Executive summary by darmansjah
Sultans, sailors, slaves, and spice traders have all passed
through this mystical Indian Ocean archipelago on East Africa’s Swahili Coast.
Located 22 miles from mainland Tanzania, semi-autonomous Zanzibar consists of
two main islands—Unguja (Zanzibar) and Pemba—plus numerous smaller islands. The
diverse human history (dating back at least 20,000 years to the Paleolithic
Age) and natural beauty (turquoise water, coral reefs, and white sands) create
an exotic backdrop for a fall beach or diving vacation based at a small-scale
resort like Chumbe Island Coral Park, a private nature reserve featuring
palm-thatched bungalows. Skies typically are clear through the end of October,
with “short rains” returning in November. Supporting the islands’ geotourism
efforts includes respecting the majority Muslim population’s modest dress code,
particularly when wandering the beguiling maze of cobbled lanes in Zanzibar's
ancient trading port, Stone Town. Join a living history tour to learn the
stories of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Top stops include the haunting
slave memorial erected on a former auction block, and Beit al-Ajaib, a
19th-century sultan’s palace that's now the House of Wonders Museum of History
and Culture of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast.
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