what to know before leaving
LOCAL TIME
Local time is GMT +3
Finlandia and Zanzibar are in the same time zone
the climate in zanzibar
Zanzibar is located on the warm Indian Ocean at 6 degrees from the equator
Temperature are high all year round the hottest period is from october to march,with temperature around 31/33 degree, the humidity is very high even if the breezes temper the heat a little bit
on the hottest days it is possible to reach 36/38 degree
from may to august the southeast winds create a cooler climate with temperatures around 29 degrees
Visas and immigration
A passport is required for all visitors
passports must be valid for 6 months and have at least one free page
for most nationalities a visa is also required
You can do the visa for Zanzibar and Tanzania ,online before yours departure to avoid gatherings at the airport,or in any case at the airport upon your arrival,cost 50 dollars pay in cash or credit card
official website to apply for a visa: https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/
for those arriving in Zanzibar on a charter flight, in addition to the 50 usd visa there are exit fees to pay, 40 usd or 50 usd depending on the airlines booked charter,to be paid at check-in on the day of return
besides Zanzibar international airport you can get the visa in three other point of entry in tanzania they are Dar El Salam international airport, on the namanga border located on the road from kenya to tanzania and at kilimanjaro international airport
Vaccinations and health precautions
no vaccination is mandatory in tanzania and Zanzibar
the one against yellow fever is mandatory only for those coming from infected areas. Malaria prophylaxis is recommender for those who go on safari
we racommend that you consult your doctor for information about the health certificate you should bring with you supplie of any medication you are taking
The my blue hotel rooms are equipped with mosquito net on the bed,also every evening we spray the mosquito repellent in the room as part of our turndown service however we raccomend that you bring a mosquito repellent for the evening
money and insurance
The local currency is the tanzanian shilling (TSh).
The most common foreign currency is the dollar(USD) the euro can be accepted but remember that only banks apply normal exchange rates
for the local trades 1 euro worth 1 dollar therefore it better to pay with dollars
Nota:due to local banking practices ,we are unable to accept us 100 banknotes produced before 2006.
Eletricity
the local eletricity is 220-240 V CA 50Hz. The power outlets on the rooms are italian type In the common areas as in the bar and reception are available the english type
there still occasional power outages in Zanzibar
Visitors are advised not to leave expensive electrical equipment connected when not in use,due to occasional power surges
dress code
Modesty is appreciated by everyone in Zanzibar
Foreign standard don´t apply everywhere,so something that are normal in your country may not be appreciated by the locals
Bikinis and miniskirt are ok for the beach ,but on villages and town area is better to cover the shoulders ,skirt and shorts below the knee are more appropiate equally it would be better for men to always wear a shirt and dress respectfully
photography
picture are allowed in public areas,however,if you like to take picture of people or private properties, ask for authorization
language
The official language is Swahili, also the most predominate in africa
the second language is english ,spoken by the majority of peaple who works in tourism
