Unguja, aka Zanzibar Island, is the main island in the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar located in the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar is truly the most beautiful island I’ve visited to date, and yes, it exceeds my home country of Dominican Republic. The white sand beaches, clear water, and low tides, make it any beach lovers dream.
Zanzibar is part of the Republic of Tanzania, as such, the island has its own flag and president, and is very much independent in many ways from the mainland Tanzania. Zanzibar, dubbed Spice Island, is rich in culture, food, and scenery –a must visit country if traveling through East Africa.
1 Getting to Zanzibar & Entry Requirements. You have two options for getting to Zanzibar and it depends on your itinerary. You can either fly into Dar es Salaam in the mainland Tanzania, then take the ferry or short plane ride to Zanzibar airport (ZNZ). This option is best if you’re coming from safari in the Serengeti. Or you can opt to fly directly into Zanzibar. Flights from the U.S., depending on where you’re traveling from will take 16+ hours. I flew to Zanzibar from Paris, and it was still a 16-hour travel affair. You will need a visa before traveling to Zanzibar, you can apply for it online (highly recommend) or you can apply at the airport upon arrival. It’ll cost you $50 USD.
2 Best Time to Visit Zanzibar. Unbeknownst to me, because the weather was amazing(!), I visited Zanzibar during the winter months. The locals have no sense of seasons, as they didn’t consider September winter, they just called it windy season LOL. Zanzibar has great weather year-round, however, you’ll experience cooler temperatures and high winds (especially around Paje) in June through October. The best months to visit are December to February, however it’s also the hottest and peak tourist season. Stay away for May because the island sees torrential downpour. Outside of the strong winds in Paje, I enjoyed visiting in September. You should also be cautious when booking your trip during Ramadan. Depending on what your vibe is, i.e., you want to party, Ramadan is not the time to visit Zanzibar.
3 Transportation. Apart from the airport or town-to-town transportation, which depending on where on the island you’re going, will cost you between $30-$50 USD, you will mainly walk in every town you visit. I used a taxi on three occasions: roundtrip airport transfer, Stonetown to Paje, and Paje to The Rock restaurant. Hailing a taxi from the airport is easy and hassle free. The prices were fair, so I wouldn’t stress too much about arranging transportation beforehand.
4 Money and Credit Card Usage. Cash is king in Zanzibar, so make sure you bring more money than needed to exchange just in case. For best rates, exchange your currency for Tanzanian Shillings at a bank near your hotel (you can pay your airport taxi in USD). If you run into trouble and need to use a credit card, Visas are preferred over American Express; I had a very hard time using our AMEX.
5 Spending Money. Zanzibar, outside of accommodation, is a very cheap country to travel to! The exchange rate from USD to Shillings is very favorable. You can generally get meals for $1-$10 USD. The most “expensive” meal I had was at the Emerson Spice Hotel for a 5-course seafood dinner and The Rock Restaurant in Page, which is Italian owned.
6 Culture, Language & Religion. Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim country. As a woman, you should dress respectfully and cover both your shoulders and knees. Avoid any tight-fitting clothes and that is too revealing, especially while walking around Stone Town and any other non-beach towns. When visiting the beaches, you can dress as you normally would, but many hotels will encourage you to cover up once stepping foot off the resort. The native language in Zanzibar is Swahili, although almost everyone speaks English, so communication isn’t a problem. Of all the native Swahili-speaking countries in Africa, Zanzibar is known to speak the most proper Swahili.
7 Safety. Due to its Muslim religion, Zanzibar is an extremely peaceful island and is known to be the safest country in Africa. I walked around everywhere, even late at night, without issue. If traveling solo, it’s always recommended, and smart, to steer clear of dark alleys, which are common in Stone Town.
8 Where to Stay in Zanzibar. There are many parts of the island you can opt to stay, which will depend on your vibe, but if one thing is for certain, you must stay in Stonetown for at least 2 days! Stone Town is the capital and full of so much culture, history, and great food. Read more about my time in Stone Town here. Paje (also near Jambiani and Michamvi), which I also visited, is on the southeast coast. It has the best beaches outside of Nungwi. It is known for kitesurfing, hence the winds, The Rock restaurant, and the beach parties! Read more about my time in Paje here. The most famous part of the island, known for the most beautiful beaches is on the north side in Nungwi and Kendwa. There are many luxury resorts there, so accommodation is pricey, especially during peak season. It is also known for its parties. If you want a very chill and quiet vacation, then head northeast to Matemwe and Kiwengwa. There are mainly boutique hotels and few restaurants.
9 Booking Tours. It’s best to book your tours once in Zanzibar. Once there, you can negotiate prices and ask the locals for recommendations. It is also wise to book a safari to The Serengeti while in Zanzibar, you’ll be shocked by how cheap it is. The locals (be weary as some my be a scam or not live up to the hype), or your hotel (preferred), can help. My tour guide in Stone Town Aiysha Mohammed, helped me book my excursion to Mnemba Island, did my walking tour of Stone Town, and a Spice Tour. I highly recommend here, she can be reached via WhatsApp +255 716 199 415.
