Organize your stay Zanzibar Archipelago
Money Zanzibar Archipelago
Currency. The Tanzanian shilling, or TSH, is the national currency. Coins are worth 5, 10, 20, 100, 200 or 500 TSH, while bills are worth 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 or 10,000 TSH. In reality, you'll hardly ever find coins in Zanzibar, as the prices are touristy and, given the value of the smallest bill, more appropriate. Make sure you have "small" denominations, which represent a lot of money in Zanzibar, but not much for Europeans. The 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 TSH bills are handy for leaving tips.
Exchange rates. On October1, 2023: 1 € = 2,634 TSH / 1,000 TSH = 0.38 € and 1 US$ = 2,504 TSH / 1,000 TSH = 0.4 US$.
The dollar is low compared with the euro, which favors French tourists to Zanzibar. Everything is much cheaper than in dollars, so take advantage of it.
ATMs and CB payments. There aren't many in Zanzibar: two at the airport, around 4 or 5 in Stone Town in the center (but some are often empty!), and a few banks on the outskirts. Then there are a few ATMs here and there: two in Nungwi, 4 or 5 in Pajé and 2 new ones in Pwani Mchamgani and Kiwengwa.
Smart advice. Stock up on shillings before you go to your hotel on the coast, and take some spare euros to exchange just in case. Hotels will exchange your euros, but the commission rate will be much lower than at the airport. Be aware that CB payments are subject to a 5% commission, and that if the Internet doesn't work, the payment may take a long time, if at all, until the following day.
The PBZ bank is really the most interesting for withdrawals in Stone Town (near the Darajani market) or in Pajé (on the main traffic circle). The maximum withdrawal is 400,000 TSH, compared with 200,000 TSH at Absa and many other banks. The local withdrawal fee is the same regardless of the amount withdrawn (around TSH 15,000). Added to this are your bank's bank charges, which are often high but free at some banks.
Budget & Tips Zanzibar Archipelago
A small bottle of water: 500 to 1,000 TSH.
A beer: 3,000 to 5,000 TSH.
A dish in a local restaurant: from 10,000 TSH.
One meal in an international restaurant: from 20,000 TSH.
One night in a hostel or guest house for 2 people: US$30-50 (with private bathroom), including breakfast. In a dormitory, between US$12 and US$20, again with breakfast.
One night in a mid-range hotel with swimming pool: between US$65 and US$120, including hearty buffet breakfast.
One night in a resort, boutique hotel or luxury hotel: from US$150 to US$400, with all services, sometimes half board, full board or all inclusive.
Gratuities included. Prices are inclusive of VAT and service in restaurants, but don't forget to tip: a 5,000 TSH bill is only €1.87, salaries are not high in Zanzibar, and thanks to the very advantageous euro/dollar exchange rate and the Tanzanian shilling indexed to the dollar, you'll eat like a pope for a reasonable price.
Shopping. In souvenir stores, prices are rarely indicated, and sometimes they are special mzungu ("White" in Kiswahili) rates. So, for any item, the price is often doubled or even tripled. But this is not a general rule. In any case, everyone has to make a living... The Memories store in Stone Town has reasonable prices, giving you an idea of the prices of items sold everywhere else. It's up to you to negotiate equal or lower prices with the vendors in the small stores... Taxis are negotiated at around 30-50% of the official price in the mid to low season, particularly with those parked in Stone Town who wait all day for customers and if you're making the round trip. At the airport, it's more complicated: official prices are fixed.
Passport and visas Zanzibar Archipelago
Passport. To enter Tanzania, you need a passport valid for at least six months at the date of your return ticket.
Visa and e-visa. You can pre-register on the Tanzanian Embassy website for an e-visa, which takes 3 to 4 working days to process. The visa can also be issued directly at Zanzibar airport for US$50, valid for three months in Tanzania, payable in cash (dollars) or credit card. They can also be issued at Dar es Salaam airport (if you're going to Mafia, you'll be stopping off here), at Kilimanjaro international airport (where flights for safaris and Kilimanjaro climbing arrive).
Driver's license Zanzibar Archipelago
A local drivinglicense is required to drive rented cars in Zanzibar. Your rental agency will issue it for US$10 at the Malindi Police Station on the day before the rental. Be aware of this before you think you'll be able to drive off with the car straight away. So always carry your local permit, your driving license and, if you have it, your international license.
No more backshishi. From now on, the police won't even stop tourists; they've been instructed not to bother them with their backshishi, or even cabs carrying mzungu (white people). So much the better, as they used to be their preferred target, and passing through check-points was always a stressful moment at the wheel, with some police officers demanding a lot of money for faults not committed. This reform, the brainchild of the late Tanzanian president John Magufuli, has boosted car rentals on the island and eased the pressure on tourist transport.
Health Zanzibar Archipelago
Malaria exists on Zanzibar, but is almost non-existent compared to the mainland. Unguja's mosquito control campaigns have led to a spectacular drop in malaria cases on the island in recent years, but the incidence has recently been rising slightly. Nothing really significant, especially if you're staying in beachfront resorts. The outbreaks are concentrated in the island's villages and populated suburbs. Mafia and Pemba, on the other hand, have fairly high malaria rates, so it's best to protect yourself.
Avoid getting bitten in any case, especially in the densely populated Stone Town. There are windy seasons when there are absolutely no mosquitoes on the coast, and other times after the rainy season when they can devour you. Take a tropical mosquito repellent to avoid being bitten, especially in the morning, evening and night. In any case, you'll sleep under a mosquito net on 100% of the island's beds.
Mandatory vaccination Zanzibar Archipelago
There are no compulsory vaccinations for Zanzibar.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is not compulsory, but is recommended. It is compulsory if you arrive in or have stopped over for more than 12 hours in a country affected by this disease. It is also compulsory if you have stayed in another country in Africa or Latin and Central America affected by yellow fever. If you are arriving directly from Europe, there is no vaccination requirement, but the yellow fever vaccine is recommended by European doctors and is active for life.
List of African countries from which yellow fever vaccination is required, or connections of more than 12 hours: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Congo (DRC), Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Uganda.
FromSouth and Central America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.
Security Zanzibar Archipelago
Generally speaking, there's no insecurity in Zanzibar, and you can walk around all day with your belongings. No one gets mugged for their bag in the middle of the day, either in Stone Town or on the beaches. In the capital, a guide is recommended to help you find your way around, and will accompany you in the evening. Insecurity is not overt. In 2017, surveillance cameras were installed throughout the old town. Prison sentences are very long, so there are few would-be thieves. The harbor district at night is not very advisable on foot. As a general rule, it's safer to take a cab at night, even a motorcycle cab (piki piki) that waits outside bars.
In the coastal villages, the hotels provide security for their guests' belongings at night and during the day, usually by Maasai from mainland Tanzania, who are reputed to be good night watchmen. Accustomed to guarding livestock against the threat of predators, Maasaïs also guard hotels in Zanzibar, either on a seasonal or year-round basis.
Time difference Zanzibar Archipelago
From France, the time difference with Tanzania is +2 hours in winter (12h in France, 14h in Tanzania) between late October and late March, and +1 hour in summer (12h in France, 13h in Tanzania) between late March and late October.
Spoken languages Zanzibar Archipelago
In Zanzibar, Kiswahili is 100% spoken. Only Kiswahili and English are official languages. English is used in the administration. For travellers who are off the beaten track, a few words of Kiswahili are essential. For others, basic English will do. Some self-taught beach boys have even learned French, with the help of guides who have had French lessons at the only private language school on the island in Stone Town. You should know that in Tanzania there are more than 100 different languages and more than 120 ethnic groups!
Communication Zanzibar Archipelago
Wifi is available in every hotel - it's a matter of survival! No one knows how to live without the Internet, especially in this age of networks. While in Stone Town and Nungwi, the speed of the network means you can post your stories, expect it to be alternative and very pole-pole on the rest of the island! Nevertheless, it's always there. It's free in all hotels, cafés and restaurants.
Electricity and measurements Zanzibar Archipelago
Electricity is of the British standard (220/230 volts), at least in principle, as variations and power cuts are frequent. All accommodations are now equipped with generators, otherwise comments and ratings on the Internet will drop dramatically. Yes, tourists don't like to be without electricity and hot water - that's the minimum comfort. The plugs are not, in theory, compatible with the French standard - there are three square holes. There are three square holes, but there's usually a safety device on the ground hole that you can bypass. The first time it's not so simple: you have to push a plastic pen or pencil through it, to be able to plug the two male plugs of your cable into the other two holes. Miracle, it works!
Luggage Zanzibar Archipelago
Pack light clothing, especially plenty of cotton shirts or T-shirts, so you can change in the muggy coastal heat. A hat, sun cream and an essential pair of sunglasses will complete your outfit.
On the coast, color doesn't scare off the friendly locals you meet: shimmering clothes are part of Swahili culture. Above all, bear in mind that Muslims are in the majority here, and some are very religious. It is therefore inadvisable to walk around town in a tank top and tight shorts, and even more so in a bathing suit: it's a basic question of respect for the locals. Women are advised to keep their knees and shoulders covered. This is even truer in Pemba. At the pools and on the beaches, bathing suits pose no problem, but you should be aware that toplessness is not at all part of local tradition: Tanzanians are quite prudish.
For safaris, wear beige and khaki green, no blue or black, which attract flies, a warm sweater for game drives in the cool of the morning, and no flashy colors that frighten and disturb the animals.
