Also know as the Spice Island, Zanzibar is home to spices like nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper. These spices and herbs were originally brought to the island by Portuguese traders who settled here in the 16th century. Nowadays, the plantations are a tribute to the Island's past and a walk through to touch, smell, and taste the various spices and tropical fruits in a heady rush.
Zanzibar cuisine has been greatly influenced by a blend of Arab, African, Bantu, Portuguese, Persian, Indian, Chinese and British cultures and traditions. Also you will find everything from Chapatis and Curries, to Pilaf rice, Biriyani, Boko boko, Cassava, and an abundance of seafood grilled with Coconut milk and Spices.
The capital and hub of political and social life on the Island is Stone Town, with its tumbledown buildings, fascinating history, and working marina that all reflect the Middle Eastern, Swahili, Indian, and European influences the Island has experienced. A slave-trading port in its day. Stone Town has Arab mansions with high whitewashed walls sitting next to the lacy balconies and colorful stained glass windows of grand Indian residences.
Massive Teak and Mahogany Zanzibar doors grace the front of almost every building, and their styles has been copied all over the world. They are said to be a visual statement of the wealth and social standing of the owner, the larger and more elaborately carved the front Zanzibar door, the more important the inhabitants, making it somewhat a “carved business card” for the residents.
Surrounded by coral reefs and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, the marine life in Zanzibar is a diver's dream. Whether you choose to snorkel over shallow waters or dive to explore the depths, you will be rewarded with all sorts of sea creatures, including sea turtles and the bottlenose dolphin, as well as humpback whales in season.