The spice islands of Zanzibar refers to an archipelago of fifty or so islands with Unquia [or Zanzibar Island] and Pemba being the largest. The main island is more commonly referred to simply as Zanzibar and to all intents and purposes Unquia is Zanzibar.

Stone Town is the capital of Zanzibar, the port and entrance to these spiced islands. Entering this small port by ferry from Dar es Salaam is certainly an unforgettable experience, never failing to make the most weary traveler eager to explore this ancient port.

As you step of the ferry into Zanzibar and walk along the wharf the smell of cloves is carried on the breeze to greet you; immediately you are aware Zanzibar is out of the ordinary. Arab dhows white-sails shaped like the crescent moon, sail gently out of the harbor and pass along the miles of palm fringed beaches. Zanzibar transports you into the past. The whole atmosphere is of medieval times, veiled women, their hands and feet hennaed with elaborate patterns, haggle in the markets and small shops which cluster on the peripheries of Stone Town.

Take time exploring the interweaving narrow streets, taking care not to become disorientated, passing intricately-carved wooden doors heavy with brass studs and beneath ornate balconies; allow the imagination to transport you back in time to the dark days of the lucrative slave trade and spice industry. Visit the immense House of Wonders and then the heartrending ruins of the Old Slave Market, which is dominated by the church of Christ Anglican Cathedral, its altar on the site of the old whipping block.

Zanzibar Spice Tours are a specialty of the Zanzibar Islands and best taken from Stone Town. On the Spice tour you will learn about fifty different spices and fruit that grow on the island, from cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves, to jackfruit and sugarcane.

The spices together with the Indian and Arabic influences have produced a unique ‘Swahili’ cuisine. Zanzibar is a seafood lover's paradise. The freshest catch from game fish to giant lobster and crayfish are on offer. Dinner at the nightly fish market in the Forodhani Gardens on Stone Town’s waterfront where a collection of stalls serve up freshly cooked seafood is not to be missed. It is a giant seafood barbeque where you can eat out in the open and mix and chat with the locals