Zanzibar

Most travellers come to Zanzibar to kick back on its undeniably beautiful beaches, but with one of the richest and most diverse culinary scenes in all of Africa – shaped by centuries of trading and migration – the highlight for many is local food.

Before I travelled to Tanzania for the first time in 2009, I was a little gobsmacked by some wildly incorrect notions my friends and family had about the coastal African country.

With world-class beaches on dreamy Zanzibar and wildlife to wow the likes of David Attenborough, Tanzania is a country like no other.

Zanzibar’s beaches are right up there with the best I have seen, but I found so much more than sand and sunsets, and ended up staying for weeks and weeks.

It’s time to follow the trade winds and make tracks to the spice island of Zanzibar. And yes, that is as exotic as it sounds.

Even the name ‘Zanzibar’ sounds exotic. Add in the phase ‘spice islands’ and the mind boggles with vision of pirates, cinnamon, chalk-white beaches and cinematically swaying palms.

The best experiences in travel are those that shred your expectations. And that is exactly what Africa did for us.

An African family safari is on the once-in-a-lifetime end of the holiday spectrum. Here are 7 reasons why you should make this the year of the family safari.

Picking the world’s best beach is a bit like arguing why your favourite colour should dominate the rainbow.