I finished up my Tanzania trip in Zanzibar. It was the perfect end to our incredible experience in Africa. Many people don’t know that the Eastern Coast of Africa lies on the Indian Ocean and has beautiful beaches. Zanzibar is an island right off the coast of Tanzania. We explored the main island of Zanzibar first. We went to a slave site where they used to auction and sell Africans as slaves and transported them by boat to the United States on slave ships in the 1800’s. It was really intense to see the slave quarters where they held them and the areas where they auctioned them off.  They used to keep around 60 slaves underground in a tiny holding quarter with barely any light. There were no toilets and they were chained by their hands and feet. It felt very eery to be standing in the slave chambers where people were being enslaved and treated like animals because of the color of their skin. As hard as it was to be there, it was important to learn more about the history.  It was  an eye opening and powerful experience.

Zanzibar is very rich in resources and known for their spices so we went to a Spice Farm to see where all the spices come from. We got to taste and smell different spices like cumin, cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg, etc.  It wasn’t a spice “market”- we were in what felt like a jungle and our guide carved out bark and cut leaves from different plants and trees to show us where the spices actually come from.  It  was a really cool experience.

We ended off the last couple days on Mnemba Island. It’s about a 10-15 minute boat ride from the main island of Zanzibar. We stayed at the AndBeyond resort which was absolutely beautiful. The resort was the only thing on the island…you could walk around the entire island in about 20 minutes and we basically had the whole island to ourselves. The staff was super warm & friendly, the food was delicious and the accommodations were luxurious. Our room was right on the sand just a couple steps from the beach and it was all open- no walls or doors. The only thing guarding us was a mosquito net around our bed! It took a little getting used to all the bird and animal sounds at night, but it was quite the experience. We did nothing for the last couple days besides lay on the beach, eat and sleep.  It was the relaxation we were craving after a packed and crazy trip. The AndBeyond  has several luxury resorts in different locations around the world. They are all unique  and definitely worth checking out!