Fisherman set off for the evening from Chake Chake, the main port on Pemba islan. The island, part of the Zanzibar archipelago 50 miles off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, is a perfect tropical island getaway, with friendly residents and only three tourist hotels. (AP Photo/Chris Tomlinson)

The single-runway airport on Zanzibar is almost a cliche for what most people imagine an African airport to be: a small, crumbling concrete building, stained black in places by mildew, with ceiling fans offering the only relief from the humid, tropical heat.

A 90-minute flight away from the main island in a 12-passenger plane, the airport on Pemba island is even smaller, little more than a short hallway through to the parking lot, where a half-dozen old trucks and cars serve as taxis.

While getting to Pemba, the northern island in the Zanzibar archipelago off the coast of Tanzania, may not take the bravery and patience of Henry Morton Stanley or David Livingstone -- the famed 19th century explorers spent time on Zanzibar -- the sense of distance from the Western world could not be greater. The lush, hilly island fits the bill of "tropical paradise."

The taxi ride down the potholed streets and dirt roads pass through vibrant banana fields, flooded rice paddies and across ridges that overlook the islands, marked by long peninsulas, tiny inlets and barrier islands filled with mangroves.

Where the taxi delivers its passengers depends on the travellers' budget and goals, because while there are only three tourist hotels on Pemba, there is something for everyone.

For the backpacker looking for scuba diving and a chance to mix with Pembans, the drive is short and sweet to Swahili Divers, a bed-and- breakfast inside a former Quaker mission house in the centre of Chake Chake, Pemba's main town.

Raf Farhat Jah, the British innkeeper and resident raconteur, offers accommodations ranging from a bed in one of two dormitories to a double bed with private bath. Tourists come here for inexpensive diving and snorkelling on spectacular, virtually untouched coral reefs within an hour's boat ride from the main port.

The hotel doesn't have easy access to the beach, but guests can easily walk through town and, like all three hotels, it has an in-house dive shop. Most travellers enjoy the evenings sharing super with other guests of all ages from around the world, trading stories of journeys made and desired.

The Manta Reef Lodge on the northern tip of the island offers a more conventional escape. Overlooking a beach of white, powdery sand, the safari lodge offers private bungalows bordered only by a few small farms and a forest reserve.

A fisherman's net is stretched out to dry on a beach on Pemba island. (AP Photo/Chris Tomlinson)

If lying on the beach or swimming in the ocean becomes too monotonous, a walk through the Ngezi forest offers a chance to see endangered flying foxes, a type of large bat, and rare bird species. Local guides explain the uses of different trees and herbs in the forest, and clove trees add an exotic scent when the tiny fruit is ripe early in the year.

The island is also dotted with ruins dating to the 7th century, when Arab traders built permanent mosques to spread Islam. Pemba has been an important trading centre along the Swahili coast for 3,000 years and once played a major role in trade with Persian Gulf countries and India.

The sleepy island now generates most of its foreign exchange from exporting cloves and is an important supplier of agriculture and livestock to Unguja, which is Zanzibar's main island, where most Zanzibaris live. But local leaders say they want to bring more tourists to the island to enjoy its physical beauty and slow pace.

For the ultimate getaway to Pemba, and a guarantee of total pampering, the most exclusive hotel on Pemba is Fundu Lagoon, reachable only by boat. Guests stay in one of 14 luxury tents, filled with fine furniture, a private bath and a veranda with exquisite views.

Guests can have a drink while watching the sunset over the Pemba Straights in a bar built on a jetty over the water. Lunches and dinners are always three-course, gourmet meals with a Swahili theme.

The Khalil Mosque, built as a gift from the Grand Mufti of Oman, is part of the island's rich Islamic history. (AP Photo/Chris Tomlinson, File)

In one small way, though, the isolation is a myth.

Mobile phone service reaches all the hotels, for those who really need to stay in touch with the outside world. But if the goal is to totally disappear for a week or two, no one would ever suspect if the phone was never turned on.

If You Go...

Visas: Most European and American travellers can buy visas for $50 US or less on arrival at Zanzibar Airport.

Flights: A multitude of airlines fly to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's capital. Small charter airlines provide flight to Pemba for about $100.

Security: The U.S. Embassy has issued a travel warning for East Africa, but tourism is increasing to Zanzibar, which has not had any political violence against tourists. More than 90 per cent of Zanzibaris are Muslim, so conservative dress is expected outside of hotels and resorts.

Hotels: The best room at Swahili Divers is $77 US a night, bed and breakfast. Manta Reef Lodge charges $100 a night per person for full board in the high season, $60 in low season. Fundu Lagoon can start at $300 a night per person, full board in high season and $240 per night in low season, but special prices are available through full-service travel agents. For more information on the hotels, visit www.swahilidivers.com, www.mantareeflodge.com or www.fundulagoon.com.

For more information: Tanzanian Consulate in New York, (212) 972-9160; Tanzanian Embassy in Washington, D.C., (202) 939-6125.