Zanzibar

For centuries Zanzibar was a crossroads of the Indian Ocean monsoon trade, linking the Swahili coast with Arabia, Persia and India. The Portuguese controlled it in the sixteenth century, and in 1840 Sultan Said moved the capital of the Omani empire here from Muscat, turning the island into the world's leading producer of cloves. Zanzibar was also the main slave market of East Africa until the trade was abolished in 1873; an Anglican cathedral now stands on the site of the old market. The island became a British protectorate, and in 1896 fought the Anglo-Zanzibar War, often called the shortest war in history at under an hour. After independence and a revolution in 1964, Zanzibar united with Tanganyika to form Tanzania.

Zanzibari life blends Swahili, Arab and Indian traditions. Stone Town's narrow lanes are lined with carved wooden doors studded with brass, and the call to prayer drifts over the rooftops. In the evening, Forodhani Gardens becomes a seafront food market serving grilled seafood and 'Zanzibar pizza', a stuffed, griddled pancake. Taarab music, with its orchestras and poetic lyrics, is the island's signature sound. Dress modestly in town out of respect for the mainly Muslim community.