Sailing in a Dhow

Here's a highly recommended activity if you should ever find yourself on the island of Zanzibar. Take a sunset sail on a classically built sailing vessel and be awed, like we were, by the gorgeous vista of white sandy beaches, calm azure-blue waters, and brilliant end-of-the-day sunlight.

Sharmala, Jan, and I boarded a well-kept dhow late one afternoon after selecting snorkeling gear (fins and masks) readying us for an experience never to be forgotten.

We motored along the coast about 4-5 km until we reached a coral garden where we then donned our snorkeling gear and plunged overboard. The seabed was covered with sprawling mounds of amazing corals (brain coral, fan coral, staghorn coral) and the sea, the bathwater-warm sea was swarming with schools of fish. Because I have such poor eyesight, I missed many of the details BUT was able to spot flashed of Nimo-like fish and was thrilled to swim through schools of sergeant majors with flashy stipes!

I lost sense of how much time we spent in the water, but our guides encouraged us to stay and explore as much as we wanted. Once we were back on board, the sails were hoisted and we sailed silently over the iridescent waters - nothing could be more peaceful or calming for the spirit. Finally, we turned about and headed back towards the Flame Tree Gardens and I must say we were mesmerized by the honey coloured sun dipping into the sea.