Kizimkazi Bay

Kizimkazi is a small village on the quiet south-western coast of Zanzibar. Two villages in fact, each consisting of a cluster of huts and a couple of simple dukas, each backing on to their own small sandy bay.

Since the villages are at the end of the road, they get no through traffic and village life takes place on the street. Children play in the streets and sleepy heads roll around to check out the new arrivals. There is an overpowering aroma (?) of drying fish from mats in front of the huts. Down at the shore, through a row of shady trees, ngalawa (fishing boats) rest hauled up on the burning sand or bob gently up and down in the turquoise sea.

In the southern part of the village (Kizimkazi Mkunguni), a sandy cove provides moorings for fishing vessels and fishermen wander amongst the palms, making cane-work fishing traps and watching the tide.