Island in the sun

WITH its history as a major spice centre and colony of both western and middle-eastern powers, Zanzibar evokes romantic visions of an exotic getaway isle surrounded by the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania in Eastern Africa.

Alluring as it sounds, Zanzibar isn't quite the main destination for travellers. It's more of a pit stop for those needing a break from big game watching in the national parks of Tanzania or Kenya. Most of the island is still very rural, studded with lush spice plantations. In many of the villages, people still live in mud houses they build themselves, forming an awkward juxtaposition against their modern concrete counterparts.

Zanzibar's main appeal lies in its colonial past, well preserved in Stone Town, located in the island's historic centre. The Unesco World Heritage Site gets its name from the use of coral stone as the main construction material back in the early 19th century. Once a thriving trading centre of spices and slaves, Stone Town now draws visitors to its unique architecture which is an amalgamation of African, Arab, European, Indian and Persian traditions. It's easy to get lost exploring its maze of narrow alleys flanked by traditional houses, souvenir and ant…