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Before
You
Come.

Here is some useful information about your stay on the island.

Breakfast
 
Continental breakfast is served in the form of the buffet at the La Shira restaurant. You can enjoy your morning coffee and the buffet from 7.30 AM to 10:30 AM.

If you wish to obtain a local SIM card you need to present your passport before the purchase. For mobile internet, we recommend Zantel due to its growing network of the 4G/LTE, whereas for call purposes Halotel. The SIM card can only be purchased at the airport.

The local currency is the Tanzanian Shilling that is valid on Zanzibar, Pemba and the Tanzanian mainland.

We recommend exchanging your home currency to US dollars before departure to avoid bank charges. However, many places accept USD, Euro, Pound Sterling. Please note that the US dollar shouldn’t be older than 2006, because of the poorer exchange rate. At most bureau de change, larger notes fetch a better exchange rate than the smaller notes.

At Jambiani Villas we do not charge any fees on credit card payments. Keep in mind, however, that a 5% fee is practiced in many places on Zanzibar.

For recommended vaccinations and other medical advice, we suggest to talk to your doctor well in advance before your travel.

Medical provisions on the island are not comparable to Western countries, but there are doctors and hospitals all over the island. You can avoid unwelcome incidents by following some simple rules:

  • Do not drink water from the tap.
  • Ask if ice cubes are made from bottled water.
  • Wash your fruits and vegetables with bottled water before eating.

Tourist visas for Zanzibar are available at the airport upon arrival at the immigration desk. The tourist visa costs 50$ and entitles you to stay in Tanzania and Zanzibar up to 90 days. It may occur that airport functionary will demand payment with a credit card, rather than cash, therefore it is recommended to have both at the time.

Be aware that the waiting time is around 45 minutes. You can save some of that time by printing and completing the following form (Visa application forms) prior to your arrival.

Low and high tides are very well noticeable at the east coast of Zanzibar. At the low tide, the ocean retreats far from the shoreline. At that time the ocean’s bottom reveals, what makes it possible to up to 1,5 km far from the beach. The high tide, dependable on the incoming amount of water, you may not be able to walk on the beach for few hours, what more, large waves easily splash right onto the fencing of resort premises. It is advised you orientate yourself about tides flow, by asking staff or via the internet.

Plastic Bag Ban with effect from 1st June 2019: – tourists, can face very heavy fines for using Plastic bags. Using, manufacture or importation of plastic bags, including garbage bags and shopping bags, is illegal. Convicted offenders, including tourists, can face very heavy fines, imprisonment for up to two years, or both.

Visitors are advised to avoid packing any plastic bags in their suitcases or in carry-on hand luggage before flying to Tanzania. Items purchased at the airport before boarding the aircraft should be removed from plastic bags. Please check hand luggage before disembarking at entry points and any plastic bags should be left in the plane. Similarly, the transparent “zip-lock” plastic bags that some airlines require passengers to use for keeping liquids, cosmetics, toiletries, etc. separately in hand luggage are also not permitted to be brought and should be removed and left on the plane before disembarking.

Full official information: here

We understand that some of our guests may wish to change their existing travel plans in light of coronavirus. We have amended our commercial policy in order to provide maximum flexibility and peace of mind to our guests.

All guests with bookings up to 30 May 2020 can now change their travel plans free of charge by altering their booking dates (rate differences may apply) or opting to receive a travel voucher up to seven days prior to arrival.

The travel voucher can be used for a future stay, in all of our properties, valid for one year from the date of issue. Cancellation penalties will be waived for guests who opt to receive a travel voucher for a future stay.

 

We offer our guests transfers from and to the airport or ferry (55 km) with the new Toyota Alphard. The cost is 45$ per car (up to 6 people) one way and 85$ return.

Before you arrive, we will provide you with information on which of our locations you will be accommodated. There is also where the check-in will be held. If for some reason this information does not reach you, head to our office in the Kaskazini location. After your passports being scanned, we will inform you in which of the villa or apartment you will be accommodated.

Check-in time is 2 PM, while the latest check-out is at 11 AM.

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