Few names evoke such romantic associations as this 85km long segment of coralline reef in the Indian Ocean, 40 km from the mainland of Tanzania. Steeped in history, the old town is a maze of narrow streets with whitewashed houses and magnificently carved brass-studded teak doors, quaint shops and bazaars.
The Islands of Zanzaibar, once fiercely contested by Arabs and Europeans, have their own special allure. Approached from the sea, the House of Wonders dominates the main island’s skyline. Inland, particularly on Pemba, are the cloves for which the islands are famous.
Narrow streets mark the ancient stonetown of Zanzibar, with cars, motorbikes and bicycles whizzing around corners.
Zanzibar, and much of the coastline, has pristine white sand beaches.
Zanzibar once produced over 90% of the world’s cloves, three quarters of this on Pemba. Cloves are a bud from the harvest and some trees are now 150 years old. While Zanzaibar is mainly known for cloves, the Islands produce about 50 other spices, including aniseed, bay leaves, black pepper, cardamon, chilli, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, curry leaves, dill seeds, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and tumeric.
STONE TOWN
It may not have a particularly romantic name, but Stone Town is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar, little changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses whose original owners vied with each other over the extravagance of their dwellings. This one-upmanship is particularly reflected in the brass-studded, carved, wooden doors – there are more than 500 different examples of this handiwork. You can spend many idle hours and days just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways.
Stone Town was recently and deservedly declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
PRISON ISLAND
Prison Island is just off the coast of Stone Town and it’s a quick 10 minute boat trip from the old town’s waterfront. Just negotiate a ride with any of the waiting boats and remember to take an additional US$4, which is the entrance fee on to the island. Take the correct amount – there’s never any change.
It’s fringed with a lovely white sand beach and a small coral reef, making it ideal for a spot of snorkelling and sunbathing. You can hire masks and fins once you’ve landed.
The island, also known as Changuu, was first used by Arab slave merchants to detain unruly slaves, before the British built what was intended as a prison for Stone Town in 1890. The building was never used as a prison, though later it did become a quarantine station for Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda and what was then Tanganyika.
Today Prison Island is known for its excellent views of Stone Town and for its giant tortoises imported from Aldabra in the Seychelles in the late 19th century. They stand up to a rather staggeringly one metre high, could feasibly be hundreds of years old, and are frequently seen copulating!
From Stone Town, Prison Island is an excellent half day trip. Ogle the sexually-charged tortoises, swim and snorkel, and eat lunch at the island’s small restaurant that only has one thing on the menu – fish, chips, and salad.
Jozani National Park
Lying in a shallow trough on the fossil coral bedrock, this mature tropical forest is an hour’s drive southeast of Zanzibar town.
The seasonal flooding, wooden freshwater lake and very high water table are vital components of this unique forest swamp.