Waves crashing on idyllic empty beach, Pingwe, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Traditional sailboats called dhows ply Zanzibar’s azure seas, adding a dash of accent color to this wash of blue-green. The small dhows seen here are for fishing or leisure, but larger ones once shipped goods all over the Indian Ocean — with their sleek, sturdy hulls, shipping heavy goods from fresh fruit to solid gold became a breeze. What coveted commodity made Zanzibar a heavyweight exporter? Spices. Cultivating cloves, cinnamon, and other seasonings, this island group in Tanzania has been a titan of trade for over a millennium.