Plan Your Zanzibar Trip
What to Pack for Zanzibar: A Checklist You Can Tick Off
Quick answer
What should you pack for Zanzibar?
For a week on Zanzibar’s east coast, pack for days of 29–33 °C and a sea of 26–29 °C: light cotton clothes, a cover-up for the villages, a hat and sun cream, insect repellent, a Visa or Mastercard and a few US dollar notes printed 2009 or later. The reef shoes are on loan from our hotel, free of charge. Leave plastic carrier bags at home: they are banned and taken off you on arrival.
This list is part of the plan your Zanzibar trip guide. It is written for a stay at Boutique Hotel Matlai at Michamvi Pingwe, so the “what the hotel gives you” section is specific to us; the rest holds anywhere on the east coast.
| Daytime air, all year | 29–33 °C on average (WMO normals, Zanzibar airport station) |
| Sea temperature | 26–29 °C across the year (NOAA satellite data) |
| Wettest months | April and May, 409 and 298 mm; short rains in November and December |
| Reef shoes and snorkel gear | Lent free through the butler team, no need to pack them |
| Plugs | A travel adapter and a USB cube in every room |
| Money | Visa or Mastercard, US dollar notes printed 2009 or later |
| Not allowed in | Plastic carrier bags, taken off you on arrival |
| Arrival | Check-in from 14:00; the drive from the airport takes 1h15–1h30 |
| Last verified | 15 November 2026 |
Documents and money
What goes into your hand luggage?
Start with what cannot be replaced on the island: passports, the booking confirmation, insurance papers, cards and cash. The visa, the entry form and the insurance rule are kept on one page only, so the entry requirements page is the place to check them, and we do not repeat them here. I would carry a paper copy of every document as well as the phone, because a flat battery at the airport is the one failure with no quick fix.
| Item | Good to know |
|---|---|
| ☐ Passports and booking confirmation | On paper and on your phone. For the visa, the entry form and insurance, see the entry page. |
| ☐ Insurance papers | Policy number and the emergency line, on paper and on your phone. |
| ☐ Visa or Mastercard | We take Visa and Mastercard; American Express is not accepted. |
| ☐ US dollar notes printed 2009 or later | Banks, bureaux and many vendors turn older notes away. Bring $1, $5 and $10 notes for tips and for the village boat captains, who take cash only. |
| ☐ Some Tanzanian shillings | Shillings are fine everywhere. There is one ATM in Michamvi Pingwe village and several in Paje, but machines can be empty or offline. |
| ☐ Your flight number and arrival time | Send them to us so we can help you arrange the drive: 1h15–1h30, USD 60 per car each way. |
| ☐ Prescription medicines | In the original packaging and in hand luggage. Consider a doctor’s note if the list is long: the UK government warns that the rules on medicines differ by country (FCDO health page, read 15 November 2026). |
The dollar-note rule comes from our own till (as of 15 November 2026); the card and ATM facts are from the plugs, eSIM and money page.
Clothes
What clothes do you need, season by season?
Light cotton and linen all year: the average day runs at 29–33 °C and the sea at 26–29 °C. What changes is the rain. April and May are the long rains, and November and December the short ones, so the table below tells you when a rain jacket earns its place. The figures are the WMO climate normals 1991–2020 for the Zanzibar airport station on the west side of the island, about 35 km from our beach, and NOAA satellite sea temperatures, read 26 October 2026; they are typical values, not a forecast.
| Months | Day / night air | Rain per month and rainy days | Sea | Add to the bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January–February | 33 / 24–25 °C | 51–74 mm, 4–6 rainy days | 28–29 °C | Lightest cotton, a hat and a long-sleeved shirt against the sun |
| March–May | 30–33 / 24–25 °C | 177–409 mm, 11–18 rainy days | 28–29 °C | A packable rain jacket and clothes that dry fast |
| June–October | 29–31 / 21–23 °C | 31–116 mm, 4–7 rainy days | 26–27 °C | One light layer for the evening: nights fall to 21 °C |
| November–December | 31–32 / 23–24 °C | 168–201 mm, 12–14 rainy days | 28–29 °C | A light rain jacket and a second pair of sandals |
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm. The sea figure is a satellite value for a grid point 2.4 km from our beach.
Away from the beach, cover shoulders and knees; swimwear stays at the pool and on the sand. The dress code and etiquette page explains what is expected and why, and the best time to visit page sets these months against the crowds and the sea.
Beach and sea
What do you need for the beach and the sea?
Reef shoes come first, and you need not pack them. The east coast has a big tidal range: at low tide you cross a reef flat where sea urchins sit in the shallow pools. The butler team lends reef shoes and snorkelling gear free of charge, and the tides and swimming guide explains how the day follows the tide: the full swim in the two to four hours around high tide, the channel swim to the sandbank at low tide.
Zanzibar lies about 6° south of the equator, so the sun is strong all year. I would bring a high-factor sun cream, a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeved rash shirt for the snorkelling hour. At 26–29 °C the sea needs no wetsuit. A dry bag earns its place on the boat trips: the Blue Lagoon trip takes 2–2.5 hours in a village boat, and phones and cash do not like spray.
- ☐ Sun cream with a high factor, hat, sunglasses
- ☐ Two swimsuits, so one is always dry
- ☐ Rash shirt or a light long-sleeved top for snorkelling
- ☐ A dry bag and a waterproof phone pouch for boat days
- ☐ Reef shoes, only if you own a pair that fits (ours are free to borrow)
Health and insects
What do you pack for health and insects?
Malaria is the one health point that needs a doctor before you fly. Germany’s Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) rates the malaria risk as high all year, including on Zanzibar, and the CDC recommends prescription medicine for all areas below 1,800 m, which is the whole island (both pages read 15 November 2026; links under Sources). Which tablet suits you depends on your health and your trip, so see a doctor or a travel clinic well before the flight. The safety page has the sources, the vaccines and the nearest hospital.
Against mosquitoes, bring a repellent for day and night and light long sleeves for the evening. Add a small first-aid kit: plasters for reef scrapes, rehydration salts, your own painkillers, an after-bite cream. There is a pharmacy in Michamvi Pingwe village, but bring anything you rely on. Save 112 in your phone, Tanzania’s number for police, fire and ambulance.
- ☐ Malaria advice from your doctor, and tablets if prescribed
- ☐ Insect repellent for day and night
- ☐ Plasters, rehydration salts, painkillers, after-bite cream
- ☐ Your own regular medicines, with a few days spare
Electronics
Which plug and which gadgets do you need?
At Matlai you need no purchase: the guest villas have German-style two-pin sockets (Type C/F), and every room has a travel adapter and a cube with USB charging. The restaurant and the other hotel areas use the UK three-pin plug (Type G) that is common across Zanzibar. We do not state a voltage, so read the label on each charger; most phone, camera and laptop chargers print the range they accept.
Bring a power bank for days out and for the boat, and a waterproof pouch for the phone. WiFi runs through the property, so an eSIM is optional. The plugs, eSIM and money page has the details on plugs, eSIM and how to pay.
What the hotel provides
What does the hotel already provide?
Packing is mostly about what you do not need to carry. At Boutique Hotel Matlai, every stay includes:
- Half board as standard: breakfast and dinner. Bed and breakfast on request; full board for a supplement.
- A welcome drink on arrival: a fresh coconut, or a Malibu if you prefer.
- Two kayaks for the whole hotel, free to use.
- Two bicycles for the whole hotel, free to use.
- Drinking water, free of charge; other drinks are charged.
- A kettle in every room, with instant coffee and tea.
- A WhatsApp group for your room and a small phone to reach the butler team.
- The butler team, from 07:00 to 22:00.
On top of that, every room has air conditioning, an in-room safe, shower gel, lotion and conditioner from Inaya Zanzibar (handmade in Stone Town) and a tide table, and we lend snorkelling gear and reef shoes free through the butler team. So the bulky bottles, the plug adapter and the reef shoes can stay at home. If you want to see the rooms before you decide, the rooms and rates page has them.
Leave at home
What would we leave at home?
Start with plastic carrier bags. They are banned in Zanzibar and taken off you on arrival; zip-lock bags for liquids are fine. Germany’s Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) states a general ban on plastic bags, with import forbidden and small zip-lock bags for cosmetics and liquids in hand luggage exempt (read 15 November 2026); our etiquette page recorded the same on 2 October 2026. I would check every bag before the airport. The rest of the list is my own opinion.
- ☐ Plastic carrier bags: banned, and taken off you on arrival
- ☐ US dollar notes printed before 2009: often turned away
- ☐ A full toiletry bag: shower gel, lotion and conditioner are in the room
- ☐ Formal clothes and heels: dinner is on the garden and beach tables
- ☐ Safari kit, unless you also go to the mainland: the safari packing list covers it
- ☐ Anything from the sea: a starfish taken out of the water dies, so leave it where it is
Three days before
What is on the checklist for the last three days?
The last three days decide whether the first day is calm. Write to us with the flight number so we can help arrange the drive, which takes 1h15–1h30 and is USD 60 per car each way; the airport transfer page has the route and what to expect. Check-in is from 14:00, so there is no need to rush from the plane.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| ☐ Three days before | Send us your flight number and arrival time. Check the season table above and add or drop the rain jacket. |
| ☐ Two days before | Take every plastic carrier bag out of your luggage. Check the print year on your dollar notes. Charge the power bank. |
| ☐ One day before | Documents, cards, cash and medicines go into the hand luggage. Check in online if your airline allows it. |
| ☐ Travel day | Repellent in the evening, a layer for the plane and a spare swimsuit in the hand luggage, in case the bags arrive late. |
Swahili
Which Swahili words are worth learning?
A handful of words are met warmly everywhere. Our team speaks English and Swahili, so you do not need the language, but greeting first is good manners here, and going straight to a question reads as abrupt. The etiquette page lists the greetings; these seven carry you through the first day.
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Jambo | Hello |
| Habari? / Nzuri | How are you? / Fine |
| Asante (sana) | Thank you (very much) |
| Karibu | Welcome, you are welcome |
| Tafadhali | Please |
| Pole pole | Slowly, slowly |
| Maji | Water |
Where these facts come from
Official sources
- UK government (FCDO): Tanzania travel advice, health: Read 15 November 2026: travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation, and a warning that the rules on medicines prescribed in the UK can differ in other countries.
- German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt): Tanzania, safety and legal notes: Read 15 November 2026: high malaria risk all year, including Zanzibar; general ban on plastic bags, import forbidden, small zip-lock bags for cosmetics and liquids in hand luggage exempt.
- CDC: Tanzania, traveler information: Read 15 November 2026: prescription medicine to prevent malaria recommended for all areas below 1,800 m.
Checked on 15 November 2026. We link to the bodies that set the rules, not to summaries of them. Rules change: check the page itself before you travel.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
These are the packing questions guests ask us before they fly.
What should I pack for a week in Zanzibar?
Light cotton clothes for days of 29–33 °C, two swimsuits, a hat, sun cream, repellent, a cover-up for villages, a card and a few small US dollar notes. Leave out what the hotel supplies: reef shoes, snorkel gear, a plug adapter, shower gel and a kettle with coffee and tea are in the room or free to borrow.
Do I need to bring reef shoes or snorkel gear?
No. At low tide you cross a reef flat where sea urchins sit in the pools, and the butler team lends reef shoes and snorkelling gear for free. If you own a pair that fits well, bring it; a shoe you know is better than a borrowed one.
Can I bring plastic bags to Zanzibar?
No. Plastic carrier bags are banned and taken off you on arrival, and importing them is forbidden, according to Germany’s Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt, read 15 November 2026; our etiquette page recorded it on 2 October 2026). Zip-lock bags for liquids are fine.
Which US dollar notes are accepted?
Notes printed in 2009 or later. Banks and bureaux here are strict about the condition and the print year, and older notes are often turned away. Small notes of $1, $5 and $10 are the most useful, for tips and for the village boat captains.
What do I pack for the rainy season?
A packable rain jacket and quick-drying clothes. April and May bring 409 and 298 mm of rain a month on the long-run record, and November and December 201 and 168 mm, so the sea and the sun are still there between the showers.
Do I need a plug adapter for Zanzibar?
Not at Matlai: every room has a travel adapter and a cube with USB charging, and the guest villas have German-style two-pin sockets. Elsewhere the UK three-pin plug (Type G) is common. Bring your own adapter only if you carry many devices.
Do I need malaria tablets for Zanzibar?
Ask a doctor or a travel clinic well before you fly. Germany’s Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) rates the malaria risk as high all year, and the CDC recommends prescription medicine for all areas below 1,800 m (both read 15 November 2026). Which tablet suits you depends on your health, and we cannot say that from here.
Your stay at Matlai
Choose your dates and the booking page opens with them, showing live availability.
Individually booked rooms take guests aged 14 and over; with a whole villa, guests of any age are welcome. Online booking here covers rooms for guests aged 14 and over, so for children or a whole villa send us your dates on WhatsApp and we reply with the options. 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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