On a clear day you can see the Tanzanian coast from Zanzibar, but the cultural differences that separate the archipelago and the mainland are much greater than the 25 miles between the two. Zanzibar is a completely different world with a unique mixture of traditions, languages and even flavors. Its history involves kings of Persia and Sultans of Oman, Arab and Indian merchants, Portuguese explorers and English colonizers. Today, it is still possible to notice the influence of Zanzibar’s diverse history. One needs only to loose their fear of getting lost and aimlessly explore the labyrinth of the culturally intriguing Stone Town (a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988).

One of the most impressive buildings, still standing, is Beit El Ajaib, The House Wonders. Built by Sultan Bargash of Oman in 1983 to serve as his Palace, the mansion has since inherited various owners beginning with the English colonizers. Today it stands as a national museum, proudly hosting the largest crafted wooden doors in East Africa. The two powerful canons, guarding the doors, bare the Portuguese seal.

Beit El Ajaib – House of Wonders – combines various architectural styles. The huge clock tower represents the British participation.

If you learn the negotiate the sudden appearance of mopeds, bikes and vendors with hand-trolleys, getting lost in maze of narrow streets of Stone Town is a delightful experience. At every corner there is a new discovery. Down one narrow road we find a beautiful wooden door. It is more than 120 years old and engraved in three languages: Arabic, English and Gujarati (language spoken in northeastern India). In Stone Town, most women wear the traditional Muslim headdress and many are completely dressed in black with only their eyes showing. We meet one young lady, Lilian, who explains that not all of the women in Zanzibar are Muslim. “I am Christian and my father does not like it when I wear the traditional Muslim scarf, but in Zanzibar I prefer to wear it to avoid an unnecessary comments”, explains the law school student.

A young women with an elegant scarf disappears behind one of the iconic wooden doors of Stone Town.

As we continue to meander through the alleys of Stone Town, we notice some areas seem as though they have been forgotten and the building have eroded for centuries, revealing the coral rock walls that give the town its namesake. Down a different alley we find plenty of life and action. As 4 or 5 alleys converge is ‘Jaws’ Corner”, besides being a busy intersections for the mopeds and bikes that zigzag through town, it is also a meeting spot for men. Drinking their coffee and tea, they play chess and other table-top games while discussing politics, mainly the relations between Zanzibar and the mainland.  “There is always a little tension between the two – this is a electoral year, too”, says Sabry our helpful guide for the day. “We are a one country only since 1964, when Zanzibar and Tanganyika were united.” The name of the country today – Tanzania – represents the combination of the syllables TAN (Tanganyika, the mainland) and ZAN (from Zanzibar). Football is also an important topic among men at Jaws’ corner. Zanzibarians are proud to have a team that is better than the national team. “We always win when we play Tanzania”, explains Sabry.

A old house takes up a small block somewhere in the labyrinth of Stone Town.

The Zanzibar archipelago became famous for their specific agriculture. Oman Sultans used the islands to plant and cultivate tropical spices, which were exported in large amounts to the Arabs and Indians. Cloves, cinnamon cardamom, curry, among other spices (that don’t necessary start with a ‘c’) brought glory and richness to Zanzibar, making the spices islands of the most important trading posts in the Indian Ocean.

Today, with tourism playing a much larger roll in Zanzibar’s economy, tours to visit spice farms are readily available. The walk through coconut palms and banana plants reveal fertile fields of tress and plants each with its unique flavor. Besides cloves, and the spices mentioned above, we saw the plants and tasted: ginger, nutmeg, peppercorn, turmeric and many others impressive flavors.

To break up the strong tasting spices we also had the opportunity to savor some amazing tropical fruits: papaya, bananas, star fruit, jack fruit, and even a uniquely Asian fruit, durian. Anthony Bourdain, while a lover of durian, describes his encounter with the fruit: “Its taste can only be described as…indescribable, something you will either love or despise. …Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.”

Do you know where cloves come from? The clove was one of the most important spices in Zanzibar, making the Archipelago famous for its spices.

Bonus photo! Kids having fun off the shore of Stone Town

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