If you want to discover more of Zanzibar's beaches and explore the island's hinterland on your own, with its spice farms or Jozani National Park, renting a car is the best option.

Compared to other tourist destinations, however, renting a car in Zanzibar has its own specifics. I have experienced them firsthand and will share them in this article.

Driving on Zanzibar is on the left.

How and when to book a car

There are no multinational car rental companies operating directly in Zanzibar, but some of them rent cars from local rental companies that serve as contractors.

Among the well-known brands, you can book a car rental in Zanzibar through Europcar, AutoUnion or SurPrice, for example.

You can compare relevant car rental companies via Kayak, for example.

Car rental is not yet a mass affair in Zanzibar, so prices from car rental companies are at a similar level when booking well in advance and at the last minute.

You'll also come across local car or scooter rental companies right in the resorts such as Nungwi or Paje.

Car rental prices in Zanzibar

Car rental prices are quite good. In addition, in most cases you will get a large SUV type car

• Weekly rental high season: from 205 eur
• Weekly rental during the rainy season: from 160 eur
• Compare rental prices at Zanzibar ZNZ airport

As elsewhere in the world, the longer the car rental in Zanzibar, the lower the price per day you'll get.

How car rental works in Zanzibar

Most car rental companies only offer car pick-up at Zanzibar International Airport.

However, no car rental company has an office directly in the terminal - a car rental employee will be waiting for you outside the arrivals hall with a sign with your name on it.

Your car will be ready in the airport car park.

Returning the car is the same way - you must return the car at the exact time you specified during booking. A member of staff will be waiting at the airport to collect your car at this time. There are no boxes for returning the keys if you manage to return early.

You can try to arrange to return the car at another address.

The vast majority of communication with the car rental company is via WhatsApp, so it's crucial that you have data while in Zanzibar - for example, via esim Airalo.

Write to the car rental company the day before

From my own experience, I recommend contacting the car rental company a day in advance to make sure someone will actually be waiting for you at the airport.

I booked my car through AutoUnion and there was no one waiting at the airport at the given time. I had to make complicated phone calls to several numbers, only to find out in the end that the local AutoUnion rental contractor had no knowledge of my reservation.

In the end, everything worked out well and I picked up the car about 5 hours later.

International driving licence and other documents

To rent a car in Zanzibar you will need a national driving licence. Tanzania is not a signatory to the International Driving Licence Agreements, so you won't officially need this licence.

Indeed, no one ever asked to see it - not even the police check, which you will almost certainly be subjected to several times a day.

In Zanzibar, rental companies usually accept both credit and debit cards. Most local car rental companies require no deposit.

Local driving license

However, in addition to a national driver's license, you must have a local Zanzibar driver's license. The car rental company will arrange this for you.

Usually, shortly after you book your car, you will receive a message on WhastsApp or email from the local car rental company asking for a copy of your driving licence. This is not spam, but a necessary thing for the rental company to generate your online Zanzibar driving licence.

It can take up to 3 hours to issue a local driving licence, so we really recommend sending all the details to the rental company in advance.

An online copy of the local driving licence, which the car rental company will send to you via email or WhatsApp, is always sufficient. Download a picture and show it at the police check.

Issuing a Zanzibar driving licence costs 20 usd and is paid in cash directly to the rental company.

Petrol prices and petrol stations

Petrol in Zanzibar is relatively expensive by African standards.

Petrol prices range from 2 800 tzs to 3 000 tzs per litre.

How do petrol stations work in Mauritius?

Petrol stations can be found all over the island in all the major towns. There are no large multinationals operating directly on Zanzibar, but local petrol stations operate reliably.

Many petrol stations are open 24/7.

All petrol stations in Zanzibar are manned.

In practice, the way it works is that you drive up to the stand, open the tank and tell the attendant how much petrol you want to fill up. You then pay directly to the attendant without having to get out of the car.

Payment is almost always in cash only - Tanzanian shillings are preferred, but most stations also accept US dollars.

Petrol prices are quoted in shillings per litre and there are 3 types of fuel:

• Unlead (Premium) - regular 95 octane petrol, which you will use almost 100% of the time.
• Diesel - diesel for large trucks or vans
• Kerosene - fuel for very old cars

Road quality and signage

The quality of Zanzibar's roads is passable. It is not as great as, say, Mauritius, but better than most other African countries.

All the main roads are tarmac, although mostly without horizontal markings, which can make driving difficult, especially at night.

Signs here are of European format and directional signage is not very good - only appearing at major junctions.

The secondary roads out of town (e.g. to Mtende beach) are dusty and full of potholes.

Watch out for the stiles!

The biggest danger for drivers is the slowing crossbars.

They are everywhere and are usually very poorly marked. Even on a clear day, it is often difficult to spot a speed bump, let alone at night when they are virtually invisible.

Always assume that speed bumps are designed to actually slow you down! A comfortable speed is 5-10 km/h maximum.

Frequent police checks and bribes

Police checks are very common in Zanzibar.

For example, when crossing the island from Nungwi to Jambiani, I was stopped by the police a total of 5 times in one day.

During the check you need to present your national driving license and local Zanzibar permit, which you just need to show on your mobile phone.

I have rarely had the police ask me for a bribe. Usually the police have two different tactics:

1. They will notify you that you have broken the law (especially by speeding) - the fine amounts are fixed at 75 usd, and must always be dealt with at the police station. However, the officer will offer to pay half of it if you can sort it out on the spot.
2. He will ask you for a "gift".

In the first case, the burden of proof is on the police. So politely state that you insist that everything be handled officially at the police station.

Usually the officer will let you go, but there is a risk that you will actually go to the police station where other officers will demand more bribes...

In the second case, the policeman will settle for practically any amount. However, it is much better to say that this is the severalth police check, who is asking for a gift, and that you have no money at all. In that case, the officer will usually let you leave without the "gift" and without a ticket.

Traffic regulations

In Zanzibar, you drive on the left.

The biggest vice of local drivers is overtaking absolutely anywhere, including at bends or junctions.

Speeds

Speeds are measured in kilometres per hour and the maximum speed limits are as follows:

• In built-up areas - 40 km/h (approx. 25 mph)
• Outside a built-up area - 60 km/h (approx. 38 mph)

However, very often other speeds are set by road signs.

Priorities and roundabouts

At junctions that are not controlled by traffic lights or signs, the right-hand right of way applies.

Roundabouts are common, where the car travelling on the roundabout always has the right of way. You signal before entering a roundabout as if you were approaching a normal junction, i.e:

• I am leaving the roundabout by the first exit - flashing left
• Leaving the roundabout by the second exit (or the first if directly opposite) - do not flash
• Leaving the roundabout by the last exit - flashing right

When you are already on the roundabout, you always flash right just before leaving the roundabout.

But most drivers don't use their turn signals at all on a roundabout.

Pedestrian crossings

In Tanzania, pedestrians have the right of way at crosswalks. Although pedestrian crossings are minimal in Zanzibar, drivers often follow this rule.

Alcohol, seat belts and talking on the phone

Wearing seatbelts is compulsory and talking on the phone while driving is prohibited.

In Zanzibar, the blood alcohol tolerance for driving is 0.08%.

Parking - free almost everywhere!

Parking is absolutely hassle-free on Zanzibar.

I haven't experienced paid parking at any of the tourist attractions or beaches.

The exception is Stone Town, where you have to pay for parking 3 000 tzs no matter how long you park. Parking fees are collected by employees wearing reflective vests and they always have to give you a receipt.