100 Places Every Woman Should Go

ZANZIBAR. THE VERY WORD CONJURES WHITE SAND BEACHES surrounded by turquoise waters, a tropical paradise paved with coconut and mangrove trees. Yet Africa’s Hawai’i is a surprisingly complex place, its heritage dipping into Persian, Portuguese, Arab, Indian, and English as well as native Swahili cultures. These influences are highly pronounced in everything from the architecture, music, and food, to the festivals.

This autonomous island-province is best reached by ferry from mainland Tanzania. You’ll know you’re near when the white sails of wooden dhows, or sailboats, appear on the horizon. The first stop will likely be the capital Stone Town, a Middle Eastern-style city of bazaars and markets, ancient Omani palaces and manors. Stroll through the labyrinthine passageways until the sun grows too intense, then relax in the shade in the Forodhani Gardens along the waterfront. Follow the footbridge at the southeast corner of the garden to the Zanzibar Orphanage to donate books, toys, or games. (To volunteer time, check in with the Department of Social Welfare first; the orphanage’s headmaster can provide directions.) Return to Forodhani at night for some of the freshest (and cheapest) cuisine on the island. Locals set up charcoal stoves and oil lamps and can whip up seafood or goat meat, both liberally doused in chili sauce. Be sure to try mantabali, or Zanzibar pizza—a chapati stuffed with anything the cook can grab hold, plus melted cheese and a fried egg. Wash the meal down with tamarind juice and top it off with some grilled bananas dipped in chocolate.

Stone Town is a shopper’s dream, but prepare to haggle. Darajani Market on the west side of Creek Road outside the city bustles with fish mongers, spice sellers, produce vendors who arrange their fruits by shape, and the random bicycle, lamp, or Pokémon hawker. Behind the Omani Fort and House of Wonders is Gizenga Street, which has a wide range of funky shops offering Arabian antiques, brass-studded chests, secondhand jewelry, and palm-leaf baskets and mats. Drop in the Duka la Uwazi on Mizingani Road for handicrafts by local women’s groups, or to get your hands (or feet or belly) tattooed with henna.

Cooks and gardeners will love the half-day spice tours offered by many travel agencies. These guided plantation tours provide not only sniffings and tastings of fresh herbs and spices, but detailed descriptions of their uses—both culinary and medicinal. Sucking on cloves, for instance, is said to help recovering alcoholics lose their cravings. Jasmine balm and vanilla pods, meanwhile, are effective aphrodisiacs. Take it easy with the nutmeg, though—infusing a cup of water with just half a ground nut could leave you hallucinating for days!

For diving and snorkeling, journey on to the island of Pemba. Visibility here is spectacular—up to 230 feet during incoming tide—and you’ll likely see barracudas, dolphins, marine turtles, manta rays, sharks, and the enchanting Spanish dancer, a foot-long sea slug with an undulating red “skirt.” In September, whales can be heard but generally not seen. Swahili Divers in the Old Mission Lodge in Chake Chake offers PADI-certification classes and camping trips to uninhabited islands.

Zanzibar is pelted with rain from March to May and October to December; the rest of the year is steamy hot. Avoid visiting during Ramadan, as many stores and restaurants will be closed. Malaria can be a problem, so take a course of prophylactics prior to departure and bring some heavy-duty repellent.