You do not need to take your whole backpack; you can leave this locked in the truck in Dar es Salaam as one of the guides normally remain behind. A day pack is enough. Once on the island you will be met by a local tour operator who will make your other arrangements for spice tours, snorkelling and other optional activities.
Appropriate Clothing
Islam is Zanzibar’s dominant religion and appropriate clothing should be worn in Stone Town. Beachwear should only be worn on the beach and women are advised to wear a t-shirt and knee-length shorts or a skirt in the town. It is not appropriate to show the arms above the elbow or legs above the knee. Shoulders should remain covered and revealing necklines are not acceptable. Men’s clothing is less restrictive and a t-shirt and pair of shorts are fine. On the beach or in the resort there are no dress restrictions other than the normal ones in pool/public areas.
Religious Holidays
If you are visiting Zanzibar in the month of fasting (Ramadan) please speak to your local guide about the customs during this time. Normally eating during the sunlight hours is not allowed and some locals will make sure that you are aware of this (sometimes very loudly if you are seen). Most shops and restaurants are closed during this period, but it is acceptable (as a foreigner) to eat at the hotel or resort. The guide will tell you what is appropriate and when.
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of the United Republic of Tanzania. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 kilometres off the coast of the mainland, and consists of a number of small islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, informally referred to as Zanzibar), and Pemba. Zanzibar was once a separate state with a long trading history within the Arab world; it united with Tanganyika to form Tanzania in 1964 and still enjoys a high degree of autonomy within the union. The capital of Zanzibar, located on the island of Unguja, is Zanzibar City, and its historic center, known as Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site. Zanzibar’s main industries are spices, raffia, and tourism. Zanzibar is also the home of the extremely endangered Red Colobus Monkey.
The word “Zanzibar” probably derives from the Persian, Zangi-bar (“coast of the blacks”). However, the name could also have been derived from the Arabic Zayn Z’al Barr (“fair is this land”). “Zanzibar” often refers especially to Unguja Island and is sometimes referred to as the “Spice Islands,” though this term is more commonly associated with the Maluku Islands in Indonesia.
Some trivia: Zanzibar was the first region in Africa to introduce colour television, in 1973. The current TV-station is called TvZ. The first television service in mainland Tanzania was not introduced until some twenty years later.
The musician Farrokh Bulsara (a.k.a Freddie Mercury) of Queen was born in Unguja, Zanzibar on September 5, 1946 to Indian-Parsi parents, who were employed by the British colonial administration. There is a restaurant named ‘Mercury’s’ on the beachfront of Stone Town. In September 2006, a radical Islamic group on the archipelago, Uamsho, forced organizers to abandon plans to mark his 60th birthday, saying he violated Islam with his openly gay lifestyle. Zanzibar criminalized homosexuality in 2004, but despite this it remains a popular resort destination for the South African gay community.
