The Ultimate Zanzibar Travel Guide

This Zanzibar travel guide will cover everything you need to know before you visit Zanzibar. It will cover tips for visiting Zanzibar. I also cover some things to know before you go and what we did in Zanzibar. Now, I will share everything from my research and experience. Hopefully, this helps you make an informed decision before you book your trip.

Zanzibar Travel Guide – About Zanzibar

Did you know that Zanzibar was once the former capital of Oman?? I found this out after my unexpected trip to Oman in 2017. In 1840 Sultan Said made Zanzibar the capital of Oman, transferring it 3,000 miles from Muscat. At the time, Zanzibar was prospering while Oman was declining and the Sultan thought he could safeguard his territories on the African mainland this way and while dominating Indian Ocean trade. This also helped to give the Arabs more of a reach during slave trade, over 10,000 slaves were being brought to Zanzibar from the mainland every year. Zanzibar got its name from how the early Arab traders described the East African coast; “zinj el barr” translated a “land of the blacks”. I found this so fascinating that just like that someone could call a whole other country/city their capital! Omani architecture is still prevalent around Stone town and so are Omani people/descendants.

RELATED POST: 8hrs in Oman

Zanzibar Travel Guide – Getting to Zanzibar

The only airport in Zanzibar is the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) and there are direct flights available from parts of Europe. There are no direct flights from the UK, Canada, USA or Nigeria.

You could also travel from Dar Es Salaam Intl on the mainland via ferry to Zanzibar. The ferry takes about 2 hours to get to Stone town. The main ferry company is Azam Marine so check out their website to book tickets and or ferry times. There are also direct flights that’ll have you in Stone town in as little as 20 mins and is priced anywhere between $40 and $70!  

We got an amazing deal on Secret Flying for a return flight on TUI from Brussels direct to Zanzibar and a quick stopover in Mombasa on the return flight for €317.98 (approx. £275) including 20kg luggage; we just had to get our return flight from Manchester to Brussels in addition.

Zanzibar Travel Guide – Entry Requirements for Zanzibar

Passport Validity: Passports need to be valid and have at least 6-month validity.

Visa Requirement for Zanzibar: If you are travelling to Zanzibar for tourism, you need a visa to visit from the UK. A single entry visa costs $50 and British citizens can get a visa on arrival in Zanzibar. Make sure you have either a $50 or $100 note, smaller denominations were not be accepted when I visited. Cards are also accepted at no additional cost. This is one thing I never saw on any of the blogs and was quite unprepared with my smaller denominations, so make sure you come prepared.

American passport holders will, however, have to apply for Multiple Entry Visa which costs $100. You can also apply for an e-visa prior to arrival for ease.

Vaccinations: If you’re arriving from most African countries or any country listed as a transmission risk, you might need a Yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter the country.

Travel Insurance: From 1st October 2024, all visitors to Zanzibar (excluding residents) must have mandatory Inbound Travel Insurance from Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) which costs $44. You can only buy it from ZIC on the Visit Zanzibar website. This insurance offers comprehensive coverage for emergencies such as medical evacuations and repatriation.

Zanzibar Travel Guide – When to visit Zanzibar

Zanzibar is warm all year round and there are two main seasons – dry from June to October and wet from March to May. There is a shorter dry season from late December to February and a short rainy season in November and December. I went in November and didn’t see any rain at all in the day but I did hear the thunderstorms at night. The perk of visiting in the November is prices are lower, so you get great deals on hotels and flight prices, if you don’t mind a little rain.

Christmas is an especially busy time on the Island so prices are likely to increase and hotels will sell out. During Ramadan, a lot of shops and restaurants are closed so just a couple of things to think about when planning your trip.

Zanzibar Travel Guide – Which part of Zanzibar to stay

Now I’m sure you’re thinking where on the island should I stay? Your location can affect the prices you’d expect to pay for accommodation, food and other things. I stayed in Bwejuu on the East coast (near Paje) and Kiwengwa in the North east. Bwejuu was a great quiet village and its proximity to Paje meant we were close to the fun, beach parties and kiting activities. It was pretty cheap as well to eat and I really loved the beach.

Kiwengwa was very different to Bwejuu. It’s locally known as ‘Little Italy’, so expect to see lots of Italian menus in restaurants and Italian people. It was more expensive (cost double to eat, a bottle of Sprite cost 2500 shillings in Paje and 4000 shillings here!), the beach wasn’t as nice in my opinion and not as many places to eat.

I’d recommend Bwejuu, Paje or Jambiani in the South or Nungwi instead of Kiwengwa in the North.

Zanzibar Travel Guide – Where to Stay in Zanzibar

We first stayed in Sahari hotel Zanzibar in Bwejuu on the East coast. It was a last minute booking as we travelled 2 days after we booked the flights. I really wanted a hotel right on the beach and with a sea view and that’s precisely what we got with Sahari. It’s a small boutique hotel with a pool and of course, beach front access. There were actually lots of areas to chill and relax in the building and on the grounds.It had such a chill vibe, the nicest staff, great breakfast and great location.

Second hotel was Zanbluu Beach hotel, Kiwengwa in the Northeast. The hotel is another small boutique hotel with 16 rooms and 1 villa, sat on a small cliff with incredible views and a stunning infinity pool. The views at breakfast and the sunset were just immaculate! They had a lot of activities on offer that you could book, we booked the Starfish tour. I would recommend this hotel especially for couples.

We ended our stay in Jafferji House and Spa in Stone town.

We loved all the hotels we stayed at, the hospitality at Sahari was amazing, and we literally felt like family that we didn’t want to leave. We were completely in love with the views and the infinity pool at Zanbluu and being able to eat breakfast facing the ocean in the mornings was a great highlight!

Zanzibar Travel Guide – Getting around Zanzibar

The best way for us to get around was by taxi. You can get your hotel to call you one or ask for a number and you can use keep calling that taxi throughout your stay. The fares are a trumped up for tourists so definitely negotiate before you get in! Make sure you book your airport transfer before you arrive and don’t pay before you get here.

You can rent a car to get around Zanzibar and you would need to get an international license. I personally don’t think you really need a car; the taxis are really easy enough and not significantly more expensive when you factor in fuel costs.

Zanzibar Travel Guide – What to do in Zanzibar

There’s a lot to do in Zanzibar from dolphin spotting, snorkelling to kite surfing, cycling and so much more. You can look online for activities or you can just as easily ask the staff at your hotel or even the taxi company that get you from the airport. (Costs were accurate at the time of writing this post in 2018)

1. Blue Safari

This is probably the most recommended activity in Zanzibar and rightly so! It combines a few things – Dhow boat ride, snorkelling, swimming in the blue lagoon and more, into one amazing day! I think I’ll do a dedicated post to this day with details because it was absolutely awesome and all that awesomeness is too much to write in one paragraph. It was definitely one of, if not the best day of our holiday. We booked through Nicolas Zanzibar tour (I found this out when I was researching) and our guide was Amis (aka. Michael Angelo haha). Amis was THE best, such a great character and the nicest guy; he made the tour even better!

Cost = $50

2. Rent a Bike

Renting a bike is a great and easy way to explore the part of the island you’re in. Ride down the coast, take in the views and interact with the locals, who will undoubtedly stop to chat with you. You’ll probably be able to rent a bike through your hotel, we rented ours from our hotel for the day.

Cost= $5 

3. Quad Bike Village Tour

Now I never knew I was so horrible at driving quad bikes but wow, I’m abysmal! But it was such a fun way to interact with the village locals, understand village life, have fun with the children and generally enjoy the simplicity of village life. It was such a nostalgic experience because it reminded me a lot of my parent’s villages in Nigeria. If you’re sharing a quad (which is much cheaper), one of you will need to show a driving license, doesn’t need to be international.

Cost= $50

4. Starfish tour/Snorkelling

We booked this through our hotel (Zanbluu) and it was with two local brothers in their dhow boat. We went to the coral reef and saw all kinds of marine life in their natural habitat. Then we went snorkelling and I can’t swim but the tide was high so I could stand in the water on the corals at the bottom. It was such a relaxing activity, I absolutely loved it.

Cost= $10

5. Spice Tour

Take a fragrant walk through a guided tour on a spice plantation farm. Learn about Zanzibar’s spice trade history and the different spices grown that earn Zanzibar the name, the Spice Islands. 

Cost=$10-$20

6. Walking Tour

Walking tours are such a great way to get to know a city and it’s no different here. Take a walking tour around Stone town, go to the markets and see Omani architecture still prevalent in the town. 

Cost=$15-$25

Tip- When booking activities/tours, don’t book online, instead wait till you get to Zanzibar and book with locals or through your hotel. It’s definitely a significant cost saving as there’s room for some negotiation, unless you’ve come up with a way to haggle with a computer! All the tours/activities we did were booked through our contacts at the hotels.

What to Pack/Wear in Zanzibar

With regards to culture, this Zanzibar Travel Guide will focus on religion as I think it majorly forms the Zanzibarian culture. Zanzibar is a majority Muslim Island and as such a lot of the local women were covered up, even when entering the water. There aren’t any clothing restrictions per se, on the beach, of course you can wear your bikini or swimsuit! When I went into the village for a quad tour I wore shorts and a baggy top over it and I didn’t get stared at crazy. Topless sunbathing, however, is illegal so don’t do it! I don’t imagine you’d want to know what the inside of a Zanzibar cell looks like haha.

In Stone Town, I definitely covered up a bit more. I wore a maxi dress one day and trousers & a t-shirt the next day. Ladies, I would suggest not showing too much skin. You’ll feel uncomfortable with the stares and attention you’d get walking around the markets. Just generally be aware and respectful of the religion there and you should be fine. 

Zanzibar Nightlife

Zanzibaris love to party and so they’re nightlife is popping! We went out twice I think in Zanzibar, once in Bwejuu village and once in Sone town. Our first night there, our driver took us to get food and after, he took us to a local party across the road! There are so many more but I’ve just kept it to these few to get you started.

In Nungwi, Gerry’s Bar is a perfect place to enjoy a laid back evening with good food, cocktails and sunset. They also host beach parties and live entertainment and it’s really a vibe. 

10 minutes away from Nungwi, there’s a full moon party usually on the first Saturday (but not always) of every month in Kendwa called Kendwa Rocks. It’s one of the biggest parties on the island! Every other Saturday they also host a beach party with grill, live performances and dance till sunrise. It’s free for residents of the Kendwa Rocks hotel.

In Paje, there’s the Jambo Friday Party every Friday hosted at the Jambo Beach Bungalows for BBQ and karaoke night and then a DJ after.. 

There’s also the B4 Beach Bar in Paje. It offers the ideal place to chill out in the evening with lounge chairs and cushions and dig into their incredible burgers and excellent milkshakes, which they’re famous for btw. They have a movie night on Friday and host an electronic/deep house beach party on Saturday.

I hope this Zanzibar Travel Guide helps you whether it’s your first time travelling or your 100th!

Until next time x