Not unlike Zheng He and his ships, Zanzibar is bountiful with treasures, too – be it experiencing the still-unique wildlife by scuba-diving off the coast of a private island or visiting the Jozani Forest to see the endemic red colobus monkey.

Yet nothing illustrates the multi-cultural apex quite like the architecture. There are the older houses with Swahili architecture, with carved doors and interior stucco decorations; the Omani mansions along the seafront, in all their magnificence; the streets near the Old Fort, populated with modest Gujarati shopfront houses; and even structures inspired by the palaces of India. From Hindu temples to Muslim song, the diversity of the place and its people is ever-present.

You can see the magic of the archipelago, with its waters, lagoons, mystic wilderness, and Swahili patrimony and culture bursting with life, all from the comfort of your armchair in Assouline's new title Zanzibar, being released this month. The moment the global COVID-19 lockdown is lifted, make this elusive but attainable paradise your first adventure in the brave new world of post-pandemic travel. Zanzibar and its native Zanzibaris are life-altering.