Do you feel like relaxing and just laying down on some of the best beaches in the world? On this Zanzibar travel guide, you are going to find some of the most stunning places to visit in Zanzibar and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
We have collected our best Zanzibar travel tips to make sure you live it as it best. On this guide, you’ll find the best places to go, some great places to eat, to sleep and more. You’ll see some really amazing places on this wonderful island from where you will never want to leave
Quick Zanzibar Travel Tips
- Take your time to explore Stone Town food and culture.
- Pack a snorkel mask. You will want to use it almost everywhere.
- Do not touch coral or fishes when snorkeling.
- Spices and coffee are a big deal. Take a tour to learn more.
- Zanzibar is a Muslim island so dress appropriately.
- Beware of scams with tours and only go with reputable places.
- Zanzibar island is generally safe, but with extra precaution and common sense will be much safer.
- Moving around the island with taxi is the easiest but most expensive. Don’t be afraid of negotiating hard the prices.
- When on the beach, never leave your stuff unattended.
- Take a tour with a dhow. Is a great experience.
Where is Zanzibar?: This little island might not be easy to find at first in the map. Zanzibar is one of the Indian Ocean islands. It is situated on the Swahili Coast, adjacent to Tanzania, which is the country.
Visa: You can get in Tanzania a visa on arrival, which means, that you don’t need to apply for it in advance. Although you can if you want. Once you arrive at the airport, just head to the immigration office with 50$ and 2 id pictures. You can also check here if you need a Visa.
Language: The main language in Zanzibar is Swahili, however, English is their second language so most of the people can speak English there.
Currency: The currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling. There is only ATM in Stone Town so we would recommend you to withdraw enough money for all your stay in Zanzibar island, otherwise, you might run out of money and most of the places won’t take cash
Safety: There has been an increase in the number of residential burglaries in Zanzibar and Arusha in 2018. In any case, check here for travel advice about the current safety in Tanzania.
Also, there is Malaria in Zanzibar and some other diseases you need to check ahead. In terms of vaccinations, you must have the yellow fever vaccine to get into the country and have with you your vaccination log.
For the best medical advice is worth to check Fit for Travel website. You should seek medical advice on vaccinations and any other advice a professional can provide you with. As it is a dengue area, we recommend you to have mosquito repellent with a high concentration of DEET. It is important that you have good travel insurance when traveling to these countries to have all the travel essentials covered.
What to pack: Zanzibar is a very hot and humid place. The average temperature is around 29 degrees, and it gets only a little bit colder at night. Try to pack light and breathable clothes. We love to take less but good, this is the kind of shirt we take to warm places and they last forever.
As it is a Malaria zone, take with you a mosquito repellent with at least 50% DEET and make sure you apply it mostly at dawn and sunset, as those are the most dangerous hours. Lastly, take a look at the ultimate guide to packing to nail it with your packing.
How to move around: There are two different ways to move around in Zanzibar, one is by taxi, and the other option is by Dalla Dalla. We chose a taxi most of the time since is much faster and convenient
- Taxi: Most of the taxis don’t have a taximeter so you will have to negotiate the price with the driver (try to. For safety reasons, ensure the taxi you are taking has the license and that the license belongs to the driver. We heard some cases in which tourists have taken pirate taxis and ended up scammed or worst.
- Dalla Dalla: Is the public transport and is how the locals move around. They are like small buses that get really packed at peak hours and they don’t have aircon. They are much cheaper than taxis but probably less comfortable and does not have much room even for a backpack
You can also fly from Dar es Salam to Zanzibar. Check your options in Skyscanner since they have pretty good deals.
How much cost travel to Zanzibar?
We spent an average of 59$ per day on our trip around Zanzibar, all included. Take into account that moving from one point to another in a taxi, is not really cheap. It will also depend on your negotiation skills, but regardless, it won’t be as cheap as a bus in Asia for example.
Also, some places do not have budget-friendly options, and if they do, they might feel a bit dodgy, so do a bit of homework before the adventure to any random place. So from experience, we think this is a pretty close estimate to travel Zanzibar on a budget and safe.
If we travel to Zanzibar again, we definetively won’t do it on a budget. But this was just the first stop in our one year trip around the world.
How is the average price calculated?
It is the total of all our expenses in Zanzibar divided by 14 days, which is the time we spent there. That is taking into account:
- What kind of accommodation? We mainly stayed at budget hotels and some hostels
- How did you move around? Most of the time we moved around with taxis.
- What kind of food did you have? Normally we went for local food, which is very good. Just be cautious and make sure is all cooked and do not eat raw veggies.
- What do you consider entertainment? Many tours like safari blue, or dolphin watching.
Stone Town.
Stone town is the first stop in Zanzibar Island. Its form reminds of a maze of narrow alleys with many small local shops, bazaars, small houses, and mosques. A Place rich in history and culture, which has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s so much about Stone Town to take in, so let yourself go with the flow and delve into Zanzibar’s culture and rich heritage.
Paje.
Situated on the east coast of Zanzibar and only an hour ride from Stone Town has become a mecca for backpackers. A long sand stripe and turquoise waters are the perfect combinations for anyone looking for water sports due to its wide offer. It is a hot spot for those who are into kitesurfing and one of the biggest Zanzibar beaches. Come if your thing is to be relaxed with a massive beach for yourself.
Nungwi.
It is the purest place we found in Zanzibar. A small charming village in the north of Zanzibar only 3km from Kendwa. The perfect place to relax and wander around the beach and the local village and for us, one of the best Zanzibar beaches.
Kendwa.
Is one of the biggest beaches in Zanzibar. Kendwa is a popular destination for tourists for its beauty and also for hosting full moon parties. It has a wide offer of resorts and restaurants on the beach. Although it is amazing, it is been developed fast!
Zanzibar Itinerary
Taking into account the time to arrive at and from Dar es Salam to Zanzibar, we would suggest spending at least 7 days in Zanzibar.
It is not a big island, so moving with a taxi around is the best option and does not take a lot of time, although the roads up there are not in the best conditions.
Our suggestion for a route in Zanzibar would be starting in Stone Town for the first contact. From here you can easily move anywhere.
We would recommend a short trip to Prison Island. Not only the island is gorgeous, but you will also have the chance to see the giant turtles.
After, Paje would make a great second stop for aquatic sports or for some tours in a bit more relaxed atmosphere.
From here, you can take a cab all the way north to Nungwi. This is the real paradise, so enjoy here some of the most amazing and purest beaches of Zanzibar.
Lastly, any travel to Zanzibar should pass by Kendwa. Beaches are extensive and idyllic, although there are more resorts and is one of the most touristic areas.
This is a great 7 days Zanzibar travel itinerary to cover the highlights.
Related: Best Zanzibar Beaches
Where to Stay in Stone Town
We stayed at Lost and Found Hostel, a famous place for backpackers, it has a good location, big bunk beds with curtains to preserve your privacy, air con in the rooms, and knowledgeable staff. We booked our tours and transfers through them and we were satisfied
Where to Stay in Paje
We stayed at Demani Lodge, which was a bit far from the rest of the resorts, but it has the beach just in front, the huts are clean and it has a resting area with swimming pool and swings which makes it the perfect place to relax. We loved this place, and the swimming pool they have is great. If we go back, we will be back here!
Where to Stay in Nungwi
We found an accommodation right in front of the beach called Makofi, an affordable quiet place, with good vibes and delicious breakfast. The best, we lived in a swimming suit and barefoot all the time we spent there, just in front of the purest Zanzibar beaches. We also tried Nungwi House, which is a good option if you are on a budget as we were, although not the best location.
Where to Stay in Kendwa
We stayed at Palumbo Kendwa, it was around 15 minutes walk from the beach, but they had their own transfer which was really convenient at night time there was no light.
Also, I suggest you check this list with the best hotels where to stay in Zanzibar.
Where to eat in Stone Town
- Forodhani Food Market: Simply head there for a variety of local food in Stone Town. It’s where most of the people head for dinner and have a real first taste of traditional local food. Fresh fish, seafood, chicken, and meat all grilled at the moment, chapattis, vegetables, samosas… the paradise for hungry bellies.
- The Silk Route. With really good traditional Indian food, this restaurant also offers magnificent views.
Where to eat in Nungwi
- Badolina Secret Garden Restaurant. With reasonable prices, this restaurant offers good variety and exquisite Mediterranean dishes. You cannot fail with the fish here.
- Saruche Restaurant. Just for the vibes, this place deserves a visit. In a beautiful location, it offers some of the best options for local cuisine. If you like lobsters, this place can be a good choice.
Where to eat in Kendwa
- Fisherman local restaurant. There is no more authentic, good, and affordable restaurant in Kendwa than this one. When we walked around to explore the options and saw how locals always stopped here and tried, we kept coming every day for the selection of fresh fish they offer.
- La Fontana. From time to time we all want some good pasta or a pizza, and this place really delivers quality on both.
Where to eat in Paje
- Mr. Kahawa. For real experience and tasty vegan dishes.
- Ocean Restaurant. There is no better place for eating African food with ocean views.
Before you go- Get good travel insurance
Because things can go wrong even in such an amazing destination like Zanzibar, we always recommend buying good travel insurance before leaving.
A missed fly connection, lost baggage, stolen travel gear, any accident you may have in destination, etc. These are some examples of some things that could easily happen to anyone.
So is always worth to have good travel insurance for peace of mind and also to be covered in case you have any of these issues or need medical attention.
Bear in mind Zanzibar is a small island with limited resources. So in case of a big accident you might need to be evacuated and that is not going to be cheap.
The one we always use and can recommend you for their price, coverage, but overall service, is World Nomads. Any time we have had any issue while traveling they have been very responsive and make things easy.
You can get a quick quote here to have an idea on how much it will cost you.
Zanzibar Travel Tips- Conclusion
Luckily for us, we have been in many places around the world but still is hard to beat Zanzibar when it comes to beaches.
It is an amazing island with a lot to offer. Just stay vigilant and do a bit of research before going somewhere and check well your options for accommodation and transport, which we have provided above.
Other than that, “Hakuna Matata”!
Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
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