Tanzania's second largest airport is located on the popular island of Zanzibar about 9 kilometres from the largest city.

The main part of the routes are operated by the smallest planes to nearby tourist destinations, safaris on the mainland or the largest Tanzanian city Dar es Salaam.

However, there are also many direct flights to Zanzibar from places such as Dubai and, in high season, from Europe, including charter flights for tour operators.

International tickets to Zanzibar are often available through qatarairways.com, etihad.com or klm.com, for example.

Book accommodation in Zanzibar

Once you arrive from abroad, arm yourself with patience, as you may wait more than an hour in poorly organised queues for visa issuance upon arrival.

When you exit the lobby, refuse any luggage porters who expect a pointless tip for carrying your suitcase 20 metres to the nearest cars. The porters are often quite insistent and will actively take your luggage out of your hand.