Luxury holidays in Zanzibar

Perhaps most famous for its idyllic white beaches, the island of Zanzibar is also steeped in rich and complex culture – the legacy of its historic trade links and melting pot of a capital, Stone Town. Along the east coast, long strips of sugary sand lead to the turquoise Indian Ocean, on which you’ll see fisherman plying their trade from wooden catamarans. In recent years, they’ve been joined by an acrobatic companion – kitesurfers, who’ve discovered that the island’s long shallows and diminutive waves are perfect for their airborne sport. On the island’s west coast is the Unesco-protected capital, Stone Town, a beautifully preserved trading outpost with towering mosques, winding alleyways and buildings in Indian, Arabic, European and East African styles. Among its diverse sights, the city has two particularly famous hallmarks: the ornate wooden doors that mark historically important buildings, and its spice markets, which are perfumed with vibrant mounds of clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and more, much of it grown in farms just outside the city.