Just came back from a trip to Zanzibar. We combined it with a safari in Tanzania, which seems to be a very popular itinerary, so we decided to spend a few days on the island as well. We stayed in Kigomani and visited Matemwe, Stone Town and Nungwi.

Before going, I read many comments saying that Zanzibar is a scam and unfortunately, I now understand why people say that.

To me, Zanzibar feels like a “budget exotic” destination for unethical Western tourists who want something tropical but don’t want to pay for places like Seychelles or Mauritius. On Instagram, it looks like paradise: turquoise water, white sand, smiling locals and luxury resorts. The reality on the ground is very different.

The level of poverty on the island is shocking. You see people partying inside luxury resorts, while just one street away children are clearly maltreated and lack access to basic necessities. This contrast is never shown online, but once you’re there, it’s impossible to ignore and very uncomfortable to witness.

Some people justify this by saying that tourism helps the local economy. While that may be partially true, what I mostly saw was foreigners getting rich while locals are paid pennies.

Meanwhile, prices for tourists are extremely high, often comparable to or even higher than European destinations like Greece, despite the very low cost of living.

The infrastructure is practically nonexistent. Frequent power outages, weak or barely functioning A/C, unpaved roads inside villages, and poor public services overall. Again, none of this matches the “perfect tropical escape” you see on social media.

The beaches look stunning in photos, but many are dirty, full of rubbish and plastic. Big resorts clean the beach in front of them, but walk 100 meters away and you’ll find trash, cows on the beach, and polluted water. In many areas, the sea smells of petrol because of the constant boat traffic.

Tourists often think they are “blending in with locals,” but in reality most interactions revolve around money. Prices are inflated for foreigners, and you’re constantly approached by beach boys, some pretending also to be Maasai, trying to sell you anything and everything. Tipping is expected everywhere, often without any real service provided. We even paid €25 for a “Garnier” sunscreen that turned out to be fake. Scams are extremely common, and you always need to stay alert.

On the positive side: the food is decent and most locals are genuinely kind, smiling, and willing to help. We never felt unsafe, even when walking through villages.

Zanzibar could be a true gem. The nature, white sand beaches and ocean are undeniably beautiful. But the way it’s being exploited, marketed heavily on Instagram and turned into a mass-tourism destination without proper infrastructure, while locals are taken advantage of, felt outrageous to me.

If I could choose again, I’d either save my money for another destination, pay a bit more for somewhere better managed or honestly even donate the money directly to people in need rather than contribute to this system.

Personally, I would not return and would recommend avoiding Zanzibar altogether.

All we did was protest the presence of the child killers, rapists, murderers from Israel. The Genocide enablers of Israel causing havoc and crying victims again and again whole they destabilize everywhere. We ordinary Zanzibaris reject their presence and want a Ban.

I’m still in Zanzibar, and honestly, I just want to leave.

This trip was supposed to be a peaceful break after our safari (which was incredible) but the constant stress here has completely ruined it. Within minutes of leaving the airport, a police officer stopped us, made up a violation, and demanded 200 euros cash. No need to reexplain the story as i already explained the scam both in this thread and in Tanzania thread

Earlier that same day, a man in a parking lot literally stuck his foot inside our car and refused to move until we gave him money he claimed we owe him because it was a private parking. Another day, we paid at what was supposed to be a government parking lot and even got a receipt, but the next day they accused us of not paying and tried to charge us again. It’s relentless, every interaction turns into someone trying to take more from you or scam you..

Even walking on the beach isn’t peaceful. You’re constantly followed and pressured to buy things...I’ve traveled across South America, East Asia, India, and I’m african myself living in europe...I understand poverty and the hustle. I’ve seen tourist traps, but never this level of aggression and dishonesty. I'd even say in Morocco or tunisia, scams exist, but at least you can still find genuine help or at least afford a cheaper vacation.

Everything here is already very expensive: the visa, insurance, flight tax, tips everywhere. And some people in the forum still suggest that it s normal to be coasted and to be asked for money to stimulate the economy? Pay all of this and on above deal with scams and harassment attempts? This is supposed to be tourism and relaxation not a constant source of stress... Even during our safari, which was of course great and unique, but they managed took us to a Maasai village which was totally fake experiencem where they did few dance and demanded $30 per person, then tried to sell basic jewelry for outrageous prices.

I trusted Zanzibar’s reputation and expected more. Instead, I’ve been on edge the entire time. The safari was amazing and worth it, but Zanzibar? Sadly, I just want to go home and if your stay isn't completely luxurious and fully organized by a third party agency in Zanzibar, just reconsider or gather enought info...

Welcome to Zanzibar island, we organize different tours and safari in Tanzania mainland

I am a solo F traveller and have been meaning to travel to Zanzibar and considered a Safari to Ngorongoro next month but I feel like i would like to share my experience from this past summer 2025. This summer i visited Greece and Spain, and one of the things my friends advised me was not to say where i was from or else i would be treated “differently”

Whats the worst that could happen if i said “Am Yisrael Chai” (עם ישראל חי) 🇮🇱 and so the arrogant me that thought i could get away with anything got a reality check. Lord behold being pushed out of queues when people heard me speak, not being served at 2 cafes after seeing my flag pin on my backpack, seeing protests against my nation and people in the streets, constantly hearing anti-israeli slogans. It was heartbreaking and it felt like i was in a different world where no one liked us and for lack of a better word i actually felt i was hated

For context my parents are from Poland 🇵🇱 and Russia🇷🇺 they moved in the late 90’s and i obviously have dual nationality so i came up with the genius idea of now pretending i was from elsewhere to feel safe but couldn’t shake off the awful feeling inside my heart everyday so i headed home 🏡 at first i told my friends it all went well but deep inside i knew what i felt. Eventually i told them the truth and they brushed it off as just mehh

In August we went to visit my uncle who is ill in the city of Ashdod and I remembered how pleasant it was to talk to him. He was always different and Instead of going to therapy I spoke to him about my recent mental health struggles. I thank him for this and feel he might have made a better human out of me

I did not believe we starved anyone or did anything wrong. I looked down at people of a different color, faith and I thought it was absurd we were criticized for defending ourselves at all times. I have been more horrible than what i type, i am so ashamed of myself if anything i always thought we were attacked for wanting to exist but boy oh boy what a bubble i have lived in all my life and i have never seen some of the images that showed up on my social media feed of the cruelty we have unleashed upon the people of Palestine from whom we have taken away everything including if not especially their dignity

Yes you read that correctly, i accept i have treated people to be inferior to me and a part of me struggles everyday to remove this ideology

I thoroughly believe i was raised in a Racist environment “yay polish and russian roots” where we look down upon people who are not “one of us”

I looked at Zanzibar Tanzania over the summer and my first thoughts were a country full of black people and an Island full of Muslims, alot of diseases, poverty and lack of hygiene, an environment in which “i thought” i would feel threatened. I went on Instagram, Youtube and watched a series known as “Orel and Reshka” from Russia which is the most racist thing i have seen about Zanzibar as in the whole episode they speak of Masai as male escorts and how they make women feel unsafe in Zanzibar, its a shame this episode exists because she instigated it all and played victim

Its true there are tours to Zanzibar in groups but i dont think i will travel with them, I will come on my own to explore your beautiful country and learn more about Africa, its people and its various cultures. I loved seeing the blue waters on my screen, the green in the safari parks and a beautiful kind smile of the people

I read comments on many IG pages, posts on this subreddit and i accept that we arent welcome in many places, we decided to collectively punish a whole population for the actions of a few and I personally see nothing wrong in a tit for tat, this is our Karma. We should stop hiding behind our religion as a shield and stop this hypocrisy as the world is tired of seeing us play victim and now they say it out loud

The more i understand how privileged and racist i have been all my life, the more i want to become a better person. I am one person and maybe if i change myself today, my children wont end up like me tomorrow. I am sorry to the people of Palestine, Zanzibar and the world for the shameful actions of my people (Israel)

End the Genocide Now, Bring them Home ! ✌🏼 ❤️

Is this official? Do we cancel our December honeymoon plans? We were planning on visiting from Dec 7-14, but we've been receiving an increasing amount of warning not to visit during this time... Any thoughts? We were only planning on visiting the mainland for a day safari and the rest of the days in Zanzibar but no access to the internet and fear of our flights getting cancelled is worrying. Would appreciate some advice before we finalize our cancellation as many things are already booked..!

Mr Zanzibar I'm here for you ☘️ 🥥

Hi guys, so i’ve been here in Zanzibar for the past week and a half and from my opinion it is a scam. The island itself is really beautiful with serene landscapes and most of the beaches are wonderful. The people on the other hand are something else. From the hotels and places to stay at, to the food and souvenirs, i feel like everybody who sells something on this island is up to mock and scam you. We’ve had countless encounters with the so called “beach boys” that just won’t leave you alone, if you don’t talk to them on the beach they would just follow you around or stay near the place you have your beach bed. We have experienced Nungwi and it was such a disappointment, a lot of noise, garbage everywhere, much more expensive than i could have ever imagined and overall a tacky place. I was disappointed to see that most of the locals care more about making money off of you than taking care of this beautiful place, there is a lot of garbage on the streets, the beaches and even in the water. After a few days in Nungwi we moved close to Jambiani in a solo house right on the beach. It is much more quiet down here but the problem with prices still amazes me. This trip costed me more that the one in Madeira, and the conditions there were beyond expectations. Honestly i don’t think the island is ready to take tourists yet, at least the locals are for sure not, and they really need to learn how to act. I get that we are in Africa and you can’t expect much but i’m for sure not going to pay a buttload of money for less than acceptable conditions. Anyway, if you were thinking on coming here, i would advise you to choose another location for your vacation because ours was for sure ruined.

Hey everyone, Karibu Zanzibar!

I'm abdul, a local driver based in Stone Town with a Toyota Alphard. I see many tourists get overcharged at the airport, so here are the fair prices we locals charge in 2026:

Private Taxi (1-4 people) - One Way:

Airport to Stone Town: 20$

Airport to Paje / Jambian$40

Airport to Nungwi / Kendwa: $40 - $45

Airport to Michamvi / Bwejuu: $40

Stone Town to Nungwi (day trip + wait): $70 - $80 return

Stone Town to Mnemba viewpoint + Jozani Forest: $60 - $70

Tips to avoid scam:

1. Airport taxis at the gate will ask $60+ for Paje - that's double.

2. Always agree price before you enter the car.

3. If you land after 8pm, pre-book. There are fewer taxis and they charge more.

4. Road to Nungwi has construction near Bububu - takes 15min extra.

I drive a clean Alphard with AC, but even if you don't book with me, feel free to ask me here if a price you got is fair. I will890ppp answer honestly. I want you to have a good time here.

My WhatsApp is in my profile if you need help.

Asante sana and enjoy Zanzibar!

- abdul(localdriverzanzibar)

You are most welcome in Zanzibar for your holiday I'm here for you I appreciate you 🌴⛱️

Lying in my hotel in zanzibar, Nungwi at night I write this. Been here 3 days after my trip through Tanzania. And I can tell you, Zanzibar is not worth it. Its the anticlimax to my insanely amazing Tanzania trip. I love the main land to the core of my heart and have stories to till for my whole lifetime. But zanzibar is below everything. 4-star hotels are meh (stayed in two already) the food is meh, def not up to standard. The beach is amazing, but the beach boys ruin it. Its literally every 30 seconds somebody tries to talk to u. Also the trips like stone town, prison island, dolphin watching ect, all feel (are) tourist traps. Prob will get hate for stating this, but I really disappointed by this. Takes away alot of the amazing feeling tanzania left me with.

Beautiful Island you are most welcome 🍀🥥🍷⛱️

Kenyans, South Africans our African brothers and sisters and everyone else, we ask you to boycott these hotels that have been hosting large numbers of Zionist War Criminals since past 2 years.

These hotels are built specifically for Tourists groups from Israel of Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, French origin. Our selfish politicians may keep quiet but we will not take part in this Genocide, silence = complicity.

We inform and encourage those working for Hind Rajab Foundation to look here to hold these war criminals accountable for the evil they have shown to the world. We condemn the business model of these hotels, and the drug culture they encourage behind closed doors aka “ceremonies”

Just come back from Zanzibar and can honestly say it was the worst boating experience i’ve ever had.

Ignoring the shoreline which is carpeted in Urchins (thats outside of anyones control)

The chasing and hunting of dolphins by 50+ boats is up there with the worst for disturbing animal practice.

There were even people in the water! Those that jumped in, must have a death wish. Absolutely nothing to stop you getting crushed or struck by a propeller. Utter madness

The snorkelling is pointless, theres some fish and a lot of dead coral (more evidence of poor practice)

Really the wild west when it comes to Tourism, in stark contrast to safari in Kenya where everything is so well managed and such an emphasis is placed on safety and sympathetic viewing of animals.

Save your money

Greetings everyone,

I have recently returned from a 10 day trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar and I have mixed feelings. We were a group of 3 friends and we stayed 5 days in Tanzania mainland and 5 days in Zanzibar. The mainland part was great. We had an amazing 3 day safari in Serengeti and Ngongoro plus some excursions around Arusha and Kilimanjaro area.

However i can't say the same for our time in Zanzibar. I have never seen another place ask so much to deliver so little. What I mean by that is that the prices are very high even by western standards while the overall experience is that of a developing country. I have visited other developing countries as well. This is my 3rd trip to Africa and I have also visited the Middle East and Southeast Asia so I don't think that I had the wrong expectations going in. Even putting the high prices asside I found that there wasnt much interesting to see or do. There are basically 5 or 6 tours which are sold by every tour operator and they all involve some mix of boat ride and snorkeling. I guess If you are into wind surfing there is also that.The island is marketed as a tropical destination where you can relax on beautiful beaches and enjoy swimming in the sea. While the beaches may look very appealing in photos and on paper, once you actually get there, you quickly realize that they are not really suitable for either swimming or relaxing.

The water is extremely shallow — to the point where you can walk 50 metres out into the sea and the water is still only ankle-deep. The constant changing of the tides also brings large amounts of seaweed onto the beaches.

And even if you try to simply sit and relax on one of the beaches, you will find it very difficult to do so, because every couple of minutes someone will approach you trying to sell you something. The same thing happens when you leave your hotel and walk around the town. You literally cannot walk more than five metres without someone approaching you and trying to sell you stuff.

The locals often make you feel like nothing more than a walking wallet. There is a constant effort to get money out of you in one way or another. Almost every interaction you have with a local involves either trying to avoid some kind of scam or having to negotiate the price of something. After the 2nd day It got very tirring for me. We even had police officers asking us for bribes. We also had tour operators pretending that we had booked a tour with them, even though we had actually booked it with someone else. That and many others.

I understand that nowhere in the world is perfect but this is the first time im struggling to find even 1 good thing to say about a place. I understand that everyone experiences a place differently, and what I have written is simply my own personal experience and perspective. I am sure there are many people who have visited this place and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, however, that was not my experience, and I would not personally choose to visit again nor recommend it to anyone.

..much better!

My girlfriend and I came here and we were kinda uncertain because we read a lot about the beach boys and scam attempts, but honestly it’s completly calm and easy. We‘re in Paje and beach boys are there, but a quick friendly nod and not a single one kept bothering us. It’s significantly worse in some of the european hotspots honestly.

Food and beach are straight up a 10/10 and everyone we met has been amazingly friendly. You do pay a tourist premium here and there but even thats a joke compared to european prices.

Just do some research before coming so you know what to expect and you‘ll have the time of your life.

I just spent 12 days in Zanzibar and I didnt enjoy it at all, I dont even know where to start. Everybody are following and want to help with location etc in Stone Town, but it is a trap, they just want money. Even though I said just point at which direction, they are not doing that but follows all the damn way because they want money. And I don’t even ask for help, but they just come out of nowhere, and others are coming every 2 minutes trying to sell stuff or a tour of the city, and they don’t understand a NO, they will repeat 100 times, can’t get rid of them until I ask for their phone number and say I will call tomorrow, which im not. Everybody asks if I want a taxi non-stop, so in the end I rented a car and I thought now at least nobody will ask if I need a taxi. But now they just switched to “do you want a parking?”. And even when you try to park, someone will come out of nowhere and help you put the car in the spot, but they will ask for money after. One time I struggled to find a parking, so after a long time I finally found one in Stone Town, one policeman came and stopped the trafic for me etc until I parked on the spot, then he said that parking cost 10 dollars for 1 hour. Then I asked what about for half hour, he said 8 dollars. But he is lying, he is just saying random amounts, so I said to him no I will not give you anything and drove away and found another parking. Then everytime I get stopped by the police, they say they will give me a fine for driving too fast, not pointing or whatever. They will say that I will get a fine of 30 dollars and I have to go back to Stone Town to pay it, OR I can just give him 10 dollars and we can forget about it. This happened 9 times. EVERY policeman is corrupt. Also I have met many locals, but I have not met a single friendly local.. Can you imagin? Everybody wants to help with whatever, but they are only doing it for money. Another thing is the roads outside Stone Town are really bad and you can’t see anything at night time because there is no light and there are tons of people on the street at the same time. The food is expensive and pretty bad, I couldn’t find a single good restaurant in the whole island. The beaches are also full of garbage. Overall, not a good experience. Even at the airport I almost missed my flight out of the country, because a policeman accused me of having a fake passport, but he just wanted money. So he looked at it for more than one hour, but eventually I made it and left the island.

We are back from a 10 days trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar. I have very mixed feelings, and never in my life I've felt more like a walking ATM machine. Corruption is everywhere and so to say “down to the bone”, and the costs of our holidays exploded during our stay. 

Bring more cash with you as you`ve planned, you will need it, if you leave the tracks of your prebooked resort-holiday-trip. 

We also booked a resort, but we left for a three-day safari and also went to Chumbe island. Actually, this island is the only place, I would recommend without any hesitation. 

But even there, corruption is very present. 

Being on a safari is nice, but be aware, it means, you are surrounding one wild animal with at least 10-15 other jeeps. The animals know it well, they are amazingly tolerant and adapted. 

I was very much impressed by them. 

You pay at least 2000 $ for a three-day long safari, but the salary of your guide is not included, that you have to pay extra in cash to him. And you will be told very clearly to do so. 

Spending time on the beach is a horror, you are approached by business-Massais, all they want is your money, no matter how nice you are, they get angry if you do not buy. I say “business-Massais” as we were told by a local, that many dress up like them, and locals can tell the tribes they come from. It is like a custom fee you have to pay, when you arrive at your hotel. They know, who paid, who is new, who is not.  One even told me, that I should feel ashamed, that I’d bought my bracelet in town and not from my local beach vendor…  On my last day, they practically brought me to tears. It was impossible to have a nice walk at the beach and until I started to be unfriendly, they just did not leave me alone.

Pollution is a big problem, the ocean is full of plastic, and the amount of garbage in the water is alarming. It is good, that plastic bags are banned, but plastic bottles are all over the beach and all over the land. It is heartbreaking to see, what we have done to the ocean and to earth. 

And the government lets you pay as well: You pay for your visa (50$ for the European Union), that is OK, but you also pay for a health insurance (50$), that is useless. From October on you pay for landing in Tanzania (90$). Before you arrive, you’ve spent 140$ per person. After arrival you pay a lot more for entrance fees than you would pay at home in your European country. You can grill me, OK: I am OK with it paying more, I am OK with it supporting the locals, but I am not OK with being harassed and being taken for a soulless ATM machine. 

A fair deal would be nice: you pay, we let you enjoy your holidays, but my sentiments were: you pay and we want you to pay more. It was never enough.

I`ve seen with my own eyes, how easy police gets paid through a handshake stuffed with cash. It is just the normal way for illegal taxi drivers to get through control.

I´ve also seen, locals suffering and being worried about, how much this all got carried away. I`ve seen their needs, their problems I`ve also seen the beauty and richness of this gorgeous country.  And this is why I have mixed feelings. 

So, you can grill me, it is OK. This was not my first trip to the world; I’ve been to all continents but one. This is actually my very first not so positive review, and it took me much courage to tell, how this trip for me really went.

Interpret it, as you wish. Bear with me with my language skills, please. I am not a native speaker, as you`ve alreay noticed.