Also known as the Spice Island, Zanzibar has all the ingredients for a complete holiday. The island is set on the Indian Ocean. To get there one would have to travel by air or sea.
A valid passport and visa are needed to travel to Zanzibar. Check with the nearest Tanzanian Embassy/High Commission if citizens of your country require a visa to be on the island. Remember that Zanzibar is a tropical island and the yellow fever vaccine is necessary as well as other essential shots. Ensure that you carry the yellow fever certificate from your home country.
Presently Kenya Airways, Precision Air and Ethiopian Airlines have direct flights to Zanzibar International Airport. Major airlines such as British Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, Air Zimbabwe, Egypt Air, Air Malawi, South African Airways and Swissair only reach Dar es Salaam’s Kilimanjaro International Airport. From the Kilimajaro Airport one can travel to the island on local flights run by Precision Air and Coastal Aviation. To avoid missing a seat or any last minute cancellations, make sure to book your flight at least one week in advance.
One can also get to Zanzibar by sea, on a ferry from Dar es Salaam or on a ship, dhow or boat from Kenya’s Mombasa Island. Make sure to get your schedule and ticket rates through a local agent if traveling by sea.
At the airport in Zanzibar there are taxis to get you to your accommodation destination. One may also use buses that can be boarded at the bus station. Buses are quite common on the island. It’s safer to use the taxis if you’re new in the area. There are also motorcycles available for transport, which present a more intimate form of transportation, with the flexibility of snaking through the narrow alleys of the island while sightseeing.
