Zanzibar (Unguja Island)

Zanzibar's main island Unguja is the headline destination of the Swahili coast, a 1,666 square kilometre slice of white-sand beaches, turquoise reefs, spice plantations, and centuries of cross-cultural trade history. Lying around 35 kilometres off the Tanzanian mainland, the island has been a crossroads for African, Arab, Persian, Indian, and European traders for more than a thousand years, and that layered heritage shapes everything from the architecture of Stone Town to the cuisine, language, and music heard across the island today. Most visitors split their stay between Stone Town's historic alleys and a coastal village such as Nungwi, Kendwa, Matemwe, Paje, or Jambiani. The east-coast beaches face the Indian Ocean trade winds and are world-class kitesurfing spots, while the north-coast beaches stay deep at low tide and are popular for swimming and sunset dhow cruises. Coral reefs ring the island, supporting diving, snorkelling, dolphin tours, and seasonal swimming with whale sharks off Mafia further south.