“The Spice Island”

Brief History

This island, off Tanzania’s north coast has lured travelers for centuries, and it was the influence of the Shirazi Persians and the Omani Arabs that has lingered most strongly on the island.

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Known as the Spice Island (once the world’s largest producer of cloves) this tiny island paradise has much more to offer than its size would indicate. The beaches of the East Coast are superb.  You can explore the spice and fruit plantations, and visit jozani Forest, nature reserve and home to the last remaining colony of the red colobus monkey. 

Best of all is the old Stone Town of Zanzibar.  It’s a labyrinthine cluster of winding streets lined with whitewashed coral-rag houses, bazaars, mosques, fortresses, two former sultans’ palaces, two huge cathedrals and faded colonial mansions, all vividly evoking the island’s long history.

A Paradise where spices, rice and coconuts grow and where the sparkling waters of the Indian Ocean wash up on the shores of virgin white sandy beaches. This striking Arabic town with its narrow streets, ethnic architecture and bustling suks(bazaars) full of enticing spicy aromas, is reminiscent of a by-gone era of the Sultans.

Places of interest include namely

• The House of Wonders
• The palace of Sultan Barghash until the last century
• A striking example of Arabic architecture
• The Maruhubi Palace – formerly the Sultans harem
• Changuu (Prison) formerly used as a detention place for recalcitrant slaves
• The Kidichi Baths and Mangapwani Village

Zanzibar best known as the Spice Island was the center of the slave trade in East Africa and the base for David Living Stones expeditions into the unexplored African interior. The aroma of spices and cloves still provide a livelihood for many people of Zanzibar and there are two main islands making up Zanzibar namely Ugunja and Pemba but Ugunja is popularly referred to as Zanzibar. Both Islands are famous for their mile-long untouched beaches with white sands, the deep green azure of the ocean, coconut palm trees against the blue sky with its ornamental white clouds.

The Islands are surrounded by unspoiled coral reefs and are becoming famous for the spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling.