Within Stone Town I moved mostly on foot, but I also tried the "dala-dala" bus or tuk tuk, which in Tanzania is called "bajaji".

How to get around the island? Find out in our article Transportation in Zanzibar.

On foot

The historic centre is very small in size, measuring roughly 600 x 800 metres. In addition, the streets are so narrow that no form of transport other than motorbikes and pedestrians can fit through them.

Walking is therefore the only practical way to discover the centre of Stone Town.

Stone Town is a safe place, so you don't have to worry about walking even at night.

Bajaji (tuk-tuk)

The small motorised tricycles, so familiar from Thailand for example, are also very popular throughout Tanzania.

The Bajaji will be used mainly when moving around the perimeter of Stone Town, for example when transporting to more distant landmarks such as the Peace Memorial Museum or the Revolution Memorial Tower.

Remember that you must always negotiate the price in advance, and driving around Stone Town or its close surroundings should definitely not cost more than 5 000 tzs.

It is also common to pay in US dollars.

Buses gave

The buses, which are called "dala-dala" in Tanzania, are mainly for locals and to be honest I didn't see a single tourist using this form of transport in the whole time.

Although at first glance the buses can be quite confusing, they are all clearly marked with a specific line number and the conductor, who is always standing in the doorway, will helpfully tell you if it is going your way or advise you which line to take.

You won't find any route maps anywhere on the internet or at the stops.

For tourists, lines 505 and 509, which run from Darajani Market (the stop is located at this exact spot) to Zanzibar Airport, can be useful.

Get on the bus, take a seat (if there is room - buses are often very crowded!) and pay the appropriate amount to the conductor when you get off.

For lines that only operate within Zanzibar Town (all marked with the 5xx number series), there is a flat fare 500 tzs.

Taxi and mobile app

Do not use taxis to get around Stone Town. They are only suitable for longer distances, for example, on the way to Zanzibar Airport.

The price to the airport is fixed and is currently 15 usd. However, many taxi drivers will charge you 20 usd when travelling in the direction of the airport from the centre. We recommend taking a photo of the fixed price sign at the airport upon arrival in Zanzibar and showing the photo to the taxi driver if he/she wants more than $15.