Africa > East Africa > Tanzania > Zanzibar

Zanzibar
Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania
famous for its history, culture, archeological
sites, and stunning white sand beaches.

Zanzibar Province includes Pemba Island to

the north as well as many smaller islands in the
Zanzibar archipelago. To distinguish the main
island from the larger province, the island
alone is sometimes referred to as Unguja or
"Zanzibar Island".

Cities
1 Stone Town – the vibrant and A Zanzibar beach
somewhat enchanting capital.
2 Chwaka – a small fishing village
by the sea.
3 Jambiani – fishing village stretching
miles along the beach with lots of
small hotels and guesthouses
4 Kendwa – a small fishing village a
couple of miles from Nungwi, a great
place for reading on the beach or
scuba diving.
5 Kizimkazi – a small village on the
south coast and starting point for
dolphin tours
6 Matemwe
7 Nungwi – a popular small resort
town on the northern tip of the island.
8 Paje – a small village on the east
Zanzibar regions - Color-coded map — switch to
coast known for excellent kiteboarding
interactive map
conditions.
9 Uroa Village – a small fishing
village on the east coast, resorts on the northern and southern side.

Understand
The island and the surrounding islets are divided into three regions. They are Zanzibar Central/South,
Zanzibar North and Zanzibar Urban/West. Zanzibar City, on the central west coast, is the capital and largest
city of Zanzibar and the region of Zanzibar Urban/West. The population of Zanzibar Island was about
900,000 in 2016, with the most concentrated populations in the Zanzibar Urban Region.
The larger and more populated of the province's two larger islands, Zanzibar is separated from its northern
neighbor Pemba by 48 km of open sea. The mainland of Tanzania, which lies to the southwest of Zanzibar
and is separate from it by the Zanzibar Channel, is considerably closer, as is the major Tanzanian mainland
port of Dar es Salaam. Smaller islands surround the coast, notably Tumbatu in the northwest, Uzi in the
south, and Mnemba Atoll in the northeast. A considerable number of smaller islands and reefs lie off
Zanzibar's southwest coast.

Most of the province's main centres are on Zanzibar Island, and most of the province's economy is based
here. Other than the capital, the island's major population centres include Mbweni, Mangapwani, Chwaka,
and Nungwi. Tourism is a major industry.

History
Zanzibar is rich in history, with numerous archaeological sites dotting the island, most notably at Unguja
Ukuu, just to the north of the causeway which links Zanzibar and the Uzi Islands.

The island has been deeply influenced by Arab culture for many centuries, and was part of the Sultanate of
Oman starting in 1698. In 1896, Zanzibar was the location of the world's shortest war — they surrendered
to the British Army after 38 minutes.

Get in

By boat
There are many ferries and catamarans that can take you between Dar es Salaam and the Island. Azam
Marine, Sea Express, Sea Star, Seagull Kilimanjaro and Sepideh Megaspeed Liners are among the
nicest available. Some of these are run by Azam (2 hr, US$35 for non-residents, leaving Dar es Salaam at
07:00, 09:30, 12:30 and 15:45 and returning from Stone Town at 07:00, 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30, check
with Azam (https://azammarine.com/) for updates).

Depending on demand, weather and condition of the boats additional ferries may run at different times.
Arrive at the port at least 30 minutes in advance to allow for emigration, luggage security checks and to
secure a good seat on the boat.

First class is US$5 more expensive than economy and often not worth the money: While there’s good
comfortable seating, you’ll stay in a freezing room with the A/C set to 18°C and foreigners are often
allowed in first class anyways, since they already pay around 2½ times the local price. If you prefer to stay
on the sundeck outside, choose economy.

The quoted US$ price may be more expensive when paid in local currency, so it may be a good idea to
exchange money first.

Flying Horse makes the same journey for US$20. However, it will take around 4½ hours. There are also
evening departures on a slow night ferry. It runs towards the destination and anchors there until the morning
before it enters the port. This has been reported to be a beautiful trip, but security is an issue and close
attention to belongings must always be paid.
You may be able to hire a private boat for cheaper, but the trip will take considerably longer and unless you
know something about boats, you could be on a vessel that is not equipped for bad weather conditions or an
emergency. Remember: you get what you pay for.

While not advisable there are also dhow connections, e.g. to Bagamoyo (4-8 hr, TSh 5,000). Since you’re
not arriving through official customs on this route you may need to pay a departure tax of US$5 on exit and
face some questioning.

Day trips
Ferry schedules allow you to do the return trip the same day. For instance leave Dar es Salaam at 07:30 and
return from Zanzibar on the 15:45 ferry. That leaves plenty of time to explore the Stone Town, the museum
and have a nice lunch. The trip is beautiful and lasts about 2 hours. However, if the weather is bad it can
take much longer and the trip can be very unpleasant. If you suffer from seasickness you are advised to take
some anti-seasickness pills prior to boarding. The on-board personnel give out seasickness bags at the start
of the journey.

Touts and annoyances

The "porters" at the Dar ferry terminal will hassle you for money, expect tips for referring you to "the best
boat" or guide you to a ticket office that sells tickets at inflated prices. To avoid touts be forceful and head
straight towards the ticket office of the ferry you intend to take.

Touts will tell you anything to get you to use a service which pays them commission, and scam you in any
way they can. They will say the company kiosk you are heading towards is closed, the ferry runs only later
or only goes to mainland destinations (when they do service Zanzibar), they will say their service is a 90-
min ferry (when it actually takes over 2 hours), they will quote you a price for first class tickets (but issue
"e/c" economy tickets and pocket the difference), they will sell you a return ticket (leaving you to later find
out it is actually only valid for return travel with a different, cheaper company and the seller has pocketed
the difference). Watchout for pickpockets.

Passport
Although Zanzibar is part of the Union it maintains its own immigration service and you need to have a
valid passport to enter, even if you come from mainland Tanzania. This farcically means you must fill out a
Tanzania arrival card for your arrival in Stone Town, and a Tanzania departure card when you leave. Also
note that immigration in Zanzibar may check your vaccination records for yellow fever.

By plane
1 Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ IATA) (about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of
Zanzibar City). (updated Nov 2023)

Airlines and destinations include Air France (Paris), Air Tanzania (Dar es Salaam), As Salaam Air
(domestic), Auric Air (domestic), Coastal Aviation (domestic), Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), Flightlink
(domestic), Fly540 (Mombasa, Nairobi), Flydubai (Dubai), FlySafair (Johannesburg), Israir (Tel Aviv),
Malawi Airlines (Lilongwe), Oman Air (Muscat), Precision Air (domestic & Nairobi), Qatar Airways
(Doha), Regional Air (Arusha), Tropical Air (domestic), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul), Uganda Airlines
(Entebbe), and ZanAir (domestic).
As of 2018 Precision Air sometimes offer promotional rates as low as US$50 one-way for flights to Dar es
Salaam. Be sure to check the baggage allowance before boarding as most planes are fairly small.

Zanzibar has 2 departure taxes: domestic flights TSh 5,000 (or US$5), and international flights US$30. In
almost all cases, this tax is incorporated into your flight ticket price.

Taxi
There are taxis waiting for passengers when you exit the terminal. Despite having a "list" of prices for the
various tourist destinations on the island, prices are negotiable. Although you can arrange a pick up at the
airport with your hotel or tour company, even a little negotiating will get you a better price than the inflated
one quoted by most hotels. However, some Stone Town hotels do offer free shuttle service from the airport.

Dala dala
There is a bus stop just outside of the airport gate. The dala dala is mainly used by locals, and can be very
awkward if you have large bags or suitcases, but is manageable with a backpack. The buses run along
creek road, TSh 200, 20 min (2018). For travel from Stone Town to the airport, look for buses marked
Ndege (Airport in Swahili). These can be most conveniently caught at the crossroads just south of the
market on Creek Road.

Get around
Although taxis are available, you will probably want to walk through Stone Town. After all, most of the
alleys are barely wide enough for a bike to pass.

By taxi
Journeying outside Stone Town is most comfortably done with a taxi or a private car. The latter are
essentially also taxis with drivers although they don't have the official taxi designation. They may however
be a bit cheaper than a cab (10-20%) and your hotel receptionist can likely arrange one for you (the hotel
may charge you a hefty commission Airport-Nungwi US$60 - compare below). Negotiate the price before
and know the street price so you don't end up paying an overly high commission instead.

Sample fares include:

Stone Town to Nungwi or Kendwa: 1½ hr, from TSh 69,789 and 62,810 return.
Airport to Nungwi: Tsh 65,000
Nungwi to Kizimkazi: 2 hr, from TSh 80,000
Airport/Stone Town to Paje: 1 hr, from TSh 50,000

By daladala
A network of daladalas, minivans, small buses and sometimes pickup trucks, exist which service all the
major villages on the island at a very cheap price (any route on the island should be less than TSh 2,000 per
person). The adventurous, armed with a phrase book and map, will experience a wonderful side of
Zanzibar life, which all too often is just another photograph to the typical tourist zooming past. It will take
you a good 2 hours to get to Nungwi, on the northern tip of the island. There’s no daladala service running
north to south. Instead you’ll have to go via Stone Town again and change buses there.

By shared taxi
These cost US$10 per person for a trip anywhere on the island. Pick up and drop off wherever you choose;
tickets must be booked online before travel from the Zanzibus (https://www.thezanzibus.com/).

By car
Driving by yourself can be dangerous. Roads are sometimes in horrendous condition and all kind of
obstacles (sudden bumps, animals, people) are to be expected at any time. Avoid driving at night if you can.
Driving with the high beams on the whole time is a stupid but unfortunately common practice that you
shouldn't imitate. It is enough that one person cannot see.

That said, a car will give you freedom to explore and may save you a lot of time. Even a one day and one
way car hire may make sense, as the car can be delivered to and picked up from your hotels in the morning
and evening, e.g. Nungwi to Stone Town (US$30 for a small 4x4 Escudo).

Petrol is priced at TSh 2,210 per liter (Nov 2017) and gas stations are well distributed on the island. Don't
take chance on running out of petrol though.

There are many police checks on the roads. So make sure you have your driving licence, the temporary
Zanzibar drivers permit, and the car insurance sticker on the windscreen. Also check that the rental car is
roadworthy and the police will wave you through with a kind jambo.

The temporary Zanzibar drivers permit can be obtained from local authorities. However, if you ask your car
rental company in advance, they should be able to get it for you and deliver it with the car. They probably
need a photocopy of your home driving licence (a photo sent via e-mail should also work). Expect to pay
about TSh 16,000 for the licence.

Hotels are happy to arrange a taxi or rental car for you although they might add some (sometimes: a lot)
commission to the price.

It has been reported that police invent "offences" to get bribes. One scheme may involve to threaten to go to
trial in a couple of days. They may even jump in your car on the grounds that you have to drive them to the
police station. However, when they state "How can we sort this out?" Tsh 1,000-5,000 will be enough to
forget the "offence".

See
Jozani Forest has excellent nature trails, featuring some very exotic (and large) trees. Even
more interesting, though, are the Red Colobus Monkeys that live here. Native to the Island,
these monkeys are now nearly extinct. They are very curious and playful and will likely pose
for a picture. The entry fee (US$8) includes an optional visit to a beautiful mangrove forest
which is highly recommended.
Stone Town
 The inner city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Blending
Moorish, Middle Eastern, Indian, and African traditions and architectures, it is possible
to spend days winding through Stone Town's labyrinthine alleys. That said, a day will
give you plenty of insight. The inner city is small and can easily be explored by foot.
While in Stone Town, you can shop for souvenirs, drink the occasional tea, or visit the
few city's historic sites. Walking these streets is hot and thirsty work, so drink plenty of
water.
The House of Wonders It carries this name because it was the first house in East
Africa to have electricity, running water, and an elevator.
Former Slave Market (entry fee is TSh 11,500 - this fee includes a guide (June 2023),
not including tip). This is the site of the old Slave Market. The museum only consists of
slave chambers (one for 50 men and one for 75 women and children), a memorial, and
an Anglican Church built on the site of the tree that served as whipping post. It provides
only very limited information on the history of the building or slave trade in Zanzibar.
Apart from the slave chambers nothing is left, as a hospital has been built into the old
market. However, you can go into the holding chambers in the cellar to see how this
wretched piece of history played itself out in small dark dungeon-type cells. The
property was purchased by Dr David Livingstone (one of the biggest proponents of the
abolishment of slavery) who wanted to turn the grounds into a haven after the atrocities
committed there by the Oman Arab slave traders.

Do
There are a lot of things to do on Zanzibar Island. It just depends on where your interests lie.

Spice tour. Zanzibar Island, a.k.a., the Spice Island, was an important stop in the Spice
Trade centuries ago. Today, it is one of the few places in the world where saffron is
produced, and many other Middle Eastern/Asian spices (cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg,
etc.) are grown here. Several companies take you on a tour which winds you around the
island, showing you how cinnamon, jack fruit, kukurma or anise (licorice) are grown; letting
you sample some of the exotic fruit grown on the island; and allowing you to tour the
beautiful plantations. In Stone Town be wary of booking and paying directly on the street, in
which case the tout might just take your money (from US$10) without a booking. Another
common scam is for a tout to follow you into (or give you directions to) the office, in which
case the tour price will increase by US$5, with you paying the commission. If you have a car
you can drive to the Kizimbani area yourself, where spice tours are offered. Again,
depending on your bargaining skills you may be able to get it for Tsh 22,500 (two persons)
plus the tips (TSh 6,000). On the tips: you will be expected to tip the guy that climbs up the
coconut tree singing a song (yes, it is that touristy), the guy that does the fruit tasting, the guy
brading stuff from palm leaves while you walk around, and of course your guide. Usually
TSh 1,000-2,000 should be fine. While you have never asked, nor were made aware of this
entourage, this is how their scheme works. Given the nature of this even more people may
show up during your tour and may expect tips.
East Beaches. The seemingly endless beaches near Paje or Jambiani are very popular
among travellers. The sand is brilliant white, and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean are a
deep teal.
Kendwa Beach (on the North Western coast, some km south of Nungwi). With a beautiful
sand beach, here you can swim during low and high tide, which is not always possible on
the East side of the island. Just beware of the Sea Urchins that give a powerful sting if
stepped upon during low tide. Kendwa offers lots of beach bars and restaurants serving
everything from pizza to local curries. Kendwa Beach is also known for the Full Moon Party,
arranged Saturdays just before or after a full moon. While not as big or extreme as those
arranged in Thailand, the parties on Zanzibar attract quite a large group of people, especially
 when the full moon coincides with public holidays in Europe and North America (i.e. Easter
and Christmas).
Scuba diving and snorkeling. Cristal clear water and beautiful reefs make Zanzibar a great
place for underwater activities. Unfortunately, in some areas reefs are in poor condition and
fish populations are low. Snorkel boat trip with equipment from US$35 per boat.
Dolphin tour. This intense (but not necessarily moral) tour starts in Kizimkazi on the south
tip of the island and includes snorkelling and chasing dolphins. Tours can be arranged from
Stone Town to the village, a few hours boat tour that, local lunch, nap on the beach and an
optional tour to Jozani Forest (see above). The full tours leaves town at 8AM and returns at
5PM - a complete day of fun and a very memorable experience, especially for the dolphins.
Boat trip with snorkel equipment from US$40 per boat.
(updated Nov 2023)
Ride on a local's dhow. These traditional boats make
for a wonderful sunset cruise.
Sit and stare at the water for hours on end.
Zanzibar Butterfly Centre (https://www.facebook.com/Z
anzibarButterflyCentre/) (Located near Jozani National
Park), ☏ +255 717 004 460,
[email protected] (mailto:mail@zanzibarbutt Looking for dolphins
erflies.com). 9AM - 5PM. The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre is
a community development project and tourist destination
just down the road from Jozani Forest. Revenue from admissions is used to pay farmers in
the village sustainably farming butterflies. This genuine little project really makes a real
difference to the farmers' income and provides a wonderful experience for visitors as they
can see spectacular local species flying close at hand in a beautiful tropical garden. US$5
per person.

Buy
Zanzibar currency is the Tanzanian shilling (Tsh). On the beaches, US dollars and shillings are accepted,
but as US dollars receive much less than the official exchange rate. Best would be to trade some of your US
dollars or euros for shillings, and use that to buy food. If you buy curios with US dollars and euros you will
get a better deal, since the hawkers are more prone to bargaining when buying with foreign currency. You
get a better exchange rate on US$50 and $100 notes, than on $20 and $10 notes. There are four ATMs on
the island, all in Stone Town. A store that accepts credit card payment is a rarity. Don't rely totally on your
bank card. Take extra cash.

Stone Town is a one-stop-souvenir-shopping for the traveller. You can find beautiful textiles, handmade
jewelry, intricate wood or stone carvings, spices, knick-knacks, etc.

Buy a cookbook and spices. Take the trip home with you! Many of the vendors sell fake saffron (appears
waxy like a shredded red crayon).

Barclays bank has a Visa Card/Mastercard ATMs at Zanzibar Main Karume Road Stone
Town and Darajani.

Eat
Zanzibar cuisine offers a much greater variety than the mainland one. While the usual cheap eating stalls
cater the same ubiquitous chapati, rice, chips and Ugali dishes, esp. in Stone Town a lot of great food can
be found.
 1 Forodhani Gardens. opens in the late afternoon. Forodhani Gardens is a nightly affair by
the water. It is not to be missed place to eat in Zanzibar. It starts at around 5PM and gets
busy after the sun sets. If you are not scared of local food, then this place is definitely worth a
visit. A large open space with many food stalls and local food. Here you can also get the
famous Zanzibar pizza, something like a savory crèpe, filled with beef, eggs and salad in the
default version.
It is possibly the cheapest food you will find on the island, and value for money too. Ranging
from crab claws, calamari steaks to plain old chips done in big woks. You are well advised to
try the local sugar cane juice.
A few prices as of Oct 2014 - depending on your bargaining skills you may be able to get
lower prices: Zanzibar beef pizza (TSh 3000 - delicious!), small sugar cane juice (TSh
1000), shrimp on a stick (TSh 5000), octopus (whole) on a stick (TSh 6000), small beef on a
stick (TSh 300 - usually three or four are bought at a time and dipped into a hot sauce before
finally barbecued), chicken massala on a stick (Tsh 3000).
Some consider the market to be overrated -- the food quality can be mixed and food stands
will advertise their food. The twilight atmosphere, however, makes for a nice setting to have a
cheap meal.
Nearly all beach hotels also include restaurants with typical western cuisine at varying degrees of quality.
Mains usually start around Tsh 10,000.

Drink
While predominantly a Muslim community, small bars can be found everywhere in Zanzibar.

The sugar cane juice and fresh coconut milk that are mainly available in Stone Town are not
to be missed.
Try the ginger beer (tangawizi, also available on the mainland) which is not a beer, but a
soda with a spicy ginger flavor.
Beach bars on the beaches will supply you with good local beer and cocktails. You must try a Dawa-
cocktail!

The Old Dispensary has a basic "top storey" bar which offers nice views on the harbour and beaches
(local beer: TSh 4000). Despite its location it is off the beaten track and you may find yourself with a few
locals and a band sipping at quite some height.

Sleep
Zanzibar does not offer much of cheap accommodation. The cheapest budget hotels in Stone Town start
from TSh 25,000 for a double, and normal budget hotel prices range TSh 45,000 to 90,000 and that's
during the low season, where several hotels stay closed due to lack of customers. The quoted prices are
after bargaining: low-season is a good time to do so and not having your bags with you when doing so, will
also give you a boost.

Accommodation at the beaches is often more expensive, with the cheapest options starting at TSh 50,000.
See the individual articles for hotel listings: Stone Town, Jambiani, Kendwa, Kilombero, Kizimkazi,
Matemwe, Nungwi, Paje.

Respect
Zanzibar is largely a Muslim community. Although they are Ramadan
used to Western ways, you should try to be respectful. This
means: Ramadan is the 9th and holiest
month in the Islamic calendar and
Women and men should make an effort to cover lasts 29–30 days. Muslims fast
their legs and arms (being in a bikini on the resort every day for its duration and
beach is fine though). most restaurants will be closed
It is regarded as disrespectful to show public until the fast breaks at dusk.
affection.
Nothing (including water and
Be discreet when drinking alcohol.
cigarettes) is supposed to pass
During Ramadan -- the month of fasting -- travellers through the lips from dawn to
should avoid eating and drinking publicly during the
daytime. Also, be sure not to smoke in front of sunset. Non-Muslims are exempt
people, nor chew gum, and it is polite to avoid from this, but should still refrain
talking about the nice lunch you had. from eating or drinking in public
as this is considered very
Cope impolite. Working hours are
decreased as well in the
In the tourist areas around the waterfront, Kenyatta Road and corporate world. Exact dates of
Shangani Road, you will be beset by all manner of papasi, Ramadan depend on local
touts and others wanting to offer you taxis, spice tours, music, astronomical observations and
gifts, etc. A polite but firm No, thanks usually doesn't do the may vary somewhat from country
trick, and can get exhausting. Best thing to do here is to keep to country. Ramadan concludes
walking and wander into the more residential alleys where with the festival of Eid al-Fitr,
you won't be disturbed. which may last several days,
usually three in most countries.
Go next
11 March – 9 April 2024 (1445
AH)
Pemba, the quieter island is a short flight or ferry
ride away. 1 March – 29 March 2025 (1446
AH)
Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania is well 18 February – 19 March 2026
connected by air and by ferry. See Get in by boat for (1447 AH)
details on the ferry.
8 February – 8 March 2027 (1448
Arusha, the gateway to the northern safari circuit AH)
can be reached by direct flights from Zanzibar or by
a more than 12-hr bus trip from Dar es Salaam. If you're planning to travel to
Zanzibar during Ramadan,
consider reading Travelling
during Ramadan.

Zanzibar

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