Plan Your Zanzibar Trip
Is Zanzibar Expensive? Quick Answers
Quick answer
Short answers to the questions people ask first.
Zanzibar is not a country: it is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, in Africa, in the Indian Ocean off the east coast. Whether it is expensive depends on how you travel, because prices run from simple guesthouses to luxury villas. From London it is about 7,400 km in a straight line, and a nonstop flight takes about 8 to 9 hours where one is offered. At Boutique Hotel Matlai a room starts from US$535 a night with half board.
| Expensive? | It depends on how you travel; sourced figures below |
| Country? | No: a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania |
| In Africa? | Yes, off the east coast, in the Indian Ocean |
| From London | About 7,400 km in a straight line |
| Flight | About 8 to 9 hours where a nonstop is offered |
| Time zone | UTC+3, all year |
| Last verified | 31 October 2026 |
Cost
Is Zanzibar expensive?
There is no single answer, and we will not invent one. A trip to Zanzibar is built from flights, a hotel, transfers, food and a few excursions, and each of those can be chosen at very different price levels. We have no sourced price index that compares Zanzibar with other destinations, so we do not say it is cheaper or dearer than them. What we can do is print the figures we can source, and name the costs that sit outside a hotel rate.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary visa | US$50 | Immigration Services Department, checked in October 2026 |
| Airport transfer to Michamvi Pingwe, per car, each way, up to 6 people | US$60 | Paid to the transport company, not the hotel |
| Infrastructure tax, per person per night | US$4 | Zanzibar government; collected at check-out |
| Matlai room, per night, half board, tax included, lowest rack rate ahead | from US$535 | Our public rack rates, see rooms and rates |
Fees change. Check the current figure with the official site or the operator before you book. Flights and ferry fares are not listed because they change with the season and the operator.
The hotel rate is the biggest line for most guests, and it is worth asking what it includes. At Matlai it covers half board, breakfast and a three-course dinner, with lunch and drinks charged; our half-board guide explains what that means in practice. Our full grid, by season, is on rooms and rates.
Country and continent
Is Zanzibar a country, and is it in Africa?
Zanzibar is not a country. It is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, which it joined with mainland Tanganyika in 1964, and it keeps its own government for island affairs. So the answer to "what country is Zanzibar in" is Tanzania, and the main language is Swahili.
It is in Africa: an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the east coast, a few degrees south of the equator. The main island, Unguja, is the one most visitors mean when they say Zanzibar. The where is Zanzibar page has the globe, the airlines, the ferry and the flights from the Serengeti.
Distance
How far is Zanzibar from the UK, and what is the time difference?
London is about 7,400 km (4,600 miles) from Zanzibar in a straight line, by our own calculation. By air that is about 8 to 9 hours from much of Europe where a nonstop is offered; a connection via a Gulf or Istanbul hub adds time, and flights change by season, so check the airline's current schedule. Zanzibar keeps East Africa Time, UTC+3, all year with no daylight saving: 3 hours ahead of London in the northern winter, and 2 hours ahead in the summer.
From the airport, Boutique Hotel Matlai at Michamvi Pingwe is about 65 km by road. Everything you need to enter is on entry requirements, and what to plug in, connect and pay with is on plugs, eSIM and money. This page is part of the Plan your Zanzibar trip guide.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
The questions most travellers put to a search engine before anything else, answered briefly.
Is Zanzibar expensive?
It depends on how you travel. A trip can be built at very different price levels, and we do not have a sourced price index to compare Zanzibar with other destinations, so we do not claim it is cheaper or dearer than them. What we can give are published figures: the ordinary visa is US$50, and a room at Boutique Hotel Matlai starts from US$535 a night with half board, tax included.
Is Zanzibar a country?
No. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, not an independent country. It united with mainland Tanganyika in 1964 and keeps its own government for island affairs.
What country is Zanzibar in?
Tanzania. Zanzibar belongs to the United Republic of Tanzania, in East Africa. The main language is Swahili.
Is Zanzibar in Africa?
Yes. Zanzibar is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, a few degrees south of the equator, and part of Tanzania.
How far is Zanzibar from the UK?
About 7,400 km (4,600 miles) in a straight line from London, by our own calculation. The flight takes about 8 to 9 hours from much of Europe where a nonstop is offered, and a connection via a Gulf or Istanbul hub adds time. Check the current schedule with the airline before you book.
What is the time difference between Zanzibar and the UK?
Zanzibar keeps East Africa Time, UTC+3, all year with no daylight saving. That is 3 hours ahead of London in the northern winter, when the UK is on GMT, and 2 hours ahead in the summer, when the UK is on British Summer Time.
Are there extra costs on top of a Zanzibar hotel rate?
At Matlai the rate includes half board and 15% VAT. Added at check-out is the Zanzibar infrastructure tax of US$4 per person per night, which goes to the government. The airport transfer is US$60 per car each way for up to 6 people, paid to the transport company, and lunch and drinks are charged. Ask any hotel for its own list before you compare prices.
Your stay at Matlai
Choose your dates and the booking page opens with them, showing live availability.
Bookings with children go by enquiry: the booking page books adults only, so send us your dates on WhatsApp and we reply with the options. Children under 14 stay with a whole villa. WhatsApp →
These dates are by enquiry only — please email info[at]hotelmatlai.com or WhatsApp +255772628833 and we will confirm availability and rates.
Indicative public rates — the engine shows live availability for your dates.
Welcome drink, kayaks, bicycles and snorkelling gear, free of charge.
Booking with the hotel itself? Ask us what we can offer for your dates.
Why guests book Matlai
- A team of butlers on call, 07:00 to 22:00. One message and it is arranged.
- Half board with a chef’s menu that changes daily: three courses, plus two à la carte kitchens at every table, Zatiny (Indian Ocean fusion) and Duyên (Vietnamese).
- Dine where you like: in the restaurant, in the garden or on your own balcony. A private table by the beach or a candlelight dinner can be arranged at an extra charge.
- Six rooms in two villas, a pool for each villa, shared by its rooms, and every room facing the sunrise over the ocean.
- Bustani, the garden spa; the sandbank in front of the hotel at low tide; a quiet beach lined with small, family-owned hotels.
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