Zanzibar

Zanzibar o “Unguja”, The Spice Island, has a history dating back to the 1st century AD, when the Greek and Roman ships sailed down the east coast of Africa. For many centuries there was intense seaborne trading activity between Asia and Africa, in a succession of Arab, Persian, Portuguese and African traders all searching for ivory, tortoiseshell, ebony, coconuts, fruit, timber and of course slave trading.

The Stone Town of Zanzibar is a UNESCO World Heritage: its architecture and urban structure, customs and habits, are the outstanding material manifestation of cultural fusion and harmonization. Its townscape is virtually intact and its buildings reflect a culture which has brought together and homogenized different elements. It has much to offer, including fine restaurants serving local, Asian, Arabic, European and Western cuisine, it is a colourful bustling experience not to miss.

Zanzibar had great symbolic importance in the suppression of slavery, since it was one of the main slave-trading ports in East Africa and also the base from which its opponents such as David Livingstone conducted their campaign.

Unguja, as Zanzibar is also called, consists of two islands: Zanzibar itself and Pemba. Although not too far from each other they have different climates and vegetation. Like most of other Indian Ocean Islands, the monsoon season starts in early March until the end of May.

Far south of Zanzibar lies another balmy island, Mafia. The only means of getting there is by light aircraft (25 min).