GUIDE TO AFRICA’S INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS
UNITED BY ANCIENT SPICE TRADE ROUTES, THESE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS DIFFER IN EVERY OTHER ASPECT. WHETHER YOU’RE A CULTURE CONNOISSEUR, ADRENALINE JUNKIE OR SIMPLY A SUCKER FOR THE SUNSHINE, HERE’S WHAT DEFINES EACH SEASIDE STAY.
Stroll Stone Town
Zanzibar
With streets too small and tightly crowded for cars to cruise along, Stone Town in Zanzibar is not only pedestrian-perfect, but it’s also a labyrinthine odyssey.
For centuries the island was an indispensable stop on the global trade route that conveyed spices, slaves, sugar, precious metal and animal goods such as ivory across the globe. It was port to Portuguese seafarers and colonials from Britain, France and the and bore other Arabian traditions, such as the angular dhow ships that continue to sail the Indian Ocean today. A visit to the heady centre can overwhelm at times, but this vibrancy makes it all the more exhilarating.
We start our exploration – my partner and me – of the perpetual back alleys by walking to the Darajani Market at dawn. Stone Town has thrummed throughout the ages, but these are the ideal hours for a tranquil exploration. Compared to the sheer tumult of the evening before (when we’d arrived near dusk), the cobbled streets are a calm contrast this morning. Plus, we want to visit before the tropical heat transforms the fresh fish market into an odorous offence.
The market proffers Stone Town at its most sensational (in the literal meaning of the world). Stalls
