Since public transport is not easy to figure out in Zanzibar, many travelers feel a bit insecure about how to arrange their transfers. There are many options, and we hope that this listing covers them all:
Taxis and other car transfers
Local bus called “daladala”. This is what most locals use, and they do run to nearly everywhere in the island. The issue is, it’s hard to find the daladala schedule, allthough for long distance many do have departure times. Another issue with the local buses is that they stop a lot on the way so tend to be slow, and do get over crowded most of the time. Their safety might also not be the best with some drivers speeding and some buses in bad condition. However, most of the time you get from point A to point B, and daladalas are very cheap. In Stone Town the daladalas leave from the Darajani area.
Taxis. Zanzibar has plenty of taxis that are officially marked. There are no meters or list prices, so if you are hailing a taxi from the street, you will need to negotiate first before starting the journey. Taxis are mostly private entepreneurs and the cars are in very varying shapes, as are the prices. See our Zanzibar Taxi price list to see fixed fees.
Tour companies and hotels. Many hotels and tour companies arrange transfers, and they are usually the safest bet if you are looking for a clean, well-maintained car with a pre-agreed price. Please note that we at Zanzibar Taxi keep our cars at the same high standard as tour companies!
Renting a car. You can also rent a car and drive yourself in Zanzibar. You need an international drivers license to do this. Note that in Zanzibar traffic is left sided and especially in town quite chaotic. We do not recommend driving yourself unles you have experience from similar circumstances.
Bikes and vespas in Zanzibar
In Stone Town and small villages like Paje, Nungwi or Matemwe you can always just walk or bike around, since the distances are not long. You can rent them from hotels and renting companies. Bikes and vespas are a usual thing to see in Zanzibar, and in the villages traffic is very low.
Remember: vespas, scooters etc. are strictly banned from driving on the beach! Even if you see locals doing it.
Driving bikes and vespas in Stone Town can be a bit tricky due to the narrow alleys. You need to keep speed low and be mindful about the pedestrians.