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Best Time to Visit Zanzibar: Weather Month by Month
When to go for dry days, calm seas, kitesurf wind, or the lowest prices, month by month.
Plan Your Zanzibar Trip
Everything to sort before you go to Zanzibar: safety, the visa and the mandatory ZIC insurance, money and costs, health and malaria, what to wear, and a packing list. The practical essentials, kept current for 2026.
Everything to sort before you go
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Getting Around Zanzibar: Taxis, Transfers & Dala-Dalas
Private transfers, taxi prices, the local dala-dala buses, car and scooter hire, and the honest way to travel between Zanzibar's beaches.
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How to Get to Zanzibar: Flights, Ferry & Airport
Which airport Zanzibar uses, the one-stop routes from the USA and UK, the ferry from Dar es Salaam, and how to reach your beach once you land.
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Is Zanzibar Safe to Visit? An Honest Look
The honest 2026 answer: what the advisories say, Zanzibar vs the mainland, and real precautions for solo, family and night-time travel.
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What to Wear in Zanzibar: Dress Code & Etiquette
Beach vs town, covering up, Ramadan and alcohol: how to dress respectfully on a Muslim island without overthinking it.
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Zanzibar Health: Vaccinations, Malaria & Safety
Recommended vaccinations, year-round malaria, the yellow-fever rule, and simple food, water and sun advice.
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Zanzibar Money & Costs: Currency, Budgets & Insurance
What Zanzibar costs, which currency to carry, cash versus card, tipping, and why ZIC is not your travel insurance.
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Zanzibar Packing List: What to Pack
The stuff you'll actually use: modest cover-ups, reef-safe sunscreen, the right plug, a dry bag, and clean dollars for tips.
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Zanzibar Visa & Entry Requirements
Visa on arrival vs e-visa, the cost, the yellow-fever rule, and the mandatory ZIC insurance every visitor now needs, all in plain English.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to arrange before visiting Zanzibar?
A Tanzania visa, the mandatory ZIC inbound insurance (~US$44 per adult, 2026, verify before travel), and travel-health prep (malaria tablets are recommended year-round). Our safety, visa, money, health, what-to-wear, and packing guides cover each step.
Is the ZIC insurance mandatory for Zanzibar?
Yes. Since October 2024 every non-resident visitor must buy the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation inbound cover (~US$44 per adult, 2026, verify at inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz). It is separate from your own travel insurance. See our visa guide for details.