Travel Guide Mkokotoni

A must on the way to Nungwi, it is the main fishing port in the north of the island where the inhabitants of Tumbatu Island just opposite come to sell their daily catch. But the fish, seafood, and especially lobsters, which are very popular with all the restaurants on the island, are mostly landed from Tanga, the coastal town on the Tanzanian mainland closest to Zanzibar, just opposite. Be sure to watch the dhows being unloaded at the fish market every day around 5pm, one of the most authentic on the island. You will see gigantic manta rays, huge fish carried on their backs by powerful fishermen from the boats to the rudimentary stall outside the market. An array of multi-coloured fish pulled from the tropical waters, still glistening in the sun, is just as fascinating as the sight of men and women unloading goods from the boat out to the beach, huge at low tide. Consider stopping here on your way to or from Stone Town and Nungwi, your taxi will gladly do so. If you fall in love with the beautiful animals still wriggling there, you can ask your guide or driver to negotiate a handful of slipper lobsters or lobsters for you and ask a restaurant to cook them for you when you arrive. Everything is negotiated in Zanzibar! On the other hand, don't take pictures without the permission of the people concerned, that's non-negotiable!