Together with the simple ground floor , Swahili houses and the narrow façade of Indian shops along ‘ bazaar ’ streets are constructed around a commercial space ‘ duka ’.
The major buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries and include monuments such as the Old Fort , built on the site of an earlier Portuguese church ; the house of wonder , a large ceremonial palace built by Sultan Barghash ; the Old Dispensary ; St . Joseph ’ s Roman Catholic Cathedral ; Christ Church Anglican Cathedral commemorating the work of David Livingston in abolishing the slave trade and built on the site of the last slave market ; the residence of the slave trader Tippu Tip ; the Malindi Bamnara Mosque ; the Jamat Khan built for the Ismaili sect ; the Royal Cemetery ; the Hamamni and other Persian baths . Together with the narrow , winding street pattern , large mansions facing the seafront and open spaces , these buildings form an exceptional urban settlement reflecting the longstanding trading activity between the African and Asian seaboards . In particular , the Stone Town is also marked by being the site where slave-trading was finally terminated .
Jozani Forest
The Jozani Natural Forest Reserve is located in the central east region of Zanzibar island and is home to the rare Red Colobus Monkey ( pictured above ), which is endemic to Zanzibar . These monkeys are full of character and roam freely . They can also be seen at very close quarters just outside the reserve ’ s perimeter and are incredibly photogenic . Jozani is home to other species including Syke ’ s monkeys , small buck , and bush pigs . The elusive Zanzibar leopard ( last sited several years ago ) is said to feed here at night – perhaps this is why the reserve is only open during the day ! Jozani has an excellent nature trail and the guides are well trained and informative .
North Coast
Tours to the unspoiled north coast always end up at Ras Nungwi , a sleepy fishing village on the northern tip of Zanzibar island . It is the dhow building capital of Zanzibar , so you will be able to see the traditional methods of dhow construction in action . This area of Zanzibar has some fantastic beaches and nearby coral reefs , which are ideal for
Beaches
The beaches in Zanzibar are a paradise , interspersed with picturesque fishing villages , where people live a simple way of life , unchanged over the years . There are more than 25 fantastic beaches in Zanzibar , and some are so peaceful and remote that the only noise breaking the silence is likely to be the ocean .
Spice Plantations
The history of Zanzibar would be incomplete without the cloves , nutmeg , cinnamon , pepper and many other spices , which brought the Sultans of Oman and the beginnings of the infamous slave trade . They can be seen in the plantations just outside Zanzibar town , and a good tour includes opportunities to dazzle the senses with fresh spices . A detailed description is given about a variety of spices and their uses in cooking and cosmetics . Visitors will be fascinated by the sheer number of spices produced and their incredible value for many ailments . This is also the cheapest place to purchase spices and spice oils .
52 • TANZANIA