I DIDN'T Expect This in ZANZIBAR 🇹🇿 (PAJE & JAMBIANI)

The speaker begins their exploration of Zanzibar in the Paje area, aiming to experience both the local and tourist vibes near the beach. They note a mix of touristy resorts and local atmosphere. Upon reaching the beach, they observe many souvenir shops selling items like colorful art, T-shirts, and bags, confirming the presence of tourism. They also spot signs with "Hakuna Matata," which they believe means "all is good." Having traveled around different parts of Zanzibar, the speaker expresses enjoyment of the island's vibe and the interesting people encountered. They meet a local named Baruna from Arusha, who describes Paje as a beautiful place, the center of the area with a nice beach, and mentions nearby Jambiani and Bwejuu. Baruna notes that many tourists come from Italy, Germany, Romania, and France. When asked for a message to the world, Baruna emphasizes the importance of being nice, having big hearts, and helping those in need. The speaker is impressed by Paje beach, describing it as amazing with traditional boats and a cool atmosphere reminiscent of Tulum, Mexico, due to its colorful beach cafes and restaurants. They decide to have lunch at a beachside restaurant called Shanga. While the menu is appealing, the speaker notes that prices in Zanzibar are roughly double what they've encountered in other East African countries like Kenya, Madagascar, and Uganda, indicating a higher cost level than the region but still less than Western countries. The beef steaks and grilled chicken at Shanga are described as very good. The speaker then shares personal background, revealing they moved from Norway 25 years ago with high career ambitions in film and television, specifically aiming to become a director in Hollywood. They spent 17 years in Los Angeles, directing videos for artists like Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Beyoncé, winning MTV awards, and accumulating over 9 billion views on their videos, with Justin Bieber's "Baby" being their most-watched for four years. After this career, they desired to see more of the world and find their own version of a good life elsewhere. They have since vlogged from the Philippines and Thailand, and are currently traveling in Africa (Kenya, Madagascar, Uganda, and Zanzibar). The speaker is considering spending part of the year in Africa and part in Southeast Asia. They describe Paje beach as beautiful, colorful, and ideal for swimming due to a lack of rocks. Having visited over 60 countries and many beach destinations, the speaker rates Paje as one of the most beautiful places they've seen. They observe many hangout areas and resorts directly on the ocean, making it a great holiday spot. They compare Paje to Nungwi, another area in Zanzibar, noting that Nungwi felt busier and more social, with more people seeking parties and drinks, while Paje is more relaxing. Next, the speaker heads to Jambiani, which they've heard has the most beautiful beach. Initially, they find a rocky section and decide to move further north to find the famous part. They eventually discover a stunning section of Jambiani with fine, bright sand, describing it as "10 out of 10." A key difference from Paje is that Jambiani is less busy, with fewer people and fewer businesses, resorts, and cafes on the beach, making it more chill. They admire the old traditional sailboats. They meet a local named Mustafa, a "captain" from Jambiani who organizes trips. Mustafa encourages people to visit Zanzibar for its beauty, peace, love, and enjoyable holidays. The speaker notes that while locals are friendly, many on the beach try to sell trips, tours, or souvenirs, leading to repetitive conversations. Jambiani's beach quality is praised as "mind-blowing," with perfect, clean sand and few people, creating a "paradise" feeling. The area has an eclectic style, with signs for various cities and unique establishments like a boat-shaped bar and a Ukrainian restaurant called Milky Way. The ocean colors are described as fantastic, turquoise, and blue-green. The design aesthetic reminds the speaker of Tulum but finds Zanzibar less touristy and currently at a "sweet spot" in its history, allowing enjoyment of paradise without excessive crowds. After a meal at Shahra Saad Boutique Hotel, the speaker observes kids playing soccer on the beach and enjoys a sunset view with wine at Do Resort. They reiterate that Jambiani is more chill and less busy than Paje, though they appreciate both areas, as well as Matemwe and Kiwengwa, for their great vibes. Beyond vacation, the speaker, who works in real estate with Dolce Development Group (a Hong Kong-based developer), is evaluating Zanzibar as an investment opportunity. They see potential for high returns on short-term rental projects due to favorable land and construction prices compared to rental performance. They believe that properties built to their company's standards would be among the top on the island, as the competition for high-end accommodation is surprisingly not high. They express interest in investing and building in Zanzibar, potentially inviting others to partner for passive income. They mention their current project in Siargao, Philippines. The speaker notes an 18% increase in tourism numbers in Zanzibar last year, indicating growing demand for accommodation with limited new construction, creating a gap in high-end supply. The speaker has been traveling Africa not just for tourism but also to find places to live a good life and top investment locations. They seek "emerging destinations" for short-term rental units where they can also spend part of the year. Zanzibar is high on their list, with other promising areas to be revealed later. Finally, the speaker shares a "trick" for renting amazing villas at a discounted rate (half or a third of the regular price). The trick is to book accommodations last minute. They explain that many villas have last-minute discounts programmed into their booking systems for unbooked days. They illustrate this with their own Bali villas, which are usually heavily booked, but by booking a Zanzibar villa the day before check-in, they secured it at one-third of the normal price. The video concludes with thanks and a farewell.