This is the boring half of planning a Zanzibar trip, and the half that goes wrong. What you need to enter, what to carry, how to get around, and the local details that catch first-time visitors out.
For what to actually do once you are here, start with the [15 best things to do](/blog/best-things-to-do-in-zanzibar/) or a [day-by-day itinerary](/itineraries/7-days-in-zanzibar/). This page is everything else.
Where you are going
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous archipelago off the coast of Tanzania, in the Indian Ocean. The main island is officially called Unguja, though almost everyone calls it Zanzibar. Pemba, quieter and much less visited, lies to the north.
Nearly everything visitors come for is on Unguja: Stone Town on the west coast, the beach areas north at Nungwi and Kendwa, north-east at Matemwe and Kiwengwa, and south-east at Paje and Jambiani, with Jozani Forest inland to the south. You can drive from one end to the other in about two hours.
The compulsory travel insurance
Start here, because it is the requirement most people have never heard of. Since October 2024, every foreign visitor to Zanzibar has had to hold an inbound travel insurance policy issued by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation. It covers stays of up to 92 days, and your own travel insurance from home does not replace it.
Visas
Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, so Tanzanian immigration rules apply. Visitors from the UK, the EU and the US all need a visa.
- The official e-visa system is at visa.immigration.go.tz. Apply before you travel and bring the approval with you.
- A single-entry visa on arrival is available at Zanzibar's airport for many nationalities, though the queue is the queue. There is no multiple-entry visa on arrival.
- US passport holders are a special case: they are required to apply for the multiple-entry visa, even for a single short trip.
- Check your passport has enough validity left before you book anything.
Requirements change, so treat the official immigration site as the answer and anything else, including this page, as a prompt to go and look.
Health and vaccinations
A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from, or transiting through, a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission. Arriving directly from Europe or North America, it does not normally apply.
Speak to a travel clinic or your doctor well before you fly about routine vaccinations and malaria precautions. Bring any medication you rely on with you, in its original packaging, because the pharmacy nearest your hotel may not stock it. Drink bottled or filtered water.
Getting here
Most people fly into Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, code ZNZ, just south of Stone Town. There are direct services from several European and Gulf cities, and plenty of connections through Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Doha and Addis Ababa.
The alternative is the ferry from Dar es Salaam to Stone Town, which takes around two hours on the fast service and is a good option if you are already on the mainland. Book a seat in advance in high season.
If you are combining Zanzibar with a mainland safari, fly to the parks first and finish on the island. Coming off a week of early game drives into a beach is the right order round, and it rarely works as well the other way.
Money
The currency is the Tanzanian shilling. US dollars are widely used across the tourism industry, and hotels and tour operators can quote and accept them from international visitors, so you do not need to convert everything.
- Carry shillings for markets, small shops, street food, taxis and tips. Dollars are awkward for small amounts.
- Cards work at hotels, larger restaurants and established businesses. Smaller places are cash only, and card machines depend on a connection that is not always there.
- ATMs are in Stone Town and the main beach areas, and thin on the ground elsewhere. Draw cash before you head out for the day.
- If you bring US dollars, bring clean, undamaged notes. The large ones are the fussy ones: $50 and $100 bills printed before 2006 are commonly refused by hotels and exchange bureaux, and some places will only take 2009 or newer. Worn or torn notes of any size can be turned down.
- Agree the price before you start, for taxis and for anything at a market stall. This is normal and expected, not rude.
Language
Swahili is the language of the island. English is widely spoken in tourism, at hotels, restaurants and with guides, so you will not struggle. A few words of Swahili are still worth having, and they are received far more warmly than you might expect.
| Swahili | English |
|---|---|
| Jambo, or habari | Hello, or how are you |
| Karibu | Welcome |
| Asante, asante sana | Thank you, thank you very much |
| Tafadhali | Please |
| Ndiyo, hapana | Yes, no |
| Pole, pole pole | Sorry, and separately: slowly |
| Hakuna shida | No problem |
Culture and what to wear
Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim island and that shapes daily life outside the resorts. Beachwear is fine on the beach and inside your hotel. Away from both, covering shoulders and knees is expected and appreciated, for men as well as women.
Carry a light cover-up or a kanga for Stone Town, markets and villages. Ask before photographing people. During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight hours, which matters most in town.
The tides, which catch everybody out
This is the single most useful thing to understand before you choose where to stay. On the east and south-east coasts, the sea can retreat several hundred metres at low tide. It is not pollution and it is not a bad beach. It is how those coasts work, and the walking out across the flats is genuinely beautiful.
The tide also governs the boat trips. Sandbanks appear and disappear with it, and departure times move accordingly, which is why we confirm the day before rather than weeks ahead.
Getting around
- Private transfers and drivers are the easy option and what most visitors use, particularly for the airport at both ends. Book both directions before you arrive.
- Taxis are everywhere. There are no meters, so agree the fare before you get in.
- Dalla dallas, the local minibuses, are cheap, slow and an experience. They are not practical with luggage or a schedule.
- Hiring a car or a scooter is possible and requires a local permit. Between the road conditions, the driving and the police checks, we would not.
Distances look small and take longer than the map suggests. Stone Town to the north coast is about an hour and a half. Factor that into any day you are planning yourself.
Safety
Zanzibar is a well-established destination and most trips pass without incident. The sensible precautions are the ordinary ones.
- Keep valuables in the hotel safe and do not walk around with everything you own.
- Take a taxi at night rather than walking unlit beaches or back streets.
- Use operators who brief you, carry life jackets and will call off a trip when the sea says so.
- Watch the sun and the heat more than anything else. It is the thing that actually spoils people's holidays here.
- Keep a photo of your passport, visa, insurance and flights somewhere you can reach without your bag.
Phones, internet and power
- Local SIM cards and eSIMs are cheap and the data is good in the main areas. Bring an unlocked phone and buy one at the airport or in town.
- Hotel wifi ranges from excellent to decorative. If you need to work, treat mobile data as your real connection.
- WhatsApp is how everything is arranged here, including with us.
- Power is 230 volts. Sockets are usually the British-style three-pin type G, with some type D around, so a UK plug works and everyone else wants an adapter.
- Power cuts happen. Most hotels have a generator, and a power bank is worth carrying.
What to pack
- Light, loose clothing, and something that covers shoulders and knees for town and villages.
- High-factor reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. Shade is scarce on a boat and absent on a sandbank.
- A rash vest for the snorkelling days, which beats reapplying sunscreen to your back all morning.
- Insect repellent for the evenings and the forest.
- A dry bag or waterproof pouch for the boat days.
- Comfortable shoes for Stone Town and Jozani, plus sandals.
- A refillable water bottle, and a light rain jacket if you are travelling between March and May.
How long to stay
- Three days: Stone Town, one ocean day and a beach day. Tight, but it works.
- Five days: a proper mix of ocean, culture and rest.
- Seven days: the sweet spot, and the length most of our guests take.
- Ten to fourteen: a slower island week, or the island combined with a mainland safari.
Whatever the length, book fewer excursions than you think. Three or four in a week is right. The free days are the ones people describe when they get home.
Common first-trip mistakes
- 1Booking an excursion for the morning after a long-haul flight.
- 2Choosing an east-coast hotel without checking what the tide does there.
- 3Putting the most important boat trip on the last morning, with nowhere to move it to.
- 4Booking six tours in seven days and spending the week in a minibus.
- 5Arriving without the compulsory inbound insurance.
- 6Paying for a tour without a written list of what is and is not included.
Ask us the awkward questions
We would rather answer a hard question before you book than an unhappy one afterwards. What is the total price and what is not in it. Is the boat private or shared, and how many people. What happens if the weather turns. How does the boat behave around dolphins.
Send us your dates, your hotel and roughly what you want out of the trip, and we will come back with an order for the days and a price for the lot.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need travel insurance for Zanzibar?
Yes, and specifically the compulsory inbound policy issued by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation, bought online before you travel through the official visitzanzibar.go.tz portal. It has been required since October 2024 and your own policy from home does not replace it.
Do I need a visa for Zanzibar?
Zanzibar follows Tanzanian immigration rules, and UK, EU and US visitors need a visa. Apply through the official e-visa site at visa.immigration.go.tz. Single-entry visas on arrival are available for many nationalities, and US passport holders must take the multiple-entry visa.
What currency should I bring to Zanzibar?
The Tanzanian shilling for everyday spending, and US dollars are widely accepted for hotels and tours. Bring clean, undamaged dollar notes issued from 2009 onwards. Older $50 and $100 bills, particularly anything printed before 2006, are commonly refused.
Is Zanzibar safe for tourists?
Generally yes, with ordinary precautions: keep valuables secure, take taxis at night, and use operators who brief you properly and will cancel a boat trip when conditions require it.
What should I wear in Zanzibar?
Beachwear on the beach and at your hotel, and shoulders and knees covered in Stone Town, markets and villages. Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim island and dressing modestly away from the beach is expected.
Can I swim at any beach in Zanzibar?
Not at any hour. On the east and south-east coasts the sea retreats a long way at low tide. Nungwi and Kendwa in the north hold water throughout the day.
How do I get around Zanzibar?
Private transfers and taxis for most visitors, with fares agreed in advance. Local minibuses are cheap but impractical with luggage. We would not recommend self-driving.
Is English spoken in Zanzibar?
Widely, throughout the tourism industry. Swahili is the local language, and a few words of it go a long way.
What plug do I need for Zanzibar?
Power is 230 volts and sockets are usually the British-style three-pin type G, so UK plugs fit and most other visitors need an adapter.
Have us plan the days for you
Send your dates and what you would like to see. We are a local team in Stone Town and we reply ourselves.
