Bella: South African solo traveller invests big in Zanzibar adventure

Zanzibar. Travel is a beautiful thing, especially after clocking out from work knowing it will be a few weeks until you meet your co-workers, and you are back at work staring at the clock wishing it moved faster.

But who says you can’t combine both travel and work? South African Thobela Maso “Bella” is an accountant by day and a content creator when she is off duty; she documents her travel on a YouTube channel,’Bella’s World.”

After numerous expeditions in her country, taking her audience through her travels in South Africa, Bella felt it was time to cross the border; the place she wanted to visit first has always been Zanzibar.

“There is always a video about Zanzibar on my social media feed, people posting their vacation there; that’s what inspired me,” she said.

More Black South African women frequent Zanzibar than their counterparts; there is no shortage of South African women, either solo travellers or as a group.

The leading factor is evidently that a growing number of women in Mzansi are getting more educated, hence high-end paying jobs and financial stability.

Bella’s knowledge of accounts helped her plan her travel better financially.

Her trip was not only a vacation, but as a content creator, she had to invest in equipment and extra time to film her videos for her YouTube audience.

A lover of crystal clear water and swimming with dolphins, Bella knew her first trip outside SA had to be on an island.

She wanted to be on the beach every day of her vacation. “To me, it seemed like paradise, and I didn’t want to leave,” she said.

The beach pictures and videos would put pressure on anyone to tuck in their tummy as they take a snap or film the videos on their good side, but Bella insisted that it does not matter, as long as you have fun and enjoy your time.

She explained that she chose to work out and prepare for her time in Zanzibar; she lost 8 kg and felt and looked better, she excitedly explained.

The gym treadmills and crutches are not a prerequisite to visiting Zanzibar, she emphasised, ‘Dress how you like at the beach and don’t be self-conscious,’ she advised.

Landing on the island at the newly renovated, state-of-the-art Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, Bella was documenting every step of her journey.

After swiftly passing the immigration stop, she was welcomed by the scorching hot sun.

Yes, in Zanzibar it was always summer; she couldn’t wait to go to her hotel in Nungwi. 68 kilometres away from the airports, he was at her hotel.

The decor and atmosphere at the hotel were pleasing with a touch of Caribbean wood and vibe; outside her window, she could see the ocean, and the serenity was alluring.

She had to get there just to admire the sea as the sun was setting while the local boys were playing beach football.

Barefoot, she walked at the beach, sand on her feet; it truly felt like the end-of-the-year vacation had started.

In the evening, dinner was at Cafe Dodoki; the Zanzibari cuisine with a touch of French fries was enough for her to call it a night.

In the mornings, after fruits and hot tea, it was time for her first experience snorkelling and swimming with dolphins.

It all begins with a boat ride from the shores to the middle of the ocean; getting to Mnemba Island, you will start seeing the dolphin fins posing out as they use their tails to propel themselves.

Efficient swimmers, dolphins are known for their leaping and eye-catching porpoising, but one of their abilities is to synchronise swimming. “I have never been this close to them,” she exclaimed.

She was able to get off the boat and swim with them, albeit briefly, because they are such fast swimmers, though she couldn’t keep up with them.

The experience was amazing; she later went snorkelling by the coral reefs, gracefully flapping her legs as she moved underwater.

“I highly recommend you do it when you visit Zanzibar,” she said while she was still floating in the water.

Back in the boat, she was treated to a mix of fruits that Zanzibar is well known for: pineapples, watermelon, and passion fruits were just what she wanted after her time in the ocean.

Back in the hotel, she changed into a black-and-white striped dress, and it was time to explore Zanzibar nightlife.

It lived up to her expectation; it was at 5 am, the next morning, when her head finally rested on the pillow.

The next day in Kendwa Beach began late for obvious reasons. Another first for Bella, her first time kayaking, and it was in the crystal-clear waters of Zanzibar.

She was having all the fun, but as a content creator, she had to hire a drone operator for those drone shots showing the ocean from the sky as she was paddling in the waters.

She seized the opportunity to do a photo shoot in her orange swimsuit while the drone was hovering above for those long shots.

Baraka Natural Aquarium was her next stop. Here she got a rare chance to swim with the turtles, a must-do activity when you get to the spice island.

She ended her day with dinner at Baraka Beach restaurant, the restaurant by the beach, where you literally eat while the ocean waves come all the way to your feet.

After four days on Kendwa beach, she moved to Kikoi Boutique Hotel in Michamvi, on the other side of the island.

“Instead of staying in one place, I learnt that you can enjoy the island better when you move from one part of the island to another so that you can enjoy the whole of Zanzibar but also cut down on the commute time from your hotel to the places you want to visit,” she hinted.

Waking up to the view of the palm trees and the ocean is what Zanzibar offers.

The hotel even offered her a mini pool right by her window, where she can have a private swim when it gets hot.

At night she danced off at Kae Funk, the beach party spot, playing all the trendy acrobats, bongo flava, and Amapiano, much to her liking. Her night was well spent.

Thobela was excited to visit the famous ‘The Rock’ restaurant, the lone eating spot that stands alone on the rock in the ocean.

When the tide is high, one has to get on a boat to get there, but when it’s low, you can simply take a short walk to the restaurant.

Zanzibar is better in real life than anything you see on social media, Bella confessed.

The full beauty of Zanzibar can’t be captured on a camera; even the pen can’t fully articulate how the island is truly a magical place. One thing you have to do is see it for yourself.