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Zanzibar Dress Code and Etiquette
Quick answer
Four small habits, and you travel here well.
Zanzibar is an almost entirely Muslim society — about 99% — so the dress code is simple: swimwear at the pool and on the beach, shoulders and knees covered everywhere else. The authorities can fine visitors USD 700 or more for clothing they consider inappropriate in public. Greet before you ask, give and receive with the right hand, ask before photos, and during Ramadan do not eat or drink in public by day. Checked 2 October 2026.
| Religion | About 99% Muslim — modest dress & behaviour appreciated |
| Language | Swahili (Kiswahili); English widely spoken in tourism |
| Dress (villages & Stone Town) | Cover shoulders and knees away from the beach |
| Fine for inappropriate clothing | USD 700 or more (UK government) |
| Greetings | “Habari” / “Jambo”; give and receive with the right hand |
| Tipping | $1–2 bags/housekeeping · $5–10 full-day driver · ~10% restaurants |
| Ramadan | Dates move yearly; no eating or drinking in public by day |
| Last verified | 2 October 2026 |
The rhythm
How does religion shape the day in Zanzibar?
Zanzibar is one of the easiest places in the world to travel respectfully, because the courtesies that matter here are simple and the welcome is genuine. The island is about 99% Muslim, and Islam shapes the daily rhythm: five calls to prayer a day, the main Jumu'ah prayer around midday on Fridays, and a month of fasting during Ramadan. You are not expected to take part — only to be aware.
During Ramadan, which falls earlier each year, local staff may be fasting through daylight hours, and some village restaurants and shops cut their hours. The kitchen at Matlai runs as normal, so your meals are unaffected. The UK government's advice is plain: avoid eating or drinking in public, outside hotels and restaurants, during the day. The discretion is noticed, and appreciated, and the evenings after sunset are the liveliest of the month. Our safety page makes the same point from the other side: Ramadan changes the hours, not the welcome.
Dress
What should you wear in Zanzibar?
The rule is simple: relaxed at the hotel, covered up everywhere else. The UK government asks visitors to dress modestly throughout Tanzania and notes that women in shorts or sleeveless tops away from tourist resorts, particularly in Stone Town, may cause offence. Here is the same advice place by place, as we give it to our own guests.
| Where | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Pool and beach | Swimwear is fine | Swimwear is fine |
| Hotel restaurant at dinner | A light cover-up over swimwear | A cover-up over swimwear |
| Villages (Michamvi and others) | Shoulders and knees covered; no swimwear | Shoulders and knees covered; no swimwear |
| Stone Town and markets | A sarong or shawl over shoulders and knees | Longer shorts or trousers are more comfortable |
| Near mosques | Covered, quiet; ask before any photograph | Covered, quiet; ask before any photograph |
From the hotel's own guidance; the fine from the UK government's travel advice.
What to wear at the hotel and on the beach
At the hotel, swimwear at the pool and on the beach is completely fine, and most guests just add a light cover-up for dinner on the Zatiny terrace.
What to wear in the villages
Away from the resort, cover your shoulders and knees. Swimwear is not worn in the villages, so walking through Michamvi village in a bikini causes real discomfort rather than just stares — lightweight linen or resort wear is right.
What to wear in Stone Town
Stone Town asks for a little more again: a sarong or shawl over shoulders and knees for women, and awareness near mosques for everyone. Men in shorts above the knee are not breaking a rule, but tend to feel more comfortable in something longer in town.
Can you be fined for what you wear?
Yes. The UK government notes that the Zanzibari authorities can fine you USD 700 or more for clothing they consider inappropriate in public, and guides or tour operators at least USD 1,000. Covered shoulders and knees away from the beach keep you well clear of it.
Three habits
How do you greet people, take photos and use the right hand?
Three small habits cover almost all of Zanzibari etiquette: greet first, ask before you photograph, and use your right hand. Greetings come before business here — a simple "Habari" (how are you) or "Jambo" (hello), an "Asante" (thank you) and "Karibu" (welcome) carry you a long way, and even a few words of Swahili are met warmly. Going straight to a question without the greeting reads as abrupt.
Always ask before photographing people. Many Zanzibaris are glad to be photographed, but the consent matters, and mosques or prayer gatherings should not be photographed without clear permission. One more habit worth keeping: the left hand is considered unclean, so give, receive, eat and greet with your right hand.
The law
Which local laws do visitors need to know?
Four, and none of them is complicated. Germany's Foreign Office warns that photographing military and security sites, including airports and bridges, is forbidden, so keep the camera down at the airport. Drug laws are strict: the UK government warns of long prison sentences even for simple possession, including in transit. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Tanzania, including Zanzibar, and public affection can lead to arrest, so the UK and Germany both advise reserve in public and on social media. And plastic carrier bags are banned and taken off you on arrival; zip-lock bags for liquids are fine.
Money
Tipping: who, how much, which currency?
Tipping is appreciated but never obligatory, and small US-dollar notes are the easiest way to do it. As a rough guide: $1–2 for bags or daily housekeeping, $5–10 for a driver on a full-day trip, and around 10% in restaurants if service is not already included. At Matlai many guests prefer to tip the whole team together at checkout, which is common practice and shared fairly — appreciated, never expected.
US dollars are widely accepted and generally preferred, though Tanzanian shillings are fine; you do not need euros. Bring small bills — $1, $5 and $10 notes are far more useful than coins. Two practical notes from our own till: we take Visa and Mastercard, or cash in US dollars and Tanzanian shillings; and the banks and bureaux here are strict about the condition of dollar notes, so bring notes from 2009 or newer, since older ones are often turned away. There is an ATM in Michamvi Pingwe village and several more in Paje. The Tanzania money guide has the mainland version of all of this.
Everyday life
What does everyday life on the coast look like?
Some of the most memorable parts of Zanzibar are simply everyday life. At low tide along the coast you will see women tending rows of seaweed (mwani), one of the main sources of income in the coastal villages. It is striking to watch, and easy to photograph respectfully from a distance. The welcome soaps in your bathroom are bought directly from the Mwani women's seaweed cooperative, which is the same industry seen from the other end.
On the water, two traditional boats define the coast: the ngalawa, a slim outrigger canoe, and the larger dhow, a wooden sailing vessel — both still worked by local fishermen as well as used for excursions. The ngalawa is not a dhow; they are different boats, and locals will gently correct you.
Swahili food carries Arab, Indian, African and Portuguese influences — pilau rice, biryani, chapati, coconut fish curry, octopus curry. The best place to eat it is the Forodhani Gardens night market in Stone Town, and our own kitchen sources from village boats and island farms for the same reason. The island's past runs deep and difficult, too: Zanzibar was a hub of both the spice trade and the East African slave trade, and the Slave Market Memorial in Stone Town is a sobering, important visit. Zanzibar was a British Protectorate until 1963, then joined Tanganyika to form Tanzania in 1964, and Stone Town is also where Freddie Mercury was born.
Language
Which Swahili words help?
Swahili (Kiswahili) is the official language of Zanzibar and Tanzania, and the Zanzibar dialect, KiUnguja, is considered the standard form. English is spoken in hotels, restaurants and tourist areas, and Arabic in some communities. Our team at Matlai speaks English and Swahili.
You do not need the language to travel here. But a handful of words — Habari, Asante, Karibu — change the temperature of every interaction, and people light up when a visitor tries. Pair that with the practicalities on the getting-around page and the paperwork on the visa and entry page, and you arrive as a guest rather than a tourist.
Where these facts come from
Official sources
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: safety and security in Tanzania: Laws and cultural differences: the dress code and the fine for inappropriate clothing on Zanzibar, Ramadan, drugs, LGBT+ travellers and the plastic-bag ban.
- Auswärtiges Amt: Tansania, Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise: Germany's advice on photographing security sites such as airports and bridges, on reserve for LGBT travellers and on plastic bags.
Checked on 2 October 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
The questions guests ask before they walk out of the gate for the first time.
What should I wear in Zanzibar?
At the hotel, swimwear is fine at the pool and on the beach. Away from it, cover shoulders and knees, and never wear swimwear in the villages. Stone Town asks for a little more: a sarong or shawl over shoulders and knees, and care near mosques.
Can you be fined for what you wear in Zanzibar?
Yes. The UK government notes that the Zanzibari authorities can fine visitors USD 700 or more for clothing they consider inappropriate in public, and guides or tour operators at least USD 1,000. In practice, covered shoulders and knees away from the beach keep you clear of it.
What is it like to visit Zanzibar during Ramadan?
Ramadan falls earlier each year, so check the dates for your trip. Local staff may fast in daylight and some village shops cut their hours, but the Matlai kitchen runs normally. Do not eat or drink in public outside hotels and restaurants during the day.
Is tipping expected in Zanzibar?
It is appreciated but not obligatory — roughly $1–2 for bags or housekeeping, $5–10 for a full-day driver, and about 10% in restaurants if not included. Small US-dollar notes are easiest.
Can I take photos of local people?
Yes, if you ask first. Many Zanzibaris are happy to be photographed, but consent matters, mosques and prayer gatherings need clear permission, and photographing airports, bridges and other security sites is forbidden.
Is Zanzibar safe for LGBT travellers?
Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Tanzania, including Zanzibar, and the UK warns that public affection can lead to arrest. Germany advises particular reserve in public and on social media.
Do I need to speak Swahili?
No — English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and tourist areas. But a few words like Habari (how are you), Asante (thank you) and Karibu (welcome) are warmly received.
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