Off the coast of Tanzania, just a few kilometers across the ocean from Dar es Salaam is the “spice island” of Zanzibar, a slumbering paradise in the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, caressed by the cool trade winds. Once a bustling centre for slave and ivory trade, Zanzibar has been the historical doorway to the exploration of nineteenth century. Famous personalities like Dr. David Livingstone, Stanley, Burton, Speke, Rebman – to name but a few – used Zanzibar as the jumping-off point for their African trips.
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. It is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 kilometres (16–31 mi) off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. The capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja. Its historic centre is Stone Town, which is a World Heritage Site.