Haraka haraka haina baraka. Hurry hurry has no blessings. Travel in Tanzania and you’ll understand why this old Swahili proverb rings true. Hurry through the Serengeti in search of its resident lions and you’ll miss the splendour of its vast plains, stretching to the horizon. Hurry through Zanzibar to your beach resort and you’ll miss the rich, cultural warmth that emanates from its spice trade heritage. Take the time to combine the two and you’ll have a beautifully relaxing antidote to those early-morning safari starts.
With a heady Arabic, Swahili, Indian and European heritage rooted in the spice trade, Zanzibar boasts one of Africa’s richest and most diverse food cultures.
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Just a short flight from mainland Tanzania’s wildlife highlights, the Zanzibar archipelago is a beguiling mixture of cliché-perfect beaches, world-class diving and Swahili culture. UNESCO-listed Stone Town’s crumbling streets offer an insight into the once-lucrative spice and slave trades, while the northeast coast of the main island, Unguja, where traditional dhows are silhouetted on the Indian Ocean horizon, offers a coral fringed paradise for snorkellers and divers. Read more in our Tanzania and Zanzibar travel guide.