Africa’s great spice islands: Zanzibar to Réunion

Across the islands of the western Indian Ocean, spices are more than ingredients—they are part of a story that has shaped cultures, economies and cuisines for centuries.

Long before beach resorts and luxury lodges drew travellers to these islands, merchants from Arabia, Africa, India and Europe sailed these waters in search of valuable spices. The trade routes they established left behind a remarkable blend of traditions that can still be experienced today through food, architecture, farming and local customs.

From the famous spice farms of Zanzibar to Madagascar’s vanilla plantations, Mauritius’ multicultural cuisine and Réunion’s fragrant ylang-ylang fields, these islands offer a sensory journey unlike anywhere else in Africa.

Zanzibar, Tanzania: The original Spice Island

Lipstick tree (Bixa orellana) with fruits in a spice farm on the island of Zanzibar/Bärbel Miemietz/Wikimedia Commons

Few places are as synonymous with spices as Zanzibar. Nicknamed the “Spice Island”, the archipelago became one of the world’s leading producers of cloves during the 19th century. Today, its fertile soils continue to produce cloves alongside cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger and vanilla.

Experience a spice farm tour

A visit to one of Zanzibar’s many spice farms is one of the island’s signature experiences. Guided tours introduce visitors to the plants behind familiar kitchen staples, revealing how spices are grown, harvested and processed. Guides often encourage guests to smell fresh leaves, taste tropical fruits straight from the trees and watch skilled climbers harvest coconuts.

Many tours conclude with a traditional Swahili lunch flavoured with freshly harvested spices, offering a delicious introduction to the island’s culinary heritage.

Wander the streets of Stone Town

Zanzibar’s UNESCO-listed Stone Town reflects centuries of cultural exchange between Africa, Arabia, Persia and India. Wander through narrow alleyways lined with carved wooden doors, browse colourful spice stalls at Darajani Market and sample local favourites such as biryani, pilau rice, seafood curries and the famous Zanzibar pizza.

The city’s historic buildings, bustling markets and aromatic cafés provide a fascinating glimpse into the island’s trading past.

Pemba Island: Clove country

Just north of Zanzibar lies Pemba Island, a quieter destination often overlooked by international visitors. Yet it remains one of the world’s most important clove-producing regions, with thousands of clove trees covering its rolling green hills.

Discover authentic island life

Unlike its more famous neighbour, Pemba offers a slower pace of travel. Visitors can walk through working plantations, meet local farming communities and learn how cloves are harvested, dried and prepared for export.

The annual harvest fills the air with the unmistakable scent of cloves, making it an unforgettable time to visit.

Pair spices with adventure

Pemba is also renowned for its spectacular diving, pristine coral reefs and mangrove forests. After exploring spice farms, visitors can spend their afternoons snorkelling, kayaking or discovering the island’s untouched coastline.

Madagascar: Home of the world’s finest vanilla

Vanilla in Ampasipohy, Nosy Be, Madagascar/Diego Delso/Wikimedia Commons

Madagascar produces the majority of the world’s natural vanilla, and nowhere is this more evident than the lush SAVA region in the country’s northeast. Here, vanilla orchids flourish in the humid tropical climate, creating one of the island’s most valuable agricultural exports.

Follow the journey of vanilla

Producing high-quality vanilla is an incredibly labour-intensive process. Each orchid flower is pollinated by hand before the pods spend months curing to develop their rich aroma.

Many farms welcome visitors to learn about every stage of production, from flowering vines to the fragrant beans found in kitchens around the world.

Discover a land of spices

While vanilla is Madagascar’s most famous export, the island also grows cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, cocoa and coffee. Local markets are filled with fragrant spices alongside tropical fruits and handmade products, making them rewarding stops for curious travellers.

Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity adds another dimension to the journey, with lemurs, baobab trees and unique rainforests never far away.

Mauritius: A fusion of cultures and flavours

Sack of different fresh spices in the market place, Port Luis, Mauritius/By: Paul Biris/Getty Images

Mauritius’ cuisine reflects centuries of migration, blending African, Indian, Chinese, French and Creole influences into one of the most diverse food cultures in the Indian Ocean.

Spices play a central role in many local dishes, giving the island’s culinary traditions their distinctive character.

Explore historic gardens

Botanical gardens and historic estates across Mauritius showcase tropical herbs, spice plants and fruit trees introduced over hundreds of years. Visitors can stroll through fragrant gardens while learning about the island’s agricultural history and colonial past.

Several estates also offer tastings featuring locally grown vanilla, cinnamon, chilli and tropical fruits.

Taste Mauritius

Food is one of the best ways to experience the island. Sample rich curries, dholl puri, rougaille, seafood dishes and freshly made chutneys, all flavoured with aromatic local spices.

Many local distilleries also produce spiced rum infused with vanilla, cinnamon and other island-grown botanicals.

Réunion: Where spice meets perfume

Handmade vanilla pollination, Vanille production by Escale Bleue Vanille, Le Tremblet, Saint-Philippe, La Réunion/By: Aldo Pavan/Getty Images

Although Réunion is better known for its volcanic landscapes and hiking trails, it also has a rich agricultural heritage centred around Bourbon vanilla and fragrant ylang-ylang flowers.

Visit vanilla farms and distilleries

Bourbon vanilla, named after the island’s former name, remains one of the world’s most sought-after varieties. Visitors can tour vanilla plantations to see how the prized pods are cultivated and cured.

Elsewhere, ylang-ylang flowers are distilled into essential oils used by luxury perfume houses around the world. Watching the traditional distillation process offers a fascinating insight into one of the island’s lesser-known industries.

Savour Creole cuisine

Réunion’s cuisine combines French techniques with Creole traditions. Popular dishes such as cari, rougail and vanilla-infused desserts showcase the island’s multicultural heritage, while local markets overflow with tropical fruits, spices and homemade preserves.

Planning your spice island adventure

The dry season, generally between May and October, offers pleasant weather across much of the western Indian Ocean, although each island has its own regional climate. Spice farm tours are available throughout the year, but harvest periods provide an especially vibrant experience, with plantations bustling with activity and the air filled with fresh aromas.

Combining two or more islands into a single trip allows travellers to experience the remarkable diversity of cultures, cuisines and landscapes that have evolved from centuries of maritime trade.

More than just spices

Africa’s spice islands tell a story that extends far beyond the kitchen. Their plantations, markets and historic ports reveal how a handful of fragrant crops once connected continents, built fortunes and shaped global history.

Today, travellers can still follow those ancient trade routes, not aboard merchant ships, but through guided farm tours, bustling food markets, family-run restaurants and welcoming island communities. Every clove, vanilla pod and cinnamon stick offers a reminder that these islands remain among Africa’s most fascinating cultural destinations.

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