10 Important Things You Need to Know About Zanzibar

Here are 10 important information about Zanzibar that can greatly enhance your trip:

1. You don’t need to be vaccinated if you’re traveling from a low-risk country to Zanzibar.

Yellow fever vaccination is only mandatory for those coming from high-risk countries. Your country may not be one of them. You can check here whether vaccination is required for your country. You can find information on other recommended vaccinations and diseases there.

2. Malaria prophylaxis can be taken as a precaution.

A week before our Zanzibar trip, we followed the doctor’s advice and started using malaria pills. We continued for another 7 days after our return. Visit the travel health centers in your city to get information on necessary precautions.

3. Be cautious about drinking water.

Malaria can be transmitted not only by mosquitoes but also through drinking water. As Tanzania and Zanzibar are regions at risk for malaria, we always used bottled water. Whenever we sat down to eat at a restaurant or café, we made sure the bottle was opened right in front of us. Throughout our journey, we refrained from adding ice to our beverages and used bottled water for brushing our teeth instead of tap water.

4. Always bring mosquito repellent spray and cream.

Remember, you’re in a tropical place where you might encounter mosquitoes or insects anywhere. We brought mosquito repellent sprays with 100% DEET. The higher the DEET percentage, the more effectively it protects. Additionally, all the hotel rooms we stayed in had mosquito nets around the beds. So we didn’t have to deal with mosquitoes at night.

5. Don’t shop without bargaining.

When shopping, make sure to negotiate. Keep in mind that you can often reduce the price they quote for the item you want to buy to at least half, or even more if you can. For example, we bought a traditional Zanzibar game they initially priced at $45 for $9. Interestingly, the more you bargain, the more the seller enjoys it. They usually start with a very high initial price, assuming you’ll bargain anyway.

6. Don’t take too much TZS (Tanzanian Shilling).

Almost everywhere on the island, from markets to cafes, restaurants to tour companies, you can use dollars. In fact, many of them have prices listed directly in dollars on their menus. To avoid ending up with too much Tanzanian Shilling that you can’t exchange back before leaving, I recommend converting a modest amount to Shilling. You can use dollars in the remaining places. When we were on the island, the exchange rate was 2.28 TZS for 1 USD. We verified that we paid almost the same amount whether purchased in dollars or Shillings.

7. Be sure to bring water shoes.

In my post about Zanzibar’s beaches, I mentioned seaweed is grown and sold in Zanzibar. Therefore, if you plan to swim in these wonderful turquoise waters, you should definitely have water shoes on your feet. Both the seaweed and the marine life make this ocean a lively place. 🙂

8. You can put a few items that come to mind as gifts in your suitcase.

You’re going to a place with very limited resources. And seeing firsthand how challenging life is there really impacts you. You can bring a coloring book/colored pencils for children, or at least some sweets and chocolates to give.

9. Ladies, make sure to have a pair of long-legged trousers with you.

Although Zanzibar is a tourist destination, it is a predominantly Muslim island. Very short skirts and shorts might cause discomfort or offend the local people. Even if you can wear whatever you want at your hotel or on the beach, if you plan to visit Stone Town or have a layover at Dar Es Salaam airport, make sure to have a pair of trousers that go past your knees.

10. Try to arrange your transportation within the island with a single person.

If you’re going to do more than just the hotel-airport transfer and plan to explore the island, it’s better and more cost-effective to make arrangements with a single person for these transfers. We made an agreement with a driver recommended by the hotel in Stone Town. He took us from the hotel to the spice tour, from the spice tour to Matemwe, and from Matemwe to Zanzibar Airport. This way, we were able to negotiate the price and have peace of mind.

If you wish to arrange your airport from/to hotel transfer in advance, you can check the options available here and here.

Notes & Recommendations

• Having internet access here really makes your life a lot easier. I recommend checking out Airalo, which I’ve been using and really enjoying lately. You can look at the data packages that suit you best through this link, purchase an e-SIM. You can activate it as soon as you arrive in Zanzibar. If you use the code IAMONT3974 on your first purchase, you’ll get a $3 discount. 🙂
• There are many activities you can do in Zanzibar, you can check the activities and the prices from here and plan your holiday in advance by buying your tickets online.
• You can find my other articles about Zanzibar beaches, Stone Town, and spice tour here.