Editor Pick
Shopping in Stone Town
- August 28, 2006
- Rated 3 of 5 by
aardwhite from London, United Kingdom
OK - top tip time.
You want to go shopping in the streets of Stone Town? Of course you do. But do this; get a guide. If you're in a hotel, they'll be able to recommend one for for you.
Don't think that a guide book will do, it's not that sort of guide. Stone Town is fairly logical to find your way around - even though the maze of streets can resemble a souk - but having an official, government licensed guide will stop you from being approached by any number of unofficial guides on the street.
These guys are VERY persistent, but not unpleasant, at least to me, but then I am a 6ft plus male.
Anyway, that bit clear the shopping itself is a treat - all sorts of tourist trap tat, with the occasional gem if you look hard enough.
And barter. Barter hard. It's expected.
It can be a bit odd arguing over the equivalent of 25p for a bit of carved wood that will end up dusty at the back of a shelf within a year. Especially when you think that that 25p is going to be just over one hundredth of one percent of the total cost of your trip, yet it may be the price of a day's food for the vendor.
But don't rationalise it, throw yourself in. Enjoy it.
From journal Zanzibar - Spice and Paradise