There are several PADI certified diving schools in Zanzibar and Pemba (Fleewinter can provide more details of the nearest centre to your accommodation and arrange dives before you go) and there is suitable diving for beginners and experienced divers alike. We recommend that novices stick to Zanzibar as there are strong currents off Pemba Island. The waters are clearer around Pemba, but visibility around Zanzibar is 10 to 20 metres. You can snorkel off most beaches in Zanzibar, although avoid the west coast of Zanzibar around Stone Town. Combining a boat trip with snorkelling is a great way to spend a morning. Some hotels and villas provide masks and snorkels although if you’re really keen, it’s best to take your own.

Zanzibar can be quite windy and this makes for great kite surfing. Mechanised water sports take a back seat here so opt instead for a trip on a dhow or fishing boat. You can take trips to see the dolphins from Kizimkazi village. You can buy tickets in the village itself although it is quite hard work and the touts are a little too persuasive. We recommend that you buy ahead in Stone Town or Fleewinter can organise a trip for you.

No trip to Zanzibar is complete without a visit to its capital Stone Town. Many visitors are surprised by the Arabic influence evident in its architecture and people. Mosques nestle in amongst the narrow streets, as do Christian churches, reflecting the complex and rich tapestry that informs the Zanzibar of today. But it is perhaps the sad and troubled history of the slave trade that touched Zanzibar that is most moving. A knowledgeable tour guide will show you the highlights, is happy to help you bargain for curios and will stop off along the way to show you the little things that catch his fancy – perhaps the fresh catch of the day in the fish market or how to wash your hands by plucking a soap fruit from a nearby tree. The waterfront comes alive at night where you can eat freshly cooked seafood from the stalls at the open air street food market in Forodhani Gardens.

Half day spice tours are very popular and provide an interesting insight into the cultivation and use of the many spices grown in Zanzibar. Spice farms or shambas are located in the central forest so you’ll be able to cool off under the shady foliage. Tours leave in the morning and are rounded off with a delicious lunch. You can book your own tours whilst in Zanzibar (beware of hiked prices), alternatively Fleewinter is happy to organise your tour for you.

A relatively short drive from Stone Town is Jozani Forest, a protected area of lush green ground water forest that is home to the indigenous red colobus monkey, Sykes’ monkey, elephant shrews, bush pigs, Ader’s duiker and chameleons. The forest teems with birdlife and insects of all shapes and sizes.