Information Sheet
KARIBU UTUPOA! KARIBU MATEMWE! KARIBU ZANZIBAR!
We are so pleased to welcome you as guests to Utupoa, our home, on the North East coast of Zanzibar.
Matemwe represents one of the quieter parts of the island, with the most beautiful stretch of white beach, and the fishing villages have not been completely dominated by hotels. Here, it’s a working beach which you will experience, with women tending neatly farmed seaweed plots and men bringing in fish to auction, whenever the low and high tides allow.
On this side of the island, it’s these tidal variations which determine what happens each day, limiting your own swimming to the mid‐highs, but opening up walks to the reef on the lows. We hope that your time with us on this beach, always conscious of the rustling of the East African Talls and the distant roar of the fringing reef, will tune out your worries of the world and regenerate your batteries just like our back-up solar lighting system does on a sunny Matemwe day.
Here are a few tips to help make your stay more comfortable:
Getting to Matemwe:
If you are either landing at Zanzibar’s Kisauni airport, or sailing into the port from Dar es Salaam, the first thing you will want to do is organise transport to Matemwe. There are taxi drivers at both the port and the airport and they should agree to a fare of 60,000 – 70,000 Tanzanian shillings (around 35-40 USD). You might want to pay extra to ask them to stop at a shop for initial supplies on your way. If you would prefer to hire a car, or organise a driver for your time in Zanzibar, call Kibabu on +255 7727 55788. He is very friendly, speaks good English and has competitive rates (tell him that Utupoa recommended him). If you do decide to drive on the island, make sure that you have an International Driving Licence as the police do not accept anything else (and you will be stopped!). In the first instance, we recommend that you negotiate with Kibabu to hire a car. In certain circumstances, we are prepared to let you use our Toyota Surf or Escudo with Khamisi as the driver. If you need to do this (or have any other issues), SMS Tim on +974 6691 5301 and he will organise with Khamisi.
Stocking up:
It is a good idea to pick up any groceries that are important to you before you get to Matemwe as the shops in the village are fairly basic. If you ask the driver to stop at Migoz Supermarket on the airport road, you can pick up essentials (including alchohol, from the shop next door ), and the best place to buy fruit and vegetables is to go to the market in Darajani, or, given that you’ll have just got off an international flight, you can stop at the stalls on the road north.
Utupoa:
We are situated on Matemwe beach, between Nyota and the Fairmont. You will be greeted by Ma Fatuma and Ma Mariam who look after the house and will make you feel at home. Both excellent cooks, Ma Fatuma is there to help you in the kitchen, while Ma Mariam looks after the house and garden.
Catering:
The house is available on a self-catering basis. Please understand that our Housekeepers do not keep adequate reserve funds which they can use to source any foodstuffs for you. Of course, if you arrive late in the evening they will do their best and provide you with a first meal. But, from then on, we ask you to make the necessary funds available for them to source any supplies. Basic foods like sugar, rice and flour, and vegetables like tomatoes, onions and garlic, can be bought in the village dukas. Ma Mariam and Fatuma can also source fresh fish for you on request. You should plan to buy most other groceries and condiments in town. Ma Fatuma has a fabulous range of local dishes, and you are best to discuss an eating plan with her.
Electricity:
Given Zanzibar’s electricity problems, there may be moments when the mains power is switched off. We have a Diesel generator which you can run when you need it (please make sure that water heaters are switched off when the generator is running), and there are a number of lights (and an adaptor) running off solar power. Any switches that have gold tape on them are connected to the solar system. As it is a backup system, please be careful to switch the solar lights off when you don’t need them as there is nothing more frustrating than needing a light in the middle of the night and finding the batteries flat. Mains power cuts can be fairly sudden and frequent, so keep a small torch with you in the evenings.
Water:
As anywhere, water is a precious resource, and more so right now that the Government main line pump is broken. This means that we need to buy water in on a truck and so be eco-friendly and careful not to leave taps running etc. as it is both costly to the pocket and the environment. We have recently dug a well.
Internet:
We are wifi connected through Zanzinet. The network is called UTUPOA and has a security passcode. The router is on the corner on the ground floor in Nyumba Kubwa. Initial connection problems may be sorted out by resetting the router on/off. Failing that, the connection is reliant on power supply etc, and you may need to give Zanzinet a call when you first try to connect so that they can confirm the account line is switched on and functional. Zanzinet’s technical helpline is +255 777 421181. An unlimited and free WiFi connection is possible in both houses, in all rooms. In the house we keep a netbook computer which we invite you to use.
Music:
Both houses have music systems but take your own CDs or DVDs. Nyuma Kubwa also has an iPod dock system.
TV:
The TV decoder in the Nyumba Kubwa receives all the DSTV channels. On the top floor of Nyumba Safi you can access the same DSTV channels using its remote control, providing the Nyumba Kubwa decoder is switched on. If you have any problems please call Fundi Faki on +255777864080.
Electrical glitches:
Life at Matemwe is a bit like life at sea. The salinity in the air plays havoc with electrical contacts, light connections, bulbs, etc. Be patient and philosophic. Always try a reset or a cleaning. For major failures, call Fundi Ameir on +255773911144
Drinking and Eating out in Matemwe:
In case you might like to go out to eat in Matemwe, Sele’s Bungalows is around 20 minutes walk north and serves delicious seafood. Hotels like Sunshine or Zanzibar Retreat are closer, and Nyota is the nearest bar...though Ma Fatuma’s food is the best you will eat!
Malaria:
Despite making progress in its fight against malaria, Zanzibar is a malarial area and it is wise to take preventative medicine before you come. It's also a good idea to have a good repellent for use in the evenings and make sure you sleep under a mosquito net.
Medical: In the unhappy event that you might need to see a doctor while you are in Zanzibar, Dr. Abdullahi works with the hotels in Kiwengwa. His number is +255 7777 02009 and he will be able to visit you, or recommend the treatment that you will need.
Sun:
Although most people look forward to sun-bathing on holiday, we’d like to warn you that the equatorial sun is very harsh. Too much, too quickly, could ruin a holiday ie.30 mins at midday could be a max for light, unaccustomed skins. Wear sunscreen and limit your initial exposure. It is also wise to carry a hat and sunglasses when out and about.
Swimming:
As the east coast of Zanzibar is tidal, there will be times of the day when the water is very shallow and not good for swimming. Take these times to look at the seaweed farms, or walk to the reef. Be careful of the many urchins in this tide and it’s advisable to wear shoes. If you do get an urchin quill in your foot, don’t panic. They are painful but not poisonous. Papaya leaf and skin helps to draw them out. At high tides, they are not a worry and the swimming is wonderful. If you would like to swim in Matemwe at times of low tide, you could always wander down to one of the hotels like Zanzibar Retreat, Matemwe Beach Village or Azanzi to have something to eat and use their pool. Alternatively, the beaches of Nungwi and Kendwa are half an hour’s drive away, and they are not tide-reliant.
Snorkelling and Scuba Diving:
Given our position in front of the famed Mnemba atoll, you might want to go snorkelling or scuba diving. There is a fully licensed PADI dive centre at Matemwe Beach Village which offers all types of dive packages. For a cheaper snorkelling option, you could organise a trip through Nyota which should take you to the atoll or Muyuni beach.
Ngalawa:
The lateen sails of traditional outrigger dugouts are a common sight in Matemwe, and we offer you the opportunity to take to the sea on our ngalawa. Ma Mariam or Ma Fatuma can organise this. Depending on the tides, Cheupe and Nasoro can come and collect you from the house and take you up and down the coast, and possibly to the reef and beyond. Cheupe’s number is +255779798764.
Shells:
Although it is tempting to collect shells from Zanzibar's many coral reefs, it kills entire reefs; the devastating effects of which can be seen in the well-trodden areas of the East African coast. Likewise, avoid buying shells on the beach as it simply encourages this harmful industry.
Fish Market:
At Kigomani village there is a wonderful fish auction, around midday, each day of the springs, when the moon is new or full. The time of the month called the “bavua”. The ngalawa fleet arrives back in a great regatta as soon as the water is high enough to cross the reef mlango and the fishermen rush their catches up the white sand to the open-air auction. An occasion not to be missed. Kigomani is a 40 min walk, north, down the beach from Utupoa.
Coconut Danger!
Utupoa is at Mnazi Mrefu which means “tall coconut trees”. The palms are East African Talls and among the highest palms in the world. When their coconuts fall, they hit the ground with a lethal power. Become conscious, therefore, of where you are standing. Don’t stand under them, oblivious!
Village Life:
As Ma Mariam will tell you, the people of Matemwe village are very friendly and welcome you to their beach. Utupoa itself means that ‘humanity is great’ and we truly value our mutual relationship so if you do walk through the villages, please be careful to dress appropriately, don’t smoke or drink alcohol, and always ask if you would like to take pictures of people.
