Private Local Boat Half Day Tour in Zanzibar

Local boats in Zanzibar are primarily traditional, wooden vessels called dhows and  ngalawas, used for fishing, transport, and tourism activities like snorkeling and sunset cruises. Dhows are larger, historic trading vessels adapted for tourism, while the ngalawa is a smaller, double-outrigger canoe used for short trips and fishing These are traditional wooden sailing boats, originally used by Arab and Indian merchants for centuries.

Today, they are a popular attraction, especially for sunset cruises, providing a unique experience of past sailing methods a smaller, double-outrigger canoe with a single triangular sail and a central mast. These are typically used by the local Swahili people for fishing and short-distance transport of goods and people, while not traditional, you can also find speedboats and catamarans for more sophisticated tours and to access further destinations.