I visited the backpackers' version of the Maldives — go now before it's too late

Palm trees laden with fresh coconuts. Rippling azure ocean. Ivory sands, velvet to touch.

Perhaps you’ve painted a mental picture of the Maldives , but this divine scene is Zanzibar , an enchanting island 35km off Tanzania on Africa’s East Coast.

With bombshell beaches, a cosmopolitan culture influenced by African, Arab, Indian and Persian traditions, and a spice trade that dates back to the 1st century AD, Zanzibar is one of the most fascinating places on Earth. That, and it enjoys 300 days of uninterrupted sunshine each year.

Named one of the world’s top island destinations in 2024, the archipelago saw a record 16.4% increase in tourism in 2023, with 638,498 international tourists descending on its shores.

But does this Indian Ocean paradise live up to the hype? Metro s