In Zanzibar, when old Dhow boats cannot sail anymore, they are normally left on the beach to rot. At The Zanzibari we recycle their wood to create these beautiful pieces of furniture that you can find in the rooms. Each piece has its own story and nothing goes to waste.
As you relax in the private beach area of The Zanzibari it is normal to see some traditional Zanzibar Dhow boats sailing on the horizon. Dhow boats have a rich history of merchant tradition on the island. Back in the days they were used to transport goods from Persia, Arabia and India, using the winds of the Monsoons.
Building these ancient boats is still an art. Ship builders pass on their knowledge from generation to generation and hand-craft them following the tradition of centuries ago. But they don't last forever. And when they can't sail anymore, they end up stranded on the beaches.
Each piece of furniture has its own story. Our bar is actually an original Dhow that once sailed the Indian Ocean and ended up on the beach outside The Zanzibari.
All furniture in our restaurant has been created out of old Dhow wood, and like most of the furniture in the rooms, each piece is hand-made and absolutely unique.
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