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Zanzibar’s lasting mystique has attracted travellers from
around the world for centuries. From its early days as a
Swahili port, Zanzibar has done a thriving business in the
cargo of the day. In generations long past, ivory, slaves
and spices were transported on large wooden sailing dhows
across the Indian Ocean to the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.
Although spices remain a main export, these days Zanzibar’s
main attraction is the beauty of the island itself.
Zanzibar’s history stretches back to when the first dhows
from Arabia and India discovered its natural harbour. Using
the island as a stopover point for caravans that journeyed
deep into the African interior, permanent settlement soon
created the beginnings of what became Stone Town. Merchants
from Oman, Gujarat and around the Indian Ocean moved their
families from across the ocean to start a life in Zanzibar,
some amassing great fortunes and building the high stone
houses so indicative of Stone Town today. Although Swahili
civilization in the area of Kilwa Kisiwani further south
peaked in the 14th century, Zanzibar’s prosperity came much
later, with the arrival of the Omani sultans in the 18th
century. Living and ruling from Stone Town, the sultans
presided over the slave and ivory trade, planting vast spice
plantations that survive to this day.
Remnants of the hey-day of Swahili civilization in Zanzibar
still remain, vestiges of a vanished past that people still
look to with a sense of heritage and pride. In Stone Town,
the House of Wonders greets visitors arriving by sea, a
grand building once used by the sultan for his
administrative duties. His town palace stands adjacent to
it, the walkways that connected the two buildings still in
dilapidated existence. Nearby, the Portuguese Fort recalls
the brief occupation of the island by foreign rule, while
the nearby Anglican Cathedral built over the site of the old
slave market soothes the wounds of a sobering past. Today,
Stone Town is as much of an attraction for visitors as
Zanzibar’s beaches, world-renowned for their idyllic
seascapes and island charm. Guests have their pick of
beaches famed for their tropical climate and soothing
crystal-clear waters. Swahili fishing villages, snorkelling,
diving, or just beachcombing offer perfect choices of
relaxing itineraries.
For cultural connoisseurs, it’s best to time a visit around
one of Zanzibar’s many festivals. Vibrant occasions occur
throughout the year, days of celebration when the island and
its people truly come alive. The annual ZIFF Festival of the
Dhow Countries film festival and the Sauti za Busara Swahili
Music Festival are the main attractions, with the Swahili
festival of Mwaka Kongwe not to be missed.
Yet there’s more to Zanzibar than the main island of Unguja.
To the north, Pemba Island offers world-class diving in
pristine surroundings. Accommodation ranges from the most
basic to the utmost in barefoot luxury and visitors agree
that a visit to Pemba is well worth the effort. To the south
is the little-known Mafia Island, its reefs affording
perfect diving in tranquil surroundings. Covered in coconut
palms and abandoned fruit groves left by Arab merchants
centuries before, Mafia’s charm is unique to the Swahili
coast, its shores untouched by development or change. Other
smaller islands surround Unguja, the main island in the
archipelago, and make pleasant day trips for visitors from
Stone Town.
Come to Zanzibar and you will experience the hospitality of
the Swahili people, the beauty of the island, and the
lasting mystique of its regal history. Visit Zanzibar, and
you will understand why century after century, travellers
have come to its shores in search of magic and romance.
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