Zanzibar, an archipelago off the Tanzania coast, has long attracted travelers to its capital city, Stone Town. Visitors come to cap off a safari, dance to taarab music, and snorkel among dragon moray eels—all in the historic birthplace of the Swahili language. The cotton kanga (pictured above), worn as a wrap dress, skirt, or shawl, is the principal item of clothing for East African women. Named for the dappled feathers of the guinea fowl, the kanga is not complete without a Swahili maxim printed along its border. One favorite: Kupata na kukosa kwangu, wewe kunakuhusu nini, or “Whether I succeed or fail, it’s not your business.” Available at the Darajani Bazaar off Darajani Street. Photo courtesy of Alvaro Leiva/Age Fotostock. This appeared in the May/June 2011 issue.

In Stone Town’s labyrinthine alleyways, see the city’s carved wooden doors. These massive works of art are detailed with benedictions from the Koran and augmented with brass spikes. Only a few hundred of these entrance ways—some from the 17th century—remain. The best preserved examples are in the Bhagani and Shangani districts. Photo by Emir Ibrahimpasic. This appeared in the May/June 2011 issue. 

A feast of enormous octopus tentacles, colossal lobster claws, and gaping fish are laid out on table after table every night in Stone Town's Forodhani Gardens. The names and origins of less recognizable treats, smashed together in generous portions on kebab sticks, will be (very) eagerly explained to you by the vendors at each table. A kebab of tandoori lobster accompanied by fresh-pressed sugarcane juice is a quintessential treat, but if you feel iffy about sampling the seafood on the tables, there are alternatives: grilled sweet potatoes, savory bananas, and puffy coconut bread complete the Swahili suite of tastes. Negotiate your price and wait for the vendor to heat up your choice on an open fire stove in the middle of the gardens.

I just returned from several days relaxing on the beach in Zanzibar after a safari. What a completely unique island! You feel like you are in the Middle East, however you really are still in Africa! The colors of the water were amazing and I have never seen tides going in and out as much as I did here.

Each evening as the sun sets, Stone Town’s Forodhani Park transforms into an open-air food market. Skip the fish kebabs and head straight to the vendors selling urojo, a thick mango and tamarind soup served alongside chickpea fritters, boiled potatoes, cassava flakes, chutney, and as much hot sauce as you dare. Follow it up with hand-pressed sugar cane juice with ginger and lime. Between Mizingani Street and the beach. Photo by Georgia Popplewell. This appeared in the May/June 2011 issue.

In Kizimkazi, a small fishing village on Zanzibar's south coast, kids play in the sand at low tide. Fishing boats, a symbol of the village's livelihood, can be seen grounded in the sand waiting for the tide to come in for the next day's catch.

The crumbling architecture of Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the town’s carved doors are one of its most recognizable features. I spent a lot of time searching for the door of Swahili merchant Tippu Tip, a notorious 19th-century slave and ivory trader who grew fabulously wealthy from his exploits in the interior of Africa. He showcased his wealth by slapping Stone Town’s most elaborately carved door on the front of his mansion in the mysteriously named Suicide Alley. If you can find Suicide Alley (it’s unmarked, near the Shangani Post Office in Stown Town), keep your eyes on the ground: the alternating black-and-white tiles of Tippu Tip’s front stoop might be the first thing you see. The house is now inhabited by several families, so be respectful when taking pictures and exploring the area.

If you travel anywhere in East Africa, you’ll become acquainted with the women’s garment known as kanga: a bolt of cloth worn any number of ways and featuring a Swahili proverb printed along the bottom. Zanzibari kanga are well-known all over the world. In Stone Town’s House of Wonders museum, there’s even a room dedicated to their sayings. Kanga with pleasant words (“Upendo ni tunda la moyo:” Love is comfort to the heart) are given as gifts. Kanga with warnings (“Upelelezi ni sumu ya mapenzi:” Spying is poisonous to love) can be worn as a subtle message from the wearer to another. Kanga are sold all over the island. Depending on the size and the quality of the fabric, expect to pay between 10,000 and 30,000 Tanzanian shillings (between $8-20). The kanga above was a gift to my mother and translates roughly to “Thank you, mother, for your good parenting.” BE WARNED: make sure you speak with the shopkeeper, or a translator, to make sure you know what you're getting. I bought a pretty kanga that I thought had something to do with love. It actually had more to do with promiscuity, which I eventually learned after forcing a reluctant and horrified friend to translate it for me.

236 Hurumzi, named for the street it’s on, may be Zanzibar’s most exquisite hotel. The rooms are named after sultans, merchants, princesses and explorers, and the historical bric-a-brac dotting the walls give it an elegant, museum-y quality. At its foundation is the English-language bookstore A Novel Idea, and across the narrow alleyway that is Hurumzi street are a motley group of shops stuffed with souvenirs and curated boutiques. 236 Hurumzi's rooftop bar and restaurant is one of the tallest structures in town; clambering up the wooden stairs, taking off your shoes at the top, and reclining (or flopping, depending on how you feel after a day of sightseeing) on the embroidered cushions is a rite of passage for some Zanzibar travelers. Even if you're not sleeping like a sultan of yore at the hotel, you can still enjoy a drink and the view.

Chumbe Island is just off the coast of Tanzania, near Zanzibar. I spent several days here enjoying one of the last untouched coral reefs along this part of the coast. Though pollution has been a problem elsewhere, Chumbe Island is still pristine. See it while you can!

If you step off the ferry in Stone Town and don't know anything about Zanzibar, the House of Wonders (or Beit al-Ajab, as it's also known) has you covered. Just a few steps away from the ferry terminal, you'll get a crash course in Swahili history. The House was built by Sultan Barghash bin Said in 1883 and now that he's gone, it houses the Museum of History & Culture of Zanzibar & the Swahili Coast. The inner courtyard is the unlikely home to a huge Swahili sailing vessel and an old car that belonged Zanzibar's first president (didn't know Zanzibar had a president, other than the Tanzanian president? Yeah, neither did I. This is why you're in the right place to learn about these things.) Despite the many cool - even, I daresay, wondrous - items in the museum, it was actually known as the House of Wonders because it was the first building in Zanzibar to boast electricity and the first building in East Africa to have an elevator. Now that those things have become commonplace and boring, you can do a scavenger hunt through the building to find other wonders. Search for David Livingstone's medicine chest (let me just say - I do not think he ventured into central Africa adequately prepared), a Christmas-themed kanga, and a centuries-old charm that reportedly contains the nose of a dog. As if that weren't enough, the gift shop is pretty well-stocked with interesting curios, too.

I spent several days at Chumbe Island Coral Park. It's has one of the few remaining untouched coral reefs along this coastline. This was the sunrise that greeted me the day I was to return to Zanzibar, and from there back to Tanzania and home. What a beautiful send-off!

It's great to walk around the spice market where a dizzying cocktails of sweet, spicy, and earthy aromas fills your nostrils. But don't forget to walk into the significantly less pleasant-smelling chicken market where people barter and purchase live chickens for a freshly-prepared dinner.

I love to watch sunsets – I find them to be lively, yet soothing. When I travel, I’m always on the lookout for a good sunset spot... We flew to Zanzibar after a fantastic safari in northern Tanzania. After checking into the hotel, we took a short walk to the beach. Stonetown is a busy town and the beach was alive with families enjoying a Sunday afternoon. We found a quiet spot at a beachfront restaurant and watched teens doing acrobatics in the sand. When the sun began to set, the entire horizon lit up in intense shades of bright orange.

A market experience like no other out there. The smells, the colours, more smells, the faces, the flies, and did I mention the smells?! Stone Town is a beautiful historic part of Zanzibar, which should be on every traveler's list. The market is small, but offers a look into a very different culture from the one we're more familiar with in the western world.

I was introduced to mandazi in Nairobi, Kenya, as I toured the local supermarket, looking for interesting things to bring home to try. Our local guide, Newton, told us of a delicious pastry made with coconut milk, but, alas, the market didn't have any that day. Fast forward 3 weeks, without any mandazi. We're now in Stone Town, Zanzibar, having had our first mandazi at one of the two tables at Sambusa Two Tables. Hot out of the fryer, they were incredible - puffy, crisp, sweet and savory, all at the same time. My quest was fulfilled! Or so I thought. The next morning, the "Foods of Zanzibar" tour was supposed to include a haluwa factory, but none were open that day to the public, so after tasting freshly squeezed sugar cane juice, an Indian curry "mix" bowl, date "juice", and haluwa from a stand, our guide asked us what else we might want to do. I asked to see mandazi being made, thinking we'd go to a bakery. But, no. A car ride out of Stone Town and 20 minutes later, my husband and I were sitting on Mrs. Mohammed's front porch as she patiently showed me how to make mandazi, vipopo (another fried pastry, doused in still warm cardamom syrup), and mboga (a vegetable dish made by pounding the greens in the wooden mortar, filling the mandazi for an East African calzone) from scratch, including grating a fresh coconut to make coconut milk. What an incredible experience! If you're in Zanzibar, go to Gallery Tours and ask for Juma. He'll know exactly what to do.

The bottom section is the living area and the top section is the bedroom - oriented to catch the wonderful tropical breezes. Note the stairs - this keeps the coconut crabs from climbing up and snuggling with you at night!

I had the pleasure of ending my time in Tanzania with a trip to Chumbe Island - which is just off the coast of Zanzibar. This tower - called the Lighthouse - is the biggest structure. But there are several wonderful open-air bungalows that you can book for a relaxing stay. The snorkeling is amazing among the islands pristine reefs.

Chumbe Island has amazingly pristine coral reefs. While out snorkeling, it's wise to remember not to touch the reefs or the creatures that live there (like this big bivalve - especially since if it clamped down on your hand or foot you might be stuck there beyond your lungs' capacity!)

Visiting Zanzibar during the "long rain" month of May means a few things: less tourists; lower rates; and, yeah, occasional downpours. My friend and I were enjoying a leisurely walk down the pristine beach at Kendwa, on the north coast of Zanzibar, when we were caught under a menacing storm cloud. Thankfully, the coral caves that lined the strip of sand provided some atmospheric shelter. After the rain had passed, the beach walk resumed and became even more exciting with the sudden abundance of sea urchins, crabs, and other creatures that had previously just been lounging out of sight in their tidal pools. If you don't mind swimming in a storm, it's a great time of year to visit!

The east coast of Zanzibar is known for stunning beaches and fickle tides. When the water's out, it's way out; when it comes back in, arrange a sailing trip on an outrigger canoe to skim along the shore. The lower tides reveal the hangouts of the ocean's monsters (only about as gruesome as particularly spiny starfish); but as the tides push you higher above the sand, the jewel tones of the water become even more spectacular. It's win-win. Any hotel will be able to put a traveler in touch with a boat or captain, and prices are negotiable; expect to pay around $15 for a an hour.