Turquoise waters, white beaches, tropical temperatures and a laptop on your lap. Zanzibar sounds like the perfect remote work destination. And it is, provided you’re well prepared. Because although the island off the coast of Tanzania is becoming increasingly popular with digital nomads, there are a few things you really need to know before you make this your remote office. In this blog, I share all about the best places to work, the state of the internet, and what you can do in your free hours on this island. Spoiler: it’s much more than just a bounty island.
Internet & power on Zanzibar: be prepared
Let’s start with the truth: Internet in Zanzibar is volatile. It’s not bad everywhere, but certainly not always reliable. Especially outside the larger tourist hotspots such as Nungwi, Paje and Stone Town, the connection can be slow or unstable.
Power outages are a reality in many places in Africa, including here. Zanzibar regularly suffers from power outages, which sometimes last only a few minutes, and sometimes an hour. Most hotels and coworking spaces have generators or batteries for backup, but don’t always count on them 100%. Save your work more often than you are used to, and always download important files locally for backup.
Get a local sim card from Yas as soon as you arrive, at the airport for example. I sometimes use an eSIM myself, maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t always work very well. With 4G data as a backup, you are much less dependent on the hotel wifi.
The best places to work on Zanzibar
Good news: the number of good places to work on Zanzibar is growing. Here are three places where you can really work.
Kendwa Rocks Cowork – Kendwa Along the north coast sits Kendwa Rocks Cowork, at the beautiful resort of Kendwa Rocks. This is a professional coworking space with good working facilities; stable high speed wifi, air conditioning, fine workstations and meeting rooms. A day pass is $15, which includes drinks and a snack. You can also subscribe for weekends, weeks, months or nights (for those with time differences). As a guest of the hotel, it’s free. You’ll find other remote workers here as well. What I found most impressive was the view, among palm trees and right on the beach. After my working day I plopped down on a beach bed and dived into the sea. Really recommend this place to stay!
Corina Pastry Shop – Paje Kitesurfing Walhalla Paje, on the east coast, is a favorite of digital nomads. The coworking at Corina Pastry Shop is definitely a hidden gem. During the day you work here upstairs concentrated in the workspace, and in between you enjoy delicious pastries and good coffee. The Internet is usually reasonably stable and the atmosphere is informal and cozy. You don’t pay for the workspace, although of course you are then supposed to consume something, but that is certainly not a punishment here I can tell you.
The Soul / TOC – Paje If you want fast internet and a nice place to work then The Soul Paje is a good place to go. This sits on a beautiful resort. There is good and stable internet, so if you have an important meeting or are working with heavy files or programs, this is a good location to go to work.
Yasa Boutique Hotel – Nungwi Nungwi is the vibrant north of Zanzibar, with insanely beautiful beaches. I stayed at Yasa Boutique Hotel , a beautiful and attractive small-scale hotel, with good facilities and several nice places to work. You imagine yourself in a tropical jungle here, surrounded by green trees and plants. The atmosphere is peaceful and the owner is super helpful. The wifi is stable by local standards, and otherwise they arrange a local sim with enough data to do your work well. Enjoy a remote tropical office during the day, then walk to the beach in 5 minutes, or ask the accommodation to organize a nice tour for you. I did that myself and it was all very well arranged. There is also a shuttle service, which takes you everywhere for free during the day.
Free time on Zanzibar: what to do?
When your laptop is closed, Zanzibar opens up as a world of color, culture and adventure. There is an awful lot of fun to do in this bounty paradise. I was originally supposed to go here for 1 week, but loved it so much that I rebooked my ticket and decided to stay an extra week. These are my tips for fun to do’s on Zanzibar:
Snorkeling at the reef Zanzibar is surrounded by coral reefs with a dazzling underwater world full of colorful fish. Snorkeling trips can be booked from almost every beach village. Grease extremely well, otherwise you are guaranteed to get sunburned in no time (I speak from experience).
Sandbank trip One of the most magical experiences on Zanzibar: a boat ride to a sandbar that rises out of the sea at low tide. You are literally in the middle of the ocean on a narrow patch of white sand.
Dolphin tour – pay attention! Dolphin spotting sounds great, but many tours in Zanzibar are notorious for unethical behavior: hordes of boats chasing and chasing herds of dolphins, stressing the animals. I therefore did not do this.
Jozani Forest In the middle of the island is the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, Zanzibar’s only national park. You can book a tour, or just take a good look if you happen to drive through it by cab, as we did, you’ll also spot the monkeys already.
Stone Town This town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see. Wander the narrow alleys and experience hectic African life in the markets and streets. As soon as you get out of the car someone will come up to you to offer a tour, for $15 they will take you to the hotspots and tell you about the city. Highly recommended, if only to keep the other locals at bay a bit, as they are very pushy.
Spice Farm tour Zanzibar is not known as the “Spice Island” for nothing; a visit to a spice farm is fun to do. Book through your accommodation or a reliable local guide.
Kizimkazi While Nungwi and Paje attract the most tourists, the south remains relatively undiscovered. Kizimkazi is a quiet fishing village, with quieter, authentic beaches. Ideal if you want to get away from the crowds.
Chilling at a beach club Zanzibar has a growing scene of beach clubs where you can relax overlooking the ocean. End your day with a dawa (the local cocktail with vodka, honey and lime).
Sunset boat ride Book a sunset dhow tour, aboard a traditional wooden sailing ship as the sun sinks into the sea. One of those experiences you won’t soon forget.
Practical tips for digital nomads
- Best travel period: June through October (dry season) or December through February. Avoid March-May (heavy rainy season).
- Visas: Dutch nationals can apply for a visa in advance online (44 euros) or arrange it at the airport.
- Additional mandatory insurance: You also need an additional mandatory insurance of 38 euros for Zanzibar, which you can also purchase online in advance.
- Pay: Cash (Tanzanian shillings) is king. Debit cards are also available, or use a credit card.
- Transportation: Easily arrange a cab or use a tuktuk, they are easily arranged on the street. Local buses are crowded and I personally did not like them.
- Cultural sensitivity: Zanzibar is an Islamic island. Dress covered outside beaches and respect local customs.
- VPN: Useful to use if you work with sensitive data or corporate networks.
Conclusion: is Zanzibar suitable for remote work?
Absolutely, but with realistic expectations. Zanzibar is no Bali or Lisbon when it comes to digital infrastructure. The Internet is erratic, power can go out and not every location is equally suitable. But for those who prepare well, this is one of the most extraordinary places in the world to briefly store your office. The combination of culture, affordable living, lovely people and dazzling nature makes Zanzibar a true hidden gem for digital nomads. Work your mornings hard, and enjoy every free moment as if you were on vacation.
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