Zanzibar-Chumbe Island

The next day we woke up early to catch a boat to the small eco-tourism island off the southwest coast of Stonetown.  Chumbe Island is an eco-tourism project aimed at preserving the beautiful coral reefs surrounding the island and the coral rag forest covering the land.  Only 12 guests are allowed on the island in hopes of making as little of an impact on the environment as possible.  The bungalows are constructed out of local materials with collected rainwater and composting toilets.  The upstairs bedroom wall opens up to reveal a gorgeous view of the ocean.  The island is also home to a few endangered endemic species including a rare form of duiker (a small antelope) and the large coconut crab. 


Coconut Crabs on Chumbe Island

After arriving on the island, the staff filled us in on the schedule for the day and we quickly took off to change for snorkeling.  Chumbe Island has some of the best snorkeling in the world.  We got to see amazing coral formations with schools of colorful fish as the visibility underwater was approximately 50 feet.  After two hours we reluctantly got out of the water to clean up for lunch. 


The Crab Whisper

The rest of the day we spent laying on the beach and reading.  It was nice to relax a bit after walking around the hectic streets of Stonetown.  Around sundown we took a short nature walk through the forest.  It was interesting to walk along the bits of fossilized coral and to take in the breathtaking views of the opposite side of the island. 



View from the lighthouse

Our beautiful bungalow

At the end of our walk, I faced my fear of heights and climbed to the top of the lighthouse.  Each step tested my nerves and I felt it was only a matter of time before I went tumbling down them.  Despite my fears the views from the top of the lighthouse were worth it.  We could see for miles making out the streets of Stonetown and the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean.



The "sky light" in our bedroom

That night we settled in on the beach to watch the sun go down.  Just as the sun slipped below the horizon our waitress came over and told us we were at the wrong table.  Thinking they had simply assigned tables we followed her to a more secluded table at the end of the beach.  There in the sand they had written Jennifer <3 Joshua Forever in Love in stones.  I stood up to take a picture of their handy work and when I turned around Josh got down on his knee. 



Sunset on Chumbe Island

 Chumbe Island was by far my favorite leg of our Zanzibar adventure.  Not only because of the beautiful location and breathtaking snorkeling but its the place where Josh asked me to be his wife.  I am so incredibly excited to spend the rest of my life with him!



I said "Yes that sounds like a good idea!" :)