itself is dramatic, too. Featured in international architecture magazines, Kizikula is making its mark by combining minimalistic design and permaculture gardens right on top of a coral cliff. The ultra-modern yet rustic bungalow resort was created solely from corals – like traditional houses in Stone Town. It offers nine individually designed rooms and is presently adding some more. On the culinary front, the new star chef of the West End, Jamaican-born Lij Heron, has just signed up to showcase his talent at Kizikula with special pop-up events.
From Wednesday to Sunday, the 46-year-old runs his very own ‘Fahari off the grid’ seaside restaurant at Mkunguni beach in the most southern part of Kizimkazi with his partner from Jamaica, Simone Christie. The two swapped one island lifestyle for another. “Our move has been a very long time in the making”, Christie says while taking us to recycled pallet tables under a shady pergola on a manicured lawn overlooking beautiful wild gardens and crashing waves. Relaxed music plays in the background.
For now, it’s mainly local residents who have the inside scoop on Heron’s innovative concoctions like ugali fries with pili-pili mayo, his signature lemonade made from flowers and the four-course tasting menu. The award-winning chef has worked in Dubai, the US and many other places before starting his Jamaican-Swahili fine dining in Zanzibar last October. It’s a real treat to experience the laid-back elegance of his place and its lovingly prepared organic food.
Arriving from Stone Town, the first choice you need to make is at the roundabout, as Kizimkazi is divided into two areas: head straight to Dimbani beach or turn left to Mkunguni. Here you can catch boats for snorkelling trips and the (in)famous dolphin tours, some of which have been criticised for chasing the animals. Captains were trained for more ethical behaviour but bad practices remain.What should those wanting to go on a dolpin tour do?
Either forget about it altogether, or .insist on the following etiquette (even on board): never herd, chase, encircle or separate dolphin groups. Always leave an “escape route” for them.
Alternatively you may opt for an excursion on land and visit the oldest mosque of Zanzibar in Dimbani, which dates back to 1107AD when Persian Shirazi settled here. It’s a small white house with a blue roof on the way to the beach. “Our president Mama Samia has brought us many visitors” says Yussuph Haji, 67, the retired Imam. “Since she went to Romania we receive groups of Romanian tourists on a regular basis.” His successor Suluhu Issa takes guests on a tour inside.
Kizimkazi is changing. The biggest hotel yet, Kwanza Resort, is building a jetty in competition to The Residence, the well-known, Condé Nast featured luxury hotel north of the village. Next to Kwanza is Kizimkazi’s newest attraction, the Salaam Cave, only recently made accessible as a tourist attraction by owner Saleh Hassan. In the private cave visitors can feed and swim with turtles caught by fishermen.
The road to the Promised Land Lodge, a West End classic, is rocky but a plan is already in place to connect Kizimkazi with Mtende and Makunduchi, where President Samia Suluhu Hassan was born. Her retirement residence can be seen next to a billboard with her flagship project, the Suluhu Sports Academy.
The Tufahamiane Women Group benefits from her initiative Greener Zanzibar: “We sell herbs and plants to hotels”, explains manager Boniface Robert, 29. His enthusiasm is inspiring: “With the help of a German NGO, we even make our own drinking water”, he says, showing us a complex system of nanofilters and reverse osmosis processes - happening right here in Kizimkazi.