Zanzibar

Most travel sources recommend the dry season, June to October. July to September is described as dry and pleasant, and one guide names September as the best single month.

January and February are hot and relatively dry, with good beach weather.

March to May, especially April, is the least reliable for weather. One source says many beach lodges close in March and April and reopen in June, so check each property before booking.

Diving: sources disagree on the best months. One guide says October to March for calm water, another says June to October for clearer water (about 20 to 30 m visibility), with heavy rain reducing visibility. Ask your dive centre for current conditions.

Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, so Tanzanian visa rules apply (checked 8 October 2026). The UK government (FCDO) says you need a tourist or business visa and should apply for an e-visa online before you travel. Single-entry tourist visas can also be bought on arrival at main ports of entry, but multiple-entry visas cannot. Tanzania Immigration lists Zanzibar airport, Zanzibar Sea Port and Wete Sea Port as places that issue visas.

Published fees (from the Tanzania High Commission in Ottawa and a Tanzania Immigration advisory, both undated):
- Tourist single entry: USD 50 (USD 100 for US nationals, per the High Commission)
- Multiple entry: USD 100
- Transit: USD 30
Fees can change and may differ by nationality, so confirm the amount when you apply on the official portal.

East African Community citizens can get a visitor's pass of up to six months. We could not find an official list of visa-exempt nationalities, so check the portal for your passport.

Many guides say foreign visitors clear immigration again when arriving in Zanzibar from the mainland, and that passports are needed to book and board ferries. We found no official page confirming the procedure, so carry your passport and visa on every mainland-Zanzibar trip.

Zanzibar also has a separate compulsory travel insurance rule (see the insurance section).

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the day you arrive and have at least one blank page (FCDO, (checked 8 October 2026)).

You will need to show a return or onward ticket at border control.

Entry can be refused if your passport is invalid or has been reported lost or stolen. A visa does not guarantee entry; an immigration officer can still refuse it.

Carry copies of your passport photo page and your visa, and keep the originals easy to reach.

Yellow fever certificate (checked 8 October 2026): UK TravelHealthPro and the US CDC both say a certificate is required for travellers over 1 year old who arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever, or who spent more than 12 hours in transit at an airport in such a country. If you arrive directly from a country without the risk (for example the UK or US), CDC says you do not need one. Certificates are valid for life.

The Tanzanian Ministry of Health notice of 31 July 2023 says the vaccine should be given at least 10 days before entry, and that travellers without a valid certificate may be refused entry or vaccinated on arrival and observed for up to 10 days. That notice covers mainland Tanzania only and does not mention Zanzibar. We did not find a separate Zanzibar notice, so confirm with the official sources before you travel.

Yellow fever vaccination is generally not recommended for Tanzania itself, because the risk is low.

Other vaccines: keep routine vaccines up to date. TravelHealthPro recommends hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus for most travellers, and others (such as hepatitis B, rabies, cholera and meningococcal) for some travellers depending on risk. See a travel clinic at least 8 weeks before you go.

Malaria: TravelHealthPro rates Zanzibar as high malaria risk (checked 8 October 2026), the same as mainland Tanzania below 1,800 m. Ask a doctor or travel clinic about prescription tablets (options include atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline and mefloquine) and also avoid mosquito bites.

Dengue is present in Tanzania, and mosquitoes that carry it bite in the daytime, especially in towns. Use repellent through the day as well as at night.

Water: drink boiled, filtered or bottled water. Fresh water can carry schistosomiasis, but chlorinated pools and sea water are not a risk. Rabies may be present on Zanzibar.

Mpox: the FCDO notes body temperature checks at all points of entry. Check the FCDO health page for current outbreak or screening news before you go.

Medical care: facilities in Tanzania are limited. Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Stone Town is the main public hospital named in one embassy guide, and there are private clinics. The air ambulance services listed in that guide are based in Dar es Salaam or Arusha, not on Zanzibar, so make sure your insurance covers medical evacuation. If you are referred to a clinic, contact your insurer quickly.

Compulsory inbound insurance (checked 8 October 2026): visitors to Zanzibar (not residents) must hold inbound travel insurance bought from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). It has applied since 1 October 2024 and covers your stay for up to 92 days. Other travel insurance policies are not accepted as a substitute. The US State Department gives the price as USD 44 per adult and USD 22 per child aged 3 to 17, and says it can be bought on the Zanzibar government website or on arrival. Travellers without it may be refused entry.

Mainland Tanzania: the FCDO (updated 6 October 2026) says the same type of mandatory insurance now applies to both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, and that you buy it only for your first port of entry. Travel-industry sources say the mainland scheme began on 1 October 2026. Rules are new and may change, so check the official sites before each departure.

This compulsory cover is not a replacement for your own insurance. The FCDO advises full travel insurance that covers local treatment and medical evacuation. We could not find out whether the compulsory policy covers watersports, diving or ferry accidents, so check your own policy for those activities.

The currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS).

Tanzanian regulations that took effect on 28 March 2025 (GN 198 of 2025) require goods and services in Tanzania to be priced and paid in shillings. The Bank of Tanzania has said that services delivered inside the country must be charged in shillings. We could not confirm how this works in practice for tourists paying hotels or tours in US dollars, so ask each hotel and provider how they take payment, and do not rely on paying everything in dollars (checked 8 October 2026).

Banks and exchange bureaus operate in Stone Town, and the airport has a 24-hour exchange. Travel writers report ATMs at the airport and in central Stone Town that sometimes run out of cash and often charge a withdrawal fee.

Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted cards. Larger hotels and some restaurants take cards, sometimes with a surcharge. Many local places are cash only, so carry some shillings for markets, taxis and small shops.

Swahili (Kiswahili) is the main local language. The Zanzibar dialect has many Arabic words, reflecting centuries of Omani influence.

A few Swahili greetings are appreciated and are a polite way to start a conversation.

We could not confirm the official language status against a government source, so we do not list it here.

Zanzibar has a warm, humid, tropical climate all year. Average daily highs run from about 29 C in July to about 34 C in March, and February and March are the hottest months.

- Long rains: March to May, with April usually the wettest.
- Short rains: November and December, usually lighter and less reliable.
- Main dry season: June to October.
- Shorter dry spell: January and February.

Humidity is highest during the long rains. The sea tends to be calmer from December to March, while June to October is windier.

These are general climate averages from tourism sources, not an official forecast. Rain and temperatures vary from year to year, so check a forecast close to your travel dates.

Dress is conservative, especially away from beach resorts and in Stone Town (checked 8 October 2026). The FCDO says women in shorts or sleeveless tops away from resorts may cause offence, and that Zanzibar authorities can fine people US$700 or more for inappropriate public clothing, and guides and tour operators at least US$1,000. The US State Department also advises conservative dress. Swimwear is fine on beaches and at resorts.

Pack:
- Loose, light clothes covering shoulders and knees for towns and villages (one guide suggests men cover navel to knee, and women wear knee-length or longer)
- A lightweight cover-up for beach-to-town trips
- Sun protection and mosquito repellent
- Any prescribed malaria tablets and your usual medicines
- A UK-style (type G) plug adaptor; supply is 230 V and power surges happen
- Cloth or dry bags instead of plastic carrier bags
- Copies of your passport and visa

Single-use plastic carrier bags are banned in Tanzania, and the FCDO says arriving air passengers must hand them over.

The main airport is Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) on Unguja island, about 5 km south of Zanzibar City. Terminal 3 handles international flights and Terminal 2 serves domestic and some international flights. The airport has a 24-hour currency exchange.

Domestic and regional flights connect Zanzibar with Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Nairobi. Airlines and routes change, so check before booking. Pemba Island has its own airport (PMA), near Chake-Chake, with flights to Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam.

Ferries run between Dar es Salaam and Stone Town. Sources disagree on crossing time: a recent booking site says about 1 hour for fast ferries, while older travel blogs say 2 to 3 hours. Check times and book through the ferry company. You will need your passport to book and board.

Ferry safety: the FCDO notes that ferry disasters have killed hundreds of people on the Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar and inter-island routes. Do not board an overloaded or unseaworthy ferry, note where the life jackets are, and be wary of aggressive ticket touts at ports.

We did not find an official Zanzibar airport authority page, so flight details are not officially confirmed.

Park and marine activities: we did not find official booking rules for Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, Prison Island (Changuu) or the marine conservation areas. Safari operators advise that a local guide is needed at Jozani. Ask your hotel or tour provider to confirm entry rules and opening hours before you go.

Drones: the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority says visitors must get a drone import permit, register the drone and the pilot, and apply for an operations permit at least three weeks before arrival ([email protected]). Drones brought in without an import permit are confiscated at entry, and fees are not refunded if deadlines are missed. TCAA's page does not give Zanzibar-specific rules, so confirm with TCAA whether the permit covers Zanzibar.

Diving: we found no official requirement. A Zanzibar guide advises using certified dive centres.

Photography: the US State Department says photographing military installations, government buildings, bridges, airports and police officers is illegal. The FCDO says it is illegal to take or share photos and video of protests and violence.

Souvenirs: removing wildlife, plants or seashells without a permit is illegal, and exporting items such as horns or seashells needs a certified export permit from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.

112 is the emergency number confirmed by two government sources: the FCDO says to call 112 and ask for an ambulance, and the US State Department lists 112 for police.

Other numbers (such as 111, 114, 115 and 999) are listed differently by different sources, and we could not verify any Zanzibar-specific police, fire or ambulance number. Save 112 in your phone, and ask your hotel for local numbers on arrival. Emergency responders can be slow to arrive.

Embassies and high commissions for help with crime or arrest are in Dar es Salaam, not on Zanzibar. Save your own country's contact details before you travel.

Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Stone Town is the main public hospital named in one embassy guide. We have not verified its phone numbers, so ask your hotel or insurer about the nearest clinic.

Keep your insurer's emergency line and your policy number somewhere easy to reach.

Culture: Zanzibar is mainly Muslim. Dress modestly in Stone Town and villages. During Ramadan, the FCDO advises not eating or drinking in public outside hotels and restaurants, and to ask your guide or hotel for local guidance.

Laws: same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Tanzania including Zanzibar, and public displays of affection could lead to arrest (FCDO). Drug laws are strict. Avoid political posts or discussion.

Safety: the FCDO reports bag snatching, assaults at beach resorts and verbal harassment of women. Do not leave drinks unattended, avoid walking alone at night and keep valuables out of sight. The US State Department advisory for Tanzania is Level 3, Reconsider Travel (issued 31 October 2025; (checked 8 October 2026)). Check the current FCDO and US advice before you go.

Getting around: driving is on the left. Zanzibar requires a local driving permit, usually arranged by the hire company. Driving standards are poor, so avoid driving at night outside towns. The FCDO says dala dalas, boda bodas and bajajis have poor safety records.

Other: the time zone is UTC+3. Stone Town's cobbled, narrow alleys are difficult for wheelchair users. Power is 230 V and surges happen.