Our travel on a budget series continues this week in Zanzibar, an exotic beach island located off the coast of Tanzania in Africa. Zanzibar is known for its romantic appeal. Turquoise blue water against white sand beaches, beautiful palm trees, elegant spa resorts, a historic town, and some of the most exhilarating scuba diving experiences in Africa.
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Although the best time of the year to visit is from June to October during the cool, dry months of spring. December to February offers a short hot dry season, so it’s another great time to visit.
Whether you’re a backpacker or hotel snob, Zanzibar can accommodate various budgets. If you have a daily budget from $50 -$200 you can stay at a hostel or budget guesthouse for $15-20 or opt for a hotel up to $200/per night. A meal at a restaurant can go from $3 to $10. And you can take public transportation for $5-30 or hire a private vehicle per day $200 (source: LonelyPlanet). If you can spend more than $200/night, the sky is the limit for luxurious hotels and restaurants.
BlackEnterprise.com caught up with Nate Chambers, marketing and EIC of Vagabonding Heights, to get the inside scoop about Zanzibar. Check out his tips regarding hotels, activities, and currency below.
Select hotels within 30 minutes of the city center, Stone Town, to avoid excessive transportation costs ( it adds up quickly). My choice for a luxuriant stay, Zanzi Resort. When selecting tour operators, select a company that covers all (or most) of your tours of interest. As a result, you can potentially negotiate a special package for purchasing multiple tours. Also, bring local currency in small denominations; however, credit cards are excepted at most places.
My top recommended activities:
- Visit Stone Town
- Go on a sea adventure with Safari Blue
- Visit Prison
Watch Nathan’s top recommendations for navigating Zanzibar: