Which hotel to choose in Stone Town, Matemwe or Nungwi in Zanzibar?

In Stone Town, I recommend Tembo House Hotel.  It is a three-star hotel and it offers a very good standard. It’s advantage is central location and it is directly by the sea, so you can enjoy your breakfast with your feet sinking in the sand. There’s also nice staff, really in this hotel you will feel like at home.

In Pwani Mchangani I can recommend Ocean Paradise Beach Resort and Spa. I had a half board, it was really good choice and the quality of food was very nice. The hotel garden is beautifully maintained. They have private part of the beach with sunbeds where the Beach Boys do not have access. The beautiful white sand beach further enhance your experience. It´s truly a paradise.

Ocean Paradise Hotel, Zanzibar

Ocean Paradise Hotel, Pwani Mchangani, Zanzibar

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Exchange rates and prices in Zanzibar

Exchange and payment in Zanzibar

The first option where you can exchange money for the Tanzanian shilling is at the airport. As in other countries, even in Zanzibar, it is not convenient to change money at the airport. The exchange rates at the exchange offices can be negotiable but you will never get close to the rates that are in Stone Town.

Stone Town, Zanzibar

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13 things you should know visiting Zanzibar

Like each country, Zanzibar has some of its customs, rules or principles that a tourist should know during their stay. After my 14th day trip to Zanzibar, I decided to put together a few things that you should read before you arrive in Zanzibar. This will avoid unnecessary inconvenience.Maasai Friends, Zanzibar - B&W People Fine Art Series

1. Money

Local currency in Zanzibar is the Tanzanian Shilling (TSH). US dollars are generally acceptable in Zanzibar. It is best to exchange your dollars for shillings in Stone Town right at the very beginning of your stay, where you get the best rate. Also, in most hotels it is possible to pay with a credit card such as Visa or Mastercard. Money is also possible to withdraw from the ATMs, which can be found in Stone Town, I also found one in Nungwi. You can find more information about paying and prices in Zanzibar here.

2. Time

The local time in Zanzibar is GMT + 3.

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B&W photos of local people on Zanzibar’s beaches

Beaches around Zanzibar are public, any of the hotels have their own private beach. Hotel managers therefore do not have much control about what is going on at the beach. But don´t worry about your safety. Local people are here trying to earn some money on tourism, nothing more. Though overall, it is recommended that you should not go far at night along the beach and carry valuables.

Donkey Ride, Zanzibar - B&W People Fine Art Series

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The magical Icelandic lighthouse at Dyrhólaey

This Icelandic lighthouse is located near the spot where I took pictures of beautiful beach with black lava sand with huge stone. We were staying in Vik. As it turned out, it was a good starting point because close the Vík you will find lava columns Reynisdrangar, this amazing lighthouse and endless beaches along the coast. If you would like, right at the lighthouse you can even book accommodation. The Lighthouse hotel accommodates five guests with two double bedrooms and one single.

The light station at Dyrhólaey was Established in 1910. The first lighthouse was a steel skeletal tower, prefabricated in Sweden, and the present lighthouse was built in 1927. I’ve done a couple of photos of the lighthouse, I hope you will like them.

Dyrholaey Lighthouse, Iceland - B&W Seascapes/Landscapes Fine Art Series

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Giant rock on the black sand beach in Iceland

Dyrholaey is a nature reserve in the south of Iceland. In the local reefs there are a number of birds nests. You can see them as they are floating over the sea and catch fish.  The coastline is covered in beautiful beaches with black lava sand. A short walk away on a grassy headland is this magnificent lighthouse.

The giant rock on the beach – impressive composition

Dyrholaey beach, Iceland - B&W Seascapes/Landscapes Fine Art Series

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The abandoned airplane wreckage in Iceland

When I saw the abandoned wreckage of this aircraft, it  caught my attention so much that I immediately looked for the location of this place. A lot of the most famous places in Iceland are located right next to a famous ring road. But this place is a little out of the way.

Planning your trip in advance is very important. It is easy to find this place, the wreckage is located about 10 km from the town of Vik. Also, you will not even need a 4×4 car. Check this useful guide from Matthew Karsten.

Airplane Wreckage, Iceland - B&W Seascapes/Landscapes Fine Art Series

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Skógarfoss; one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland

After we arrived in Iceland and rented a car at Keflavik airport (read more about car rentals in Iceland), the first night we stayed at one hotel that is directly located  in Keflavik. It was midnight so that was the best option for us.

In the morning we went directly to Skógarfoss, this waterfall was our first stop towards Vík. There is one more waterfall on the way, called Seljalandsfoss but we decided to see it in the afternoon. Why? I will write about this in an upcoming article.

Skogarfoss II, Iceland - B&W Seascapes/Landscapes Fine Art Series

First impression

We parked in a parking lot and immediately we heard the amazing and powerful sounds of the waterfall. I’ve seen it already many times on the Internet, it is one of the most visited places in Iceland. However to see the power of falling water from 60 meters with my own eyes is something breathtaking and surreal. The view is very moving.

The measurements of the Skógarfoss Waterfall

Skogarfoss, Iceland - B&W Seascapes/Landscapes Fine Art Series 

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Some photos from my exhibition in Moscow

25.08.2015 was held exhibition of my Black and White photos of architecture and landscapes.

I would like to thank the Slovak Institute, especially Ján Šmihula for the whole organization. I would also like to thank all visitors, I believe that you enjoyed this evening as I did.

Below you can find some photos from this event.

Me (on the left) and Ján Šmihula, director of the Slovak Institute in Moscow

Me (on the left) and Ján Šmihula, director of the Slovak Institute in Moscow

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10 things you should know about car rentals in Iceland

Car rental in Iceland

If you are going to travel around Iceland, you are definitely considering a car rental to be completely free during your explorations of all the interesting places that Iceland has to offer. I arrived at Keflavik International Airport around midnight. Personaly it was the best idea to rent a car directly from the airport and return it on the way back.

After a brief search of offers, I decided to use the services offered by GO ICELAND, their office is located approximately 500 meters from the airport. You can pay extra charge for the airport pick up service if you like. However, it was not necessary in this case because you will recieve an e-mail before your arrival with a map of the location for the Keflavik walk in office.

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