Zanzibar City, Tanzania
Two things trip people up at the desk here: since late 2024 you must buy Zanzibar's own mandatory travel insurance (about US$44) online before you land, and the visa on arrival is best paid in US-dollar cash. Bring clean USD notes. Outside, agree every taxi fare before you get in, and keep a firm hold of your bags — 'porters' who grab them will expect money.
Since October 2024 every visitor must hold Zanzibar's own travel insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) — about US$44, valid up to ~92 days. Buy it online before you travel and save the QR code; you must show it before you reach the visa desk.
Scam warning: The only official provider is ZIC, through the government portal. Buy it before you fly to avoid queues and third-party mark-ups.
Most visitors buy a visa on arrival for US$50 (US$100 for US citizens). Pay in clean USD cash; card terminals here are unreliable. Getting a Tanzania e-visa online beforehand is faster through the queue. Have your passport (6+ months validity), onward ticket and accommodation details ready.
You'll be asked for a yellow-fever vaccination certificate if you arrived from — or spent more than 12 hours in — a country with yellow-fever risk in the past 6 days. Coming straight from Europe or North America you normally won't need it, but carry the card if you have one.
The reclaim area is small. Take your own bag off the belt: anyone who lifts it for you uninvited will expect a tip and may not hand it back easily. Keep your bag-tag receipt until you've left.
File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the handling desk in the baggage hall before you exit — chasing it afterwards is much harder on the island.
Cash is king here. The ATMs at the airport are few and often out of service or out of cash, and charge around 15,000 TZS per withdrawal. Bring enough US dollars for your visa, an insurance backup and your first transfer; withdraw shillings or change money more reliably in Stone Town.
Airport SIM kiosks (Airtel, Vodacom, Zantel, Halotel) work but are marked up for tourists — roughly US$15 for 1GB. If you can wait, buy in town, or use a travel eSIM. You'll need your passport to register a local SIM.
Tip: Don't accept help buying a SIM from a stranger who approaches you — SIM 'help' is a known small scam.
There are no ride-hailing apps like Uber or Bolt here. The easiest arrival is a transfer arranged by your hotel in advance — the driver waits with your name and the price is already agreed, so there's nothing to haggle over after a long flight. Many hotels include it.
Taxis have no meters and there's no official tariff, so agree the total fare before you load your bags. Rough going rates are about US$20–25 to Stone Town (10–15 min) and US$30–50 to the northern beaches like Nungwi (about 1.5 hours). Pay in USD or the shilling equivalent, and have small notes.
Scam warning: Drivers and 'helpers' who approach you inside often quote 2–3× the normal fare or grab your bags first. Agree the price first, keep your luggage, and walk to the next driver if the quote is silly.
Before leaving the baggage hall, file a PIR at the handling desk and keep your tag receipt and a photo of the bag. Get a reference number and a workable contact, as follow-up can be slow.
Call 112 for an ambulance, or your Zanzibar (ZIC) insurance 24/7 helpline — your policy covers emergency treatment and evacuation. For anything serious, private clinics in Stone Town are the usual first stop.
Report it to airport police, then contact your country's embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document. Keep a photo of your passport's ID page on your phone before you travel.
Go to an airport medical point or information desk, or call the local emergency number (shown in this airport's arrival tips) — it usually works from any phone, even with no SIM. Numbers differ by country, so don't assume 112 works everywhere.
Do not leave immediately — note the ATM's bank and location, then call your card issuer to block the card. Machines inside bank branches are safer to retrieve from than standalone ones.