I definitely recommend having a large supply of 1,000 or 2,000 Tanzanian shilling notes on hand. 1,000 shillings is roughly equivalent to 30 euro cents (practically nothing), but they often work wonders.
Bakshish is the Swahili word for tip and is an important part of the culture in Zanzibar, often an essential supplement to the rather low basic salary of tourism employees. While not obligatory, it is highly appreciated and opens doors and hearts.
Here is our recommendation as a guideline that can be individually adjusted depending on the quality of the service:
In restaurants und bars
Simple local establishments: Here you simply round up generously or leave around 2,000 to 5,000 TZS (approx. 1 to 2 US$).
More upscale restaurants: A fee of about 10% of the invoice amount is typical.
Recommendation: Check the bill beforehand. In some upscale hotels, a service charge is already included. However, this shouldn’t prevent you from showing your appreciation personally.
Guard (Askari): Approximately 1,000-2,500 TZS (up to US$1) if you park outside a restaurant and someone watches your car, preferably when you drive away.
At the Hotel
Porters: Approximately 2,500-5,000 TZS per piece of luggage (equivalent to 1-2 US$).
Housekeeping: Approximately 5,000-12,500 TZS per day (US$2-5). It is recommended to leave the money directly on the pillow, ideally daily, as staff changes frequently. Definitely leave something on the first day; this will improve service for subsequent days.
General tip box: Some hotels have a “tip box” at reception. The money is usually divided among the entire team (including kitchen and technical staff).
For tours and guides
Because these people spend more time on you, the amounts are somewhat higher:
Full-day guide: Approximately 25,000-35,000 TZS per day (approx. US$10-15 – from the entire group combined).
Skipper: Approximately 12,500 TZS per person (5 US$) in the group.
Driver (Transfer): Depending on the route, 7,500 – 12,500 TZS (3–5 US$).
Taxi driver: It’s best to negotiate the price beforehand to avoid any disagreements. A tip isn’t mandatory, but if the driver gives you helpful advice or waits for you, an additional 1,000-5,000 TZS (up to US$2) is very thoughtful.
Important Do’s and Dont’s
Cash is King: Keep in mind that finding an ATM outside of cities can be difficult. Card payments are also not yet widely accepted in Zanzibar if you’re traveling outside of hotel chains.
| What you should do | What you should avoid |
|---|---|
| Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) is preferred, as it can be used directly by everyone; US dollars (notes from 2006 onwards) are also widely accepted; euros are also largely accepted. | Do not give coins in euros or dollars (the locals cannot exchange them). |
| In person: Hand over the money discreetly and with a friendly “Asante” (thank you). | Do not give heavily damaged or written-on US$ or Euro notes (they are often not accepted). |
| Small banknotes: Always carry enough 1-US$ notes or 1,000/2,000/5,000 TZ-Schilling notes. | Don’t wait until the end of your vacation to give your all if the staff is rotating; it won’t help if the staff is more motivated after the vacation. |
Final tip: We’re not used to handling such large sums of money. Several times I was shocked by, for example, 180,000 TZS for an overnight stay, until I had time to calculate it. Consequently, we often think we have enough cash until we desperately need an ATM because we don’t have enough, and card payments are still rare in Zanzibar.