The Spice Of Life

With a smorgasbord of African and Arabian influences, the archipelago of Zanzibar offers a paradise escape that blends history and heart.

- Emma Day

As I chow down on coconut French toast, drizzled in a passion fruit coulis, the monkey approaches a table on the veranda, gazing out towards the twinkling Indian Ocean. No bigger than a kitten, it grabs a sugar packet, expertly rips the top off, and pours the sweet crystals down its throat before being swiftly shooed away by hotel staff. It’s the perfect introduction to an island that’s both idyllic in landscape and exotic in the overall experience.

Nestled in the Indian Ocean, the Zanzibar archipelago sits as little as 25 kilometres from the Tanzanian mainland. Comprised of a smattering of smaller isles and two larger ones, it is Unguja, the most famous of the latter, that we have ventured to.

Stretching just 85km in total, the island may seem small on the world map, but it is rich in history. The most populated island of the archipelago, Unguja is where one can find the main city of Stone Town, the UNESCO World Heritage site that has formed an intrinsic stop on the spice trail since the 19th century. It is also, rather famously, the birthplace of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, who was originally born Farrokh Bulsara.

Comprised of a series of narrow alleys, the labyrinthian destination feels like the exact spot where east meets west. Reams of schoolchildren cycle down the winding streets, past charmingly dilapidated carved wooden doors – the town’s architecture is a fusion of Arab, Indian, African and European influences. Those who read Arabic will be able to spot phrases ornately scratched into such doors; residue from the Sultanate of Oman’s former reign of the island.