Zanzibar

The soul of the island — Stone Town, a UNESCO-listed labyrinth of narrow, winding alleys lined with weathered coral-stone buildings, ornately carved wooden doors, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand old palaces, reflecting a thousand years of Swahili, Arab, Indian and European trading history. Getting delightfully lost in its maze, discovering a spice market, a hidden café or a sultan's palace around each corner, is the essential Zanzibar cultural experience. Wander with no fixed plan, admire the famous doors, and soak up the exotic atmosphere. Utterly captivating and unmissable. Magical and evocative.

Zanzibar's beaches are the stuff of postcards — endless stretches of powder-soft white sand lapped by warm, impossibly turquoise water, fringed by palm trees and dotted with traditional wooden dhow sailboats. Whether the lively swimmable sands of Nungwi in the north, the boho tidal flats of Paje in the east, or a quiet cove all your own, simply relaxing on the beach, swimming in the warm Indian Ocean and watching the dhows drift by is the heart of the Zanzibar dream. Idyllic, blissful and utterly beautiful. The essential beach paradise; pure bliss.

Zanzibar is the fabled 'Spice Island', and a spice-farm tour is a delicious, fragrant highlight — wander the lush plantations with a guide who plucks and shares cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, pepper and exotic fruits straight from the trees, explaining their history and uses, often with tastings, a Swahili lunch and palm-tree climbing thrown in. It's a fascinating, aromatic window into the island's spice-trading heritage that gave it its wealth and name. A wonderful, sensory and only-in-Zanzibar experience. A must-do; aromatic and enlightening.

The jewel of Zanzibar's waters — Mnemba Atoll, a protected coral reef off the north-east coast with some of the best snorkelling and diving in East Africa, its crystal-clear turquoise water teeming with colourful fish, coral gardens, turtles and (often) dolphins. Take a boat trip out to snorkel or dive the vibrant reef, drifting over the coral among the tropical fish; the water clarity and marine life are spectacular. A magical, essential underwater highlight and one of the best things to do on the island. Unmissable for snorkellers and divers. Breathtaking beneath the surface.

The tastiest evening in Stone Town — the Forodhani Gardens Night Market, where each sunset the seafront gardens fill with stalls grilling fresh seafood skewers, lobster, octopus and fish, cooking up 'Zanzibar pizza' (a savoury-or-sweet stuffed pancake), sugarcane juice and samosas, amid a buzzing, social crowd. Graze your way around the smoky stalls as the sun sets over the harbour and the dhows; it's a delicious, atmospheric and quintessentially Zanzibar experience. A wonderful, only-in-Stone-Town highlight. Come hungry; tasty and lively. A must at dusk.

The most romantic thing to do on the island — a sunset cruise aboard a traditional wooden dhow, the graceful lateen-sailed boats that have plied these waters for centuries, gliding over the calm turquoise sea as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean in a blaze of colour, often with drinks and music aboard. Whether off Stone Town or the northern beaches, it's a magical, serene and quintessentially Zanzibar experience. Sail into the sunset with a cocktail in hand; it's pure island magic. An unmissable, romantic highlight. Simply beautiful, especially for couples.

A profoundly moving and important part of Stone Town's story — the site of the former slave market, once one of East Africa's largest, now home to the Anglican Cathedral (built on the spot as a symbol of abolition) and a powerful, unflinching museum with memorials and the preserved holding cells beneath. Visiting the museum and cathedral is a sobering, essential reckoning with the island's dark history as a centre of the East African slave trade. Deeply affecting and important; a vital counterpoint to the island's beauty. A moving, essential visit. Sombre but necessary.

The island's most beautiful and lively beach hub — Nungwi, at the northern tip, where dazzling white sand meets warm turquoise water that stays swimmable even at low tide (unlike the tidal east coast), backed by resorts, beach bars, dhow-builders at work, a turtle sanctuary and legendary sunsets. Swim, snorkel, watch the dhow-building, party at a beach bar, and catch the famous sunset; it's the classic Zanzibar beach experience at its liveliest and most swimmable. A gorgeous, buzzing highlight and the best all-round beach base. Beautiful and fun; the sunsets are unmissable.

One of the most photographed restaurants in the world — The Rock, a tiny restaurant perched atop a coral rock in the turquoise sea off the east-coast beach of Michamvi, reached on foot at low tide or by a short boat ride at high tide. Beyond the iconic setting, it serves good fresh seafood with the ocean lapping all around; book ahead and time your visit for the tide and the view. Even just for a drink and the photo, it's a magical, quintessential Zanzibar experience. A gorgeous, only-here highlight. Stunning setting; book in advance.

The east coast is one of the world's great kitesurfing destinations, and Paje is its buzzing hub — reliable winds, warm shallow water over a flat lagoon at the right tide, and a string of kite schools and a fun, international boho scene of beach bars and yoga. Take a beginner lesson or, if you're experienced, ride the flat turquoise water among the colourful kites; even watching from a beach bar is a joy. A thrilling, active highlight and the heart of Zanzibar's cool, laid-back east-coast vibe. Exhilarating for kiters, atmospheric for everyone. Great fun.

Zanzibar's warm, clear waters and coral reefs make it a superb spot for snorkelling and diving — beyond the star Mnemba Atoll, there are reefs, sandbanks and marine parks all around the coast, teeming with tropical fish, turtles, rays and vibrant coral, plus sandbank picnic trips and the chance to swim with dolphins in the south. Take a boat snorkelling trip to a reef or sandbank, or dive the atoll; the underwater world and the turquoise-water boat trips are a highlight. A wonderful, essential ocean experience. Beautiful beneath and above the water; a joy for water-lovers.

Zanzibar's only national park — Jozani-Chwaka Bay, a lush tropical forest that is the last refuge of the rare and endearing Zanzibar red colobus monkey, found nowhere else on earth, plus a boardwalk through an atmospheric mangrove swamp. Take a guided walk to see the playful colobus monkeys up close in the trees, and explore the forest and mangroves; it's a lovely, easy dose of nature and wildlife between beach days. A charming, worthwhile highlight and a chance to see a unique species. Great for nature lovers; the monkeys are a delight. A pleasant half-day.

Zanzibar's cuisine is a fragrant fusion born of its spice trade — Swahili dishes rich with coconut, cardamom and cloves, superb fresh seafood (grilled fish, octopus curry, lobster), biryani and pilau rice, urojo soup, and sweet treats, best enjoyed from the Forodhani night market, a rooftop restaurant in Stone Town, or a beachside grill. Feast on a coconut-and-spice seafood curry with the ocean nearby, and try the street food; the flavours are exotic, aromatic and delicious. A tasty, essential highlight that captures the island's cultural blend. Come hungry; utterly delicious.

A short boat trip from Stone Town lies Prison Island (Changuu) — a small island with a curious history (built as a prison but used as a quarantine station) that is now home to a colony of enormous, ancient Aldabra giant tortoises, some over a century old, that you can feed and get close to. Beyond the giant tortoises, there's good snorkelling off a small beach and the atmospheric old buildings to explore. A fun, easy half-day trip combining wildlife, history and a swim. A delightful, family-friendly highlight near Stone Town. The giant tortoises are a joy.

Stone Town is full of cultural gems — it's the birthplace of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury (there's a small museum and his childhood home), and home to the grand seafront palaces of the House of Wonders and the Old Fort, the bustling Darajani bazaar, the ornate carved doors, and Swahili music and culture. Explore the Old Fort (which hosts markets and shows), browse the Darajani market's spices and produce, hunt down the famous doors, and soak up the layered history. A rich, rewarding cultural wander through the storied town. Fascinating and characterful; the heart of Swahili heritage.