Zanzibar Aquarium: A Turtle-y Awesome Review

Visiting Zanzibar often brings certain pictures to mind: pristine white beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, plus the scent of spices hanging heavy in the air. Yet, I had something a little different in mind when I ventured off to the Baraka Aquarium near the village of Kizimkazi. My aim? So, I wanted to swim and snorkel with some amazing sea turtles. Is that right? Yeah. And actually, this wasn’t just any old tourist trap. Apparently, the aquarium aims to play a small role in protecting these amazing creatures.

What Is Baraka Aquarium? Is that all there is to it?

The Baraka Aquarium actually is located a bit south of Stone Town, toward the southern tip of Zanzibar, close to Kizimkazi, that’s pretty well-known for its dolphin tours, actually. Though, forget expecting huge, sprawling complexes. The aquarium, more or less, features a natural lagoon, like a large pool that’s been enclosed. Basically, this lagoon is home to a number of sea turtles, usually rescued after either being caught accidentally in fishing nets, so too being found injured. In a way, they are nursed back to wellbeing here prior to getting released back into the Indian Ocean.

Now, this gives visitors an opportunity, pretty unique if I can say so myself, to get up close plus personal with these majestic beings. Instead of just viewing them from a distance, too it’s almost like you can get in the water plus interact with them, arguably giving them food, also.

Getting to the Aquarium: Not Really As Tricky As It Seems.

Getting there typically depends on your point of departure. Tends to be, if you’re staying in Stone Town, you might find it best to arrange a taxi or a private transfer. The trip is often around an hour, but you know what, it is worth checking the rate earlier with your hotel, yet, it is useful to confirm if that taxi firm charges exorbitant fees or, actually, fair ones. Another option is to rent a car, so you are free to see it more or less whenever you feel like it. Is that what’s best?

Anyway, if you are staying elsewhere on the island, lots of tour operators offer trips which cover the aquarium stop coupled with a visit to Kizimkazi for some dolphin spotting, typically. So it can be a good, kind of packaged deal.

Swimming with Turtles: What Can You Seriously Expect?

Alright, once you arrive, you pay a small entrance fee which includes the chance to actually swim, snorkel, so feed the turtles. Don’t go in expecting perfect, crystalline waters akin to open ocean snorkeling, just so you know, as this is a lagoon environment. Very well, you’re given food pellets to encourage the turtles near you. To be honest, it is pretty extraordinary seeing these gentle creatures glide toward you, that, is all you wanted, isn’t it? Very, very cool.

Plus, the turtles will vary in size, ranging from smaller youngsters to adults that are rather bigger. Sometimes the water is clear, or else it may get a bit murky at the bottom after lots of activity, so really it just depends. What do you expect, eh? This whole interaction usually is carefully watched by the aquarium staff, that makes sure the turtles are actually not disturbed. Is that enough for now?

Respectful Interaction: Looking After These Marine Friends

While it can be so tempting to touch these creatures, keep in mind to avoid touching them without specific permission. Their shells happen to be pretty sensitive plus need protective covering, thus, this protection keeps away bacterial infections as such. Don’t spook the little ones, actually. Be certain you move quietly and gently within their pool.

In that case, resist the impulse to chase these creatures when swimming about. These turtles need to rest after they rise up for air. Allow these amazing swimmers room and avoid surrounding or overcrowding these animals. Never go close to a turtle that is eating from one’s hand without consent from your instructors.

More to Experience: Activities Near the Aquarium

After visiting the turtles, you know, think about extending your trip and add one adventure to some others in Kizimkazi. This local place becomes extremely favored because one can spot different sorts of dolphins that tend to pass not far off coast, anyway. Get an up close glance from just your boat and find great delight while these animals leap closeby.

Yet, so there is quite a lot more close by than dolphin sights alone. Use the area, and that often includes exploring a small bit with Jambiani Beaches. People are generally fond of getting a calm moment by the sea once their adventurous morning adventure with natural life.

Good Things About the Baraka Aquarium Visit. To put it simply

The opportunity truly comes as kind of amazing, that really makes contact close alongside wonderful sea turtles alongside respectful limits of course. Often this offers people insights relating conservation actions taking place. Those sea turtles receive vital care prior their discharge at some proper point. So, that’s all sorted. This venue becomes well worth stopping off somewhere round south of Zanzibar while going close enough with the wonderful nature.

You will likely encounter friendly, very happy locals. Baraka Aquarium hires regional residents to care as guides or help support this safe haven alongside its local zone itself that ends quite positive for regional economic conditions too, pretty fair one can imagine, clearly. The time will generally come close together to give one experience.

Essential Tips for Visitors

Always be respectful: Make sure you will carefully abide all the standards of interaction.
Don’t overlook protection from light exposure: Definitely add loads and heaps to strong sunblock plus garments while visiting around midday periods.
Put up clothing carefully planned for such environments: Take those bathing attire together alongside water foot attire; water shoes might just aid protection against uncomfortable stones by all grounds/in pools.
Bring something in case cameras must document memories. Take it fully alongside in waterproof-defense if it heads along directly inside swimming pools there.
Always try planning ones trips along dry seasons mostly or weather stays often more trustworthy too; rains usually make oceans cloudy which results poor viewing situations when within underwater environments: Look towards trip plans going around dry conditions where ocean environment stays frequently most trusty too and you may face a number among clear moments upon getting into snorkeling session there inside Zanzibar!
Make sure you follow up on current information or changes related opening times: It should potentially save a lot for people planning for arrivals well in prior and stops confusion at a later timeline during their adventure that looks great too at several perspectives too now by such preparations made effectively indeed earlier mostly also perhaps before too!.

In short

Anyway, experiencing one tour found close by for your Baraka Aquarium often offers amazing likelihood toward getting within short reach close where sea turtles could get observed/fed. What could go amiss, truly? This helps teach too the reason natural world protection must stay at front by minds! As such experiences happen often quite rare on this modern era always, do you concur mostly actually as always ever since?. The place looks truly one among those unique memories always especially within island destinations throughout your history anyway then it looks actually quite awesome by such means just perhaps once one visits indeed, maybe?

Here is a rapid guide concerning considerations:

The location tends somewhere South just beyond that place known by Stone Town inside one region by Kizimkazi known widely especially upon Dolphin sight seeing often done rather already frequently by lots individuals previously right?
Experiences look toward being somewhat like inside-water-get together at turtles (plus snorkel choices even!).
Think seriously to support these initiatives. Do they have value perhaps generally?
Plan appropriately bearing throughout factors around things especially from climate perspectives as usual. Will you truly do that this one instance right after all that happened often though indeed quite possibly usually quite certainly since right already though as really that you like by now then it may very reasonably probably occur later then perhaps surely perhaps by chances in almost certain case!.

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