The Spice Island Unguja – Known to Most as Zanzibar – is a Scent Sensation

Stroll the maze-like alleys of old Stone Town on a warm evening and you’ll catch whiffs of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon in the Darajani Market, frying seafood at stalls in Forodhani Gardens, and the aroma of black coffee in Jaws Corner, where old men gather to watch TV and gossip. Zanzibar’s historic heart, with its crumbling palaces and heartrending slavery-era relics, is just one gem of this treasure-trove island, at its best in July, in the middle of the dry season. Board a dhow to snorkel off the west coast, watching for dolphins; sniff the leaves and buds of a spice plantation; and find your own patch of coral-sand perfection on one of the wonderful beaches.

LONELY PLANET