!Aerial view of Paje Beach and Mr Kahawa, Zanzibar Paje Beach from above — 60 to 75 minutes from Zanzibar’s international airport.
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Most “things to know before Zanzibar” guides online were written by someone who hasn’t actually been here in the last twelve months. The rules have moved. The big one — the mandatory Zanzibar Insurance Corporation cover (ZIC), in since September 2024 — catches a lot of people off guard at the airport.
So this is the version from a hotel that’s been checking guests in since the new rules landed. Paperwork, jabs, money, packing, and the small habits that make the first 48 hours less of a shock.
For when to come, see our Best Time to Visit Zanzibar guide. For the weather month by month, the Zanzibar Weather guide. This page is about everything else.
Do those eight things and you’re ready to land.
Valid for at least 6 months past your return date. Your airline will check this at the gate. It’s not flexible. Two blank pages for the visa stamp is the safe play.
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous chunk of Tanzania, so you need a Tanzania visa. Three ways to get one:
1. e-Visa (best option). Apply at eservices.immigration.go.tz. USD 50 single-entry, USD 100 multi-entry for US citizens. Processing takes around 10 working days. Apply 3 weeks before you fly. Don’t leave it to the last week. 2. Visa on arrival. Same prices, available at ZNZ. Quicker to apply for, slower at the airport — bring USD cash in small notes (one USD 50 note per person, plus extras for family). 3. Visa-exempt nationalities. A handful of passports don’t need one. Check the current Tanzania immigration list before you assume.
The single-entry tourist visa is good for 90 days.
This is the rule that trips most people up. All non-resident visitors to Zanzibar have to buy inbound travel insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). It’s USD 44 per person and covers up to 92 days — medical, accidents, lost baggage, emergency evacuation.
Buy it online before you fly at visitzanzibar.go.tz. You’ll be asked for proof at ZNZ — sometimes by the immigration officer, sometimes at a kiosk just before passport control. Without it, you don’t get in.
Your normal travel insurance from home doesn’t replace this — ZIC is on top, not instead of. We’d still recommend you bring your usual home travel insurance for the stuff ZIC doesn’t really cover (cancelled flights, kitesurfing, diving).
Only needed if you’re flying in from — or have transited through — a yellow-fever country. That’s most of mainland Africa, parts of South America, and a few others. Tanzania itself, Zanzibar included, isn’t a yellow-fever country.
Flying direct from Europe or North America? You don’t need it.
Combining Zanzibar with a Tanzania mainland safari? You’ll need it. The safari side crosses into yellow-fever territory, and the certificate matters for re-entry into Zanzibar or any African transit on the way home.
One jab at a travel clinic. Valid for life. Get it at least 10 days before you fly — the certificate doesn’t kick in immediately.
!Ocean View Loft interior at Mr Kahawa, Paje Beach Our rooms come with mosquito nets and screened windows — that’s your first line of defence after dark.
None are mandatory if you’re coming in direct from a non-endemic country. Travel doctors usually suggest:
Book a travel clinic 6+ weeks before you fly.
Yes, malaria’s still around on Zanzibar — though cases have dropped a lot over the last twenty years thanks to bednet programmes and indoor spraying. The mosquito that carries it bites after dusk.
What to do:
If you come down with fever or flu-like symptoms during the trip — or up to 6 weeks after — mention malaria to your doctor by name. Symptoms look like flu. Caught early, it’s very treatable.
Don’t. Bottled or filtered only. Most hotels — us included — serve filtered water for free to keep single-use plastic down. Ice in busy restaurants is usually fine; we drink it. Brush your teeth with bottled water if your stomach is a careful one.
Zanzibar sits 6° south of the equator. The UV is strong all year. Reef-safe sunscreen (SPF 30+, no oxybenzone). A wide-brim hat. A UV rash vest if you’re spending hours on the water. Reapply every two hours. Yes, even on cloudy days.
Bring USD 200–500 in small notes (mix of 1s, 5s, 10s, 20s) for visa, tips, taxis and market shopping. Swap a small amount into TZS on arrival or after your first Stone Town visit, for street food and local rides. Top up at ATMs as you go.
Not required, but normal and appreciated:
Don’t bring a hairdryer. We have hairdryers.
!Family playing by the pool at Mr Kahawa, Paje Zanzibar First 24 hours: hydrate, move slowly, ease in.
What actually happens at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (Stone Town):
1. Off the plane — usually a walk across the tarmac. 2. Health check — quick, usually just a visual scan. 3. Visa control — buying on arrival? Have your USD cash ready. e-Visa and ZIC already? Show both. 4. Immigration — passport stamped. The officer might ask why you’re here, where you’re staying, how long. 5. Baggage — bags come through pretty quickly. 6. Customs — green channel for most travellers. 7. Arrivals hall — your transfer driver will be holding a sign with your name. If you booked through us, that’s our driver.
The whole thing usually takes 45–90 minutes, depending on the flight.
Mr. Kahawa transfers: if you’ve booked a transfer with us, the driver waits inside the arrivals hall. The drive to Paje is 60–75 minutes on paved road. Most guests are on the verandah with a cold drink within 2.5 hours of landing.
> “Move slowly the first day. People want to do everything before sunset, and then they get headaches and skip dinner. The island isn’t going anywhere — your second day will be much better if your first one is boring.” > > — Conny, General Manager at Mr. Kahawa and Stone Town local
Send us your flight details and we’ll have a driver waiting at the airport, your room ready, and a cold drink on the verandah. If anything’s unclear on the visa, ZIC or vaccination side for your nationality, we’ll walk you through it before you fly.
Yep. Zanzibar’s part of Tanzania, and most nationalities need a Tanzania visa. Apply for an e-Visa online before you fly (best route) or buy it at ZNZ with USD cash. Single-entry is USD 50, multi-entry USD 100 for US citizens. Valid 90 days.
ZIC — the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation cover, in since September 2024. Every non-resident visitor has to buy it. USD 44 per person for up to 92 days. Get it online before you fly at the Visit Zanzibar portal. It covers medical, accidents, lost bags, evacuation. You’ll be asked for proof at the airport.
Only if you’re flying in from — or transiting through — a yellow-fever country. That’s most of mainland Africa and parts of South America. Direct from Europe, North America, Australia, or non-endemic Asia? No. Combining with a Tanzania mainland safari? Yes, you’ll need it for re-entry.
Recommended, not required. Malaria is here (much less than 20 years ago, but still). Most travel doctors suggest prophylaxis for stays of more than a few days. Malarone and doxycycline are the usual two. Repellent and a mosquito net are your back-up.
Yes, generally very safe. Standard urban sense in Stone Town — don’t flash valuables, skip empty streets after dark. On the beach (Paje, Bwejuu, Jambiani) solo women travellers tell us they feel very comfortable. We host them regularly.
Tanzanian shillings (TZS) is the official one. USD is also widely accepted for big-ticket stuff. Bring USD in small notes, post-2009, undamaged. ATMs in Stone Town spit out TZS at daily limits around USD 150. Cards work at most hotels and bigger restaurants.
Bring an International Driving Permit alongside your national licence if you want to rent a scooter or car. Driving is on the left. Roads off the main routes get rough. Rental insurance often needs the IDP.
Pre-arranged transfer is the easiest — USD 50 per vehicle, we sort it for guests. Airport taxi is around the same. **Shared *daladala*** is cheap (~USD 4) but slow, hot, and grim with suitcases.
Type G — British-style three-pin. Bring a universal adapter. Voltage is 230V / 50Hz. Most modern electronics handle this fine. Check your hairdryer before you leave home, or, again — just leave it home. We’ve got hairdryers.
Nope. Bottled or filtered only. Most hotels (including us) serve filtered water for free. Ice in busy restaurants is usually fine.
At least 3 months out for peak months (July–August, January–February, late December). 4–6 weeks for shoulder months. The ZIC insurance can be bought right up to your flight — but the Tanzania e-Visa needs 10 working days, so don’t leave that to the final week.
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The pre-flight admin for Zanzibar has more moving parts than it used to. The ZIC rule in 2024 added a step a lot of people don’t see coming. Good news — once you’re through it, the trip itself is one of the easier ones in East Africa.
Whenever you’re flying in, we’ll be ready.
Karibu sana — you are most welcome.
— The Mr. Kahawa team
