Zanzibar
Tanzania
Spice island beaches and a Swahili stone city
Best time to visit
June to October, December to February
Climate month by month
Average high and low · °C
Rainfall · mm per month
Best months to visit This month · wettest 360mm in Apr
Currency
Good valueUS dollars are widely accepted for hotels and tours, but bring notes issued after 2013 — older bills are frequently refused. Exchange bureaus in Stone Town beat the airport. Small shilling notes are essential for markets and dala-dalas.
ATMs & cards
CRDB, NMB and Exim machines in Stone Town are the reliable ones, but ATMs are sparse outside town and beach villages often have none. Withdraw before heading to the east coast. Decline conversion.
Avoid these
- standalone machines outside Stone Town
Use these instead
- CRDB
- NMB
- Exim Bank
ATMs are sparse on the east coast and beach villages often have none — withdraw in Stone Town before heading out.
Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.
Safety
SafeGenerally safe but Zanzibar is conservative and predominantly Muslim — cover shoulders and knees away from beach resorts, and swimwear stays on the beach. Malaria prophylaxis is advised; use repellent at dusk. Yellow fever certificate may be required depending on your route.
Our own assessment, not a sourced index.
Entry & visa
e-Visa requiredup to 90 days$50 ($100 for US passports)
Available on arrival too, but the queue at Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro is long and the e-visa avoids it. Compulsory travel insurance is now sold on arrival in Zanzibar (~$44) unless you hold a qualifying policy.
Visa required in advance
How to get it: Apply at visa.immigration.go.tz, allowing up to ten working days. Yellow fever certificates are checked if you are arriving from an endemic country, including via a long layover.
Entry rules change often and depend on your passport rather than where you live. This is a starting point — the embassy or the official page above is the authority, and the airline will check before you board.
Health & emergencies
Evacuation likelyRequired to enter
- Yellow fever certificate if arriving from a country where yellow fever is present — including via a layover of more than 12 hours in one
Worth having
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Tetanus up to date
- Malaria prophylaxis — Zanzibar is a genuine malaria area
- Rabies for longer stays
- Cholera for extended rural stays
Getting treated
The weakest on this list. Zanzibar has clinics that handle minor problems and a private hospital in Stone Town, but anything serious means an evacuation flight to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi. Travel insurance with air-evacuation cover is genuinely essential here, not a formality.
Malaria is the real risk and prophylaxis is strongly advised — take it as prescribed and use repellent and nets. Do not drink the tap water. Watch the yellow-fever transit rule closely, because it catches people connecting through Nairobi or Addis.
Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.
Food tip
GoodForodhani Gardens night market in Stone Town for grilled seafood and Zanzibar pizza — agree prices before ordering. Try urojo soup and fresh spice-infused curries.
Getting around
Workable- Private driver — the standard and most practical way to move between Stone Town and the beaches
- Dala-dala — shared minibuses, very cheap, slow and crowded but a real local experience
- Scooter or bike — possible but roads are rough and a local permit is required
- Walking — Stone Town’s alleys are entirely walkable and unmappable, which is the charm
- Airport: taxi to Stone Town (15 min) or the north coast (1.5h)
Must-see
Things to do
A long weekend- Get lost in Stone Town’s alleys
- Take a spice farm tour
- Snorkel or dive at Mnemba Atoll
- See red colobus monkeys in Jozani Forest
- Sail a traditional dhow at sunset
- Visit the former slave market memorial
Nearby day trips
Say a few words
Swahili
- HelloHabariha-BA-ree
- PleaseTafadhalita-fa-DHA-lee
- Thank youAsantea-SAN-teh
- Yes / NoNdiyo / Hapanan-DEE-yo / ha-PA-na
- Excuse meSamahanisa-ma-HA-nee
- How much is it?Bei gani?bay GA-nee
- The bill, pleaseBili tafadhaliBEE-lee
- No problemHakuna matataha-KOO-na ma-TA-ta
Jambo is the tourist greeting; habari is what locals actually say to each other. Using it changes how you are received.
Religion
Muslim on Zanzibar, split on the mainland
The mainland is roughly half Christian and half Muslim; Zanzibar is around 99% Muslim and noticeably more conservative. Cover shoulders and knees in Stone Town, and swimwear stays on the resort beach.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Cover shoulders and knees away from beach resorts — Zanzibar is conservative and predominantly Muslim
- Greet with habari and take the time for it; greetings are extended here
- Use the right hand to eat, give and receive
- Ask before photographing anyone
Don't
- Do not wear swimwear off the beach, including walking through Stone Town
- Do not show public affection, including between couples
- Do not eat or drink publicly during daylight in Ramadan
- Do not use the left hand for anything social; it is the toilet hand
Where to stay in Zanzibar
No Holistay rentals in Zanzibar yet — the platform is just opening up. Every listing here will have a video tour and the option to negotiate the nightly price directly with the host.
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