Tanzania, March 3, 2003
Nungwe Ain't Much, Really
Don't believe the Nungwe hype
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With all the hype, there was no way it really could do it. No, Nungwe, billed in the Lonely Planet as the coolest beach in East Africa, was built up too much to survive the hype it's cursed with, especially when its judged by someone who's been to Koh Samui. Now don't get me wrong, for it's a nice beach and all, and if you've been bouncing around the back of Land Rover for a few weeks in the Serengeti, its awfully sweet, but it really doesn't compare to Thailand. Not that any beach really could. Anyway, I arrived on a sweltering afternoon to Nungwe, which isn't much more than a few basic hut hotels and restaurants on a pristine white-sand beach that faces the straight between Zanzibar and the mainland. Sheltered from Indian Ocean swells, it's a relaxing place to zone out in, sipping Kilimanjaro beers until the formaldehyde preservatives kick-in with a mean headache. Luckily, that usually happens well after you've enjoyed a few at sunset and then wandered down to a bonfire or two. Now me being alone and all, I found Nungwe to be fun for all of 20 minutes, so without further delay, I took my leave of it, Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, and all of Tanzania, heading back to Kenya after two days vegetating. Like I said, Nungwe ain't much, really. |
