Zanzibar Island is the main island of a semi-autonomous archipelago about 25-50KM off the Eastern Coast of Africa that united with the republic of Tanganyika in 1965 to form the modern Republic of Tanzania. I thought I would do a stop on the beautiful island of Zanzibar to relax on the beach before attempting to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. I arrived in Zanzibar without an outbound ticket, and ended up staying 3 weeks on this island paradise existing on a budget but living like a queen.
Measuring approximately 90KM long by 40KM wide, Zanzibar island is home to approximately 1 million inhabitants – the vast majority Muslim and Swahili-speaking. Western clothing and bathing suits are generally well-tolerated on the beaches and resorts – but note that it is expected that men and women cover up – no bare shoulders and legs covered to the knees when outside of beaches and resorts.
Content:
- Transportation
- SIM Card in Tanzania
- ATMS and Money in Zanzibar
- Where to Stay on Zanzibar
- How to Take Dala Dalas (Public Transportation)
- Tours and Excursions
- Trip Costs for 3 weeks on Zanzibar
- Final thoughts on visiting Zanzibar on a Budget
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Transportation:
Zanzibar can be reached by ferry from Dar es Salaam on the Tanzanian mainland or via flights to the major airport on Tanzanian (ZNZ) from a variety of different locations.
If arriving in Zanzibar by air, I would highly recommend pre-booking your transport prior to arrival, as the on-site taxi bookers – even the ones who are “official” taxi operators will often try to make you pay double, or more the going rate. I found 12Go had some of the best prices for airport transfers around the island.
You can also reach Zanzibar by Ferry from Dar es Salaam. 12Go also has good pricing on ferries between Dar Es Salaam and Zanzibar.
SIM Card in Tanzania:
There are SIM card vendors at the airport – but I would not recommend them as they are very costly – 5 – 10X the local rate. I would strongly recommend buying an eSIM prior to arriving Tanzania, so that you can avoid being ripped off at the airport, and be able to quickly connect with any transport you have organized, double-check any pricing you have been given, or just call for help if required. Airlo has regional (Tanzania-only) and Global (130 Country – including Tanzania) plans that you can buy ahead of time and activate when you arrive in Tanzania. The Tanzania only plans are a great deal at only $11USD for 30 days, while the airport was selling such plans for $40USD for 30 days.
ATMS and Banking on Zanzibar:
There are several ATMs just outside of the airport. They typically have security guarding them – so they are secure places to withdraw money. I would recommend withdrawing money at the airport ATMs if you are staying in smaller towns – as they may not have an ATM. If you are staying at major centres like Stone Town, Nungwi, and Paje – these areas will have ATMS. It’s always a good idea to bring some US Dollars in case you have issues with your bank card. For the most part, you can expect Zanzibar to be primarily cash-only outside of the larger hotels and restaurants.
Where to Stay on Zanzibar:
With all the beautiful beaches on the island of Zanzibar, it can be mind-boggling to pick which ones to visit. For me, it came down to the fact that I wanted a beautiful beach in a quiet town where I could swim, enjoy the sun, and have a cold beer without being annoyed by too many vendors or all-night parties.
The best beaches on Zanzibar are situated on the east side of the island. I stayed in the beautiful beachside towns of Michamvi Kae, and Jambiani during my three week stay in Zanzibar, but I have listed a few towns that I visited where I would also have been happy to stay at in Zanzibar.
Michamvi Kae:
Michamvi Kae Beach checked all the boxes of my ideal Zanzibar vacation. The town is situated on a little peninsula on the east side of the island of Zanzibar. Quite wonderfully, as Michamvi is situated on the west side of the peninsula facing the Bay of Chwaka, you can enjoy spectacular sunsets from Michamvi as the town actually faces West even though its on the East side of the island. I stayed at Sagando Bungalows in Michamvi, and liked it so much I extended my stay at Michamvi to two weeks instead of one – it was also one of the best deals for accommodations I found at the time on Zanzibar
Jambiani Beach:
Situated on the east side of the island, Jambiani is where you can enjoy beautiful sunrises and pristine white-sand beach. Each day the tide goes out a few kilometers leaving a wonderland of soft white sand in its wake for you to walk on and explore. I stayed at Equalia Boutique hotel right on the beachfront at Jambiani Beach during my 1 week stay in Jambiani. I had a private room and bathroom for about $125USD (Fall 2022 prices). It was one of the most affordable beachfront hotels I stayed at anywhere in the world.
There are a number of caves that are just walking distance from the main beach at Jambiani that can be easily visited in a day. Kuza Cave and Swahili Cave are within close walking distance to Jambiani beach.
Nungwi:
Nungwi is the second largest settlement on Zanzibar after Stone Town. Situated on the northern tip of the island and renowned for its long stretches of white sand beach; Nungwei’s location straddling both the east and west sides of the island makes it a fantastic location for observing both sunrises and sunsets. Utulivu Bungalow just a short walk from the beach are a great affordable option in Nungwi
Paje:
Paje is one of the premier destinations in the world for wind surfing. The long stretch of sandy white beach is booming with hotels, restaurants and vendors – it’s beautiful but not the most tranquil location on Zanzibar. If you want to party however, Paje is the place to be. Note that the winds can get very strong here (hence the excellent wind surfing) however, note the beaches can become unsuitable for sunbathing or swimming when the winds pick up and a lot of the beach can disappear during high tide.
Drifters Zanzibar is a very popular budget hostel and party location in Paje, if you want a bit more peace and quiet, Sunny House and Sunny House II are well-reviewed budget accommodations that have quieter private room options.
Stone Town:
The main city of Zanzibar, Stone Town is a must-visit for those who want explore sites of historical and cultural significance on Zanzibar. The architecture in Stone Town has its origins in the 19th century and features a unique mixture of Moorish, Arab, Persian, Indian and European influences. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Modest dress (no bare shoulders and legs covered) should be observed when visiting and staying in Stone Town. The Lost and Found Hostel and Balcony House Hotel are both well-located budget accommodations options in Zanzibar.
How to take Dala Dalas (public transportation) in Zanzibar:
Dala Dalas are the name of the public buses that run all around the island of Zanzibar. Using Dala Dala’s can save you lots of money if you want to move around the island. There are no set schedules, or specified stations for Dala Dalas – so if you see one going in the direction you want to go, you can simply flag the driver and he will stop for you. Most routes run from 6am – 6pm, with some more popular routes running from 6am – 8pm. Short distance routes cost just 500 Tsch (approx. $0.21USD – as of Summer 2022), while cross-island routes (ie: Michamvi to Stone Town) cost 2000Tsch (approx. $0.85USD – as of Summer 2022). Dala Dalas will typically have the bus number, and destination on the front, but there’s no standard vehicle type. They typically carry about 20-30 people, but they are painted all different colours and are all different vehicle types – I even saw one that was clearly once a mail truck – converted into a bus. The 340 Michamvi takes runs from Michamvi Kae village all the way down to Paje and back, and the 603 runs from Michamvi Kae village all the way down to Makunduchi in the south of the island.
Check with your hotel or guesthouse about the appropriate pricing and route for the Dala Dala you want to take for your destination as fare pricing can change – and it’s best that you know how much to pay before getting on the bus, as there’s a chance you might be overcharged if you don’t act like you know what to pay. Aside for this small point – Dala Dalas are an excellent and extremely affordable way to get all around Zanzibar – I took them as a single woman and felt very, very safe. If you are nervous about trying to take a Dala Dala, do all your travel in daytime hours and you should not have any issues. The only reason to avoid the night-time hours is there’s more of a chance you’ll miss the last Dala Dala and be stranded, and also the roads are not well lit in Zanzibar at nights, so best to be off the roads then in any case.
Tours and Excursions:
Moving around Zanzibar can be quite costly. Unless you’re traveling quite light, taking Dala Dalas from one location to another is both time-consuming and uncomfortable with luggage. One way to save on costs while on Zanzibar is to choose one or two locations to base your adventures out of and do excursions to see the other parts of the island. Given that private transports from one part of the island can cost you anywhere from $25 – $50USD, it is well worth it to consider taking a tour here and there to see other parts of the island – and surrounding island and sandbanks. While tours and excursions can add costs to your budget Zanzibar trip, there are a few paid excursions that are well-worth it, as they take you to places – such as disappearing sandbars, and islands – that would be difficult for you to travel to on your own.
I ended up doing the Safari Blue Excursion, and the Mnemba Island excursion and visited the Rock Restaurant on my own. I’ve added a few more tours below that I had researched but did not end up doing, but would have likely done if I had more time on Zanzibar.
Safari Blue Excursion:
Perhaps the most popular excursion on Zanzibar is the Safari Blue excursion. This excursion takes you from your hotel or guesthouse anywhere on the island (or from a specified meeting point), to the southwest part of the island where you’ll sail towards Kwale Island about 5km from the main island. Along the way, you’ll stop for snorkeling, as well as a sand bank where there will be fruit and refreshments served.
A very good seafood lunch is included in the price of the excursion. We were served lobster, shrimp, octopus and fish on our excursion and soft drinks and water were included.
After lunch you’ll visit a massive baobab tree that had once fallen over on its side, and then continued to grow from its sideways position.
If the winds are favourable on the way back, the boat might let down its sails and you’ll sail all or part of the way back to the island
Mnemba Island Excursion:
Reportedly owned by Bill Gates, Mnemba island lies off the northeastern part of Zanzibar island. Excursions to Mnemba island will take you to snorkel around the beautiful reefs around the island, as well as a stunning white sand bank that slowly disappears into crystalline blue waters. Note that you are not allowed to set foot on the Mnemba island itself – there is a $200USD fine for doing so. If you are lucky on the boat ride back to the village to take your transport back to your hotel, you may have the opportunity to swim with wild dolphins – but that is (of course) not guaranteed.
Prison Island:
Situated about 6km of Stone Town, is the small island of Changuu or “Prison Island.” This tiny island measuring 800m long and 230m wide was purchased by British Colonial government in 1893 for a prison complex. No prisoners were ever housed on the island. Instead it became a quarantine station for yellow fever cases. The Government of Tanzania eventually purchased the island where it has now become home to endangered Aldabra tortoises – which can be viewed on a day trip from various locations on Zanzibar.
Nakupenda “Vanishing” Island:
Vanishing island is an excursion where you visit a beautiful sandbank in the day, before it vanishes with high tide. You can visit Nakupenda island from Stone Town on this well-reviewed day trip; or combine your visit to Nakupenda Island with a trip to Prison Island on this day trip which includes hotel pickup from anywhere on Zanzibar.
Jozani Forest:
Situated just south of Chwaka Bay, near Michamvi Kae, the Jozani Forest is the largest indigenous forest on Zanzibar. The marshlike forest environment is home to the endangered Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey (a species found only on Zanzibar), as well as over 40 species of birds, bushbabies, duikers and other monkey species.
The Jozani Forest can be visited independently, on a tour, or on a combined tour that also takes you to other major points of interest on the island like Paje and the Rock Restaurant.
The Rock Restaurant:
One of the most iconic images of Zanzibar, is that of a beautiful restaurant perched on a rock in the middle of crystalline waters. This restaurant is the aptly named “The Rock” restaurant, just off the beach on Pingwe. If you’re already in the Pingwe area, don’t bother paying extra for a tour to take you here – as you can easily visit the island on your own. If it is low tide, you can simply walk to the island. During high-tide there’s a boat that runs almost continuously between the restaurant and the beach to take you to and from the restaurant when it is high tide. The food and service is great, and the prices reasonable for the experience that you are getting.
Trip Costs for 3 Weeks On Zanzibar:
Accommodations: $360.50USD
Transportation: $120USD
Excursions: $155USD
Food & Dining: $340USD
Total: $975.50USD
Final thoughts on visiting Zanzibar on a Budget:
I arrived in Zanzibar without a plan on how long I was going to stay. I decided to enjoy the island without a schedule. I based myself initially out of Michamvi Kae for two weeks, and then moved on to Jambiani for another week before finally peeling myself away from this stunning island paradise to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on the mainland of Tanzania. Had it not been for Kilimanjaro calling, I may well have stayed longer.
My 3 week trip to Zanzibar staying in private rooms either steps away from the beach or at beachfront hotels and taking a few excursions cost less than $1000USD. I saved a lot of money just because it was amazing just go swimming and going on long beach walks most days. Don’t forget your snorkeling gear, as there are amazing swimming opportunities and even sandbanks than you can walk and swim to from various beaches on the island. Follow my beach packing list for ideas on what to bring.
There are plenty of expats who I met on the island who came for a week and are still living there years later. There is a magic to Zanzibar just makes question why you would ever do anything other than lie on powder-white sand and play in crystalline waters between sipping coconut water and eating amazing seafood for the rest of your days.
