UNGUJA ISLAND

Zanzibar, the largest island in an archipelago of dozens, is officially known as Unguja but is commonly referred to as Zanzibar. It is located 35 kilometers from Tanzania’s mainland, is 85 kilometers long, and is 39 kilometers wide.

Several islands, including Chumbe and Mnemba, hug its shores tightly, and while it’s laced with many beautiful salt-white beaches, Nungwi, Matemwe, Jambiani, and Bwejuu are considered the most beautiful. There are dozens of hotels on the island to suit every taste and budget.

Flame Trees Cottages may suit yoga enthusiasts with less deep pockets, while the stunning Essque Zalu Zanzibar offers the pinnacle of tropical island luxury. Both are located in Matemwe and are owned by Asilia Africa.

 Additionally, there is the luxurious Park Hyatt Zanzibar, which offers the best breakfast in town; the evocative Emerson Spice; and the budget-friendly Stone Town Cafe, a top-notch B&B.

 The island’s long history of thriving in the spice trade extends to the exotic; lush little farms abound, and vanilla and pepper vines cling to clove and cinnamon trees. Without visiting Stone Town, the Zanzibar’s capital and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, no trip to Zanzibar would be complete.

The flamboyant capital of the island is rich in culture and filled with magnificent old structures that bear witness to its fascinating past. The Beit-al-Ajaib, also known as the House of Wonders, commands respect as it towers majestically over the waterfront.

The Old Customs House, constructed in 1865, serves as a reminder of the island’s past as a bustling trading post, while the Slave Market serves as a horrifying reminder of the horrors of human trafficking.

 There are a ton of adorable boutiques tucked away in tiny lanes, including one run by a local designer named Doreen Mashika and another called Mrembo Spa that sells flowers, herbs, and spices that are grown nearby.

As for restaurants, The Tea House at Emerson Spice is a magnificent rooftop restaurant with views across Stone Town and toward the sea, and The Taperia is a cool verandah tapas bar above the old Post Office. Last but not least, dinner at The Secret Garden, tucked into the courtyard of an old Omani palace, is about as special as it gets. Indulge in the specialty degustation menu.

CHUMBE ISLAND

A few kilometers off the coast of Zanzibar, Chumbe is identified by a tall lighthouse that rises sharply, white as snow, piercing the sky’s blue hue. It resembles a giant “You’re here!” exclamation mark. The lighthouse, which was built by the British in 1904, has a place in the annals of maritime history.

 On September 20, 1914, it saw the famous sea conflict between the “Konigsberg” and the “Pegasus” during the German-British skirmish that came to be known as The Battle of Zanzibar.

The lighthouse, which was gas-powered in 1926, is still operational today and beams cheerily all through the night at the dhows that navigate these waters. In 1994, Chumbe Island Coral Park, the first privately established and privately managed marine protected area in the world, was established for the island and the waters around it. It was established by former German aid worker Sibylle Riedmiller, who first swam in the area’s waters 25 years ago, and is entirely financed by ecotourism.

 The coral reefs in this area are incredibly diverse, and J.E.N. Vernon of the Australian Institute of Marine Science called them “one of the most spectacular ‘coral gardens’ anywhere in the world.” On the mile-long eastern side of the island, 450 different species of fish and more than 200 different hard coral species can be found.

 Divers are not permitted, which is unusual—and gratifying—for a reef that is popular with tourists. Only observational surface snorkeling is permitted. But Chumbe is not only home to a hidden variety of marine life; it also has enormous, rare Aders’s duikers and endangered coconut crabs. One of the most endangered species of antelope was given a safe haven on the island in 1998, when the first of these elusive animals was introduced.

 The only lodging and dining options are the eco bungalows, a collection of seven exquisite chalets perched on stilts. However, Chumbe is easily accessible from Zanzibar, where you can snorkel the reefs and explore the coral reef island.

 If you plan to stay the night, guides will accompany you as you search for crabs after dark. The coconut crab, which can weigh up to five kilograms and have a lifespan of 60 years, is the world’s largest land-dwelling anthropoid. To find food, such as coconuts, which they pluck from trees and crack open with their claws like enormous nutcrackers, they use a highly developed sense of smell.

THANDA ISLAND

Along with the similarly uninhabited islands of Nyororo and Mbarakuni, Thanda, also known by its original name Shungu Mbili, is sandwiched between Tanzania and the Mafia and is located within its own marine park.

 It is owned by Swedish businesspeople and philanthropists Dan and Christin Olofsson, who came across it in 2006 while looking for a private island retreat. It is a part of the Mafia Island neighborhood.

 While conducting aerial reconnaissance along the Tanzanian coast, they came across the tiny island, which resembled a teardrop with an emerald interior and a salt-white rim of beach in aquamarine waters. It can be easily walked around in 20 minutes and is only 250 by 200 meters.

A sprawling, opulent beach house that is more Martha’s Vineyard than tropical exotic is available at Thanda, which offers some of the most opulent island living you will ever find. Five enormous bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and additional space for children make up the villa, which you rent in its entirety. It sleeps 10 adults.

The rest of your large party can stay in a couple of Robinson Crusoe-style chalets on the opposite side of the island, bringing the total number of bedrooms on the island to nine. Thanda is a good place to launch from because the diving in the sea near Mafia is well-known; Chole Bay is particularly good.

The docile dugong (also known as a sea cow) is believed to find refuge in these deeper channels, and the smaller islands surrounding the archipelago, including Shungu Mbili, continue to be important turtle breeding grounds. Booking Thanda reserves your use of the entire island, including all of its watercraft (skis, jet skis, kayaks, and boats). You will be cut off from the outside world by the more than one kilometer of sea that surrounds it. Even the paparazzi are unable to approach here.