#1 : Zanzibar For Digital Nomads
Being a digital nomad is becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle choice. Rather than being tied to your desk to be productive, you can see the world – and who wouldn’t want Zanzibar as their remote office? With nomad visas under discussion, island-wide mobile internet and a new tech hub attracting some of the world’s best start-ups, no wonder the island paradise is firmly on the radar of perpetual travellers.
Internet coverage
Internet access in Zanzibar’s main island, Unguja, has improved markedly in recent years. Mobile internet access is available island-wide with telecom company Tigo Tanzania having recently launched 5G coverage for its customers. There are other operators to choose from. For each you’ll need a prepaid SIM card that you can pick up at the airport, kiosk or street-side mobile store (just look for operator’s branded umbrella). You will need your passport for a SIM card purchase from any network. Prices start from as low as US$ 0.4 (1,000 TZS) and you’ll get a bundle of minutes, messages and some internet data. Zantel has three monthly packages: 10GB for 10,000 TZS (US$ 4.3), 20GB for 20,000 TZS (US$ 8.6), and 30GB for 30,000 TZS (US$ 12.9).
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Wi-fi coverage is also now more widespread thanks to a recent partnership between UK blockchain network operator World Mobile and the Zanzibar eGovernment Agency that launched free metered wi-fi hotspots at local government offices, bus stops, the airport, ports, fish markets, municipal offices, municipal or state housing estates, hospitals and clinics on Unguja. The collaboration also provided tethered balloon-based wi-fi in more remote parts of the island.
Hotels and restaurants also provide some of the best wi-fi connections along with internet cafes. Here is our guide to some of the best neighbourhoods to work from as a digital nomad in Zanzibar.
Stone Town
The cultural and commercial heart of Zanzibar. Bask in the business of the historic city with its vibrant food scene, enchanting night life and coastal location filling your days with work, rest and play.
Best internet cafes:
Zanzibar Coffee House Café
Located in an authentic Arab house in the heart of Stone Town, this cool café not only offers fresh local coffee from the owner’s plantation in the Southern Highlands, it also has great wireless internet.
Stone Town Café and Bed and Breakfast
This Stone Town meeting place is a hub with expats and locals and a great place to work while enjoying the free wi-fi.
Puzzle Coffee Shop
They take their coffee seriously at this cool and cosy café. It roasts its own beans and offers all manner of brewing processes to ensure the perfect cuppa.
Co-working spaces:
The Trains House
Located in a renovated former railway station, this co-working place – the first of its kind in Zanzibar – provides an oasis of calm and focus amid the bustle of Stone Town. It has good internet connection, a separate room for calls, office equipment, and free water, tea, and coffee. You can choose from different plans and options to suit your needs and budget. The day pass costs US$ 12 (27,700 TZS), a week pass costs US$ 50 (115,620 TZS) and a monthly pass costs US$ 180 (416,250 TZS). All prices are for open plan seating.
Paje
This laidback resort on the island’s southeast coast attracts kitesurfers from all over the world for its onshore winds and the aquatic playground of its lagoon. It offers an engaging mix of beach parties and simple village life.
Best internet cafe:
Mr Kahawa
After catching the best daybreak kitesurfing conditions in Paje, digital nomads can start their working day at this beachside café that serves great breakfast and lunches.
Nungwi
Located on the northern end of the island, Nungwi features some of Zanzibar’s most beautiful beaches with powder-fine, oyster-white sands and tranquil turquoise waters. A phalanx of beach bars and nightclubs line ensure life is never dull here, but the fishing village provides insights into traditional customs such as dhow building and is the launch place to some wonderful diving adventures.
Best internet cafe:
Coco Cabana
A beautiful beach bungalow that offers free high-speed internet to customers. The sunsets here are something else.
Find a place to stay in Zanzibar
Part of the attraction of being a digital nomad is the freedom that it entails, but it does mean that everything is left to you – including some awkward and often challenging tasks such as finding a place to stay. To see what is available to rent it is wise to start researching the market online. There are expat groups on Facebook such as ‘Zanzibar | Expats & Locals, ‘Female Expats and Locals in Zanzibar’ for women and ‘Expats, residents and tourists in Tanzania and Zanzibar Helpline’, where you can connect with others and ask for recommendations.
You’ll find offers of accommodation in English on groups such as ‘Zanzibar housing’, ‘Zanzibar Visitors’, ‘Zanzibar properties’ and ‘Zanzibar information’. You can also contact a real estate agent, many of whom speak English.
Other websites worth a look include longtermlettings.com, zoomtanzania.com or sublet. com – where you can find rentals from one day, a week or a month. It is wise to book hotel or lodge accommodation before you arrive – you may run into trouble at Zanzibar Customs if you don’t – and then set about finding a longer-term stay by asking around once you’re here. Word-of-mouth is a powerful source of information!
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Prices start from around US$ 500 to 700 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and US$ 700-1,000 per month for a 2 bedroom apartment. For that, you’ll usually get something within walking distance of a beach. Prices for beach-side apartments and villas start from US$ 2,000.
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The usual long-term rental period is six months. Some landlords will ask for a two- or three- month deposit so you will have to factor in that expense as well. Another cost to consider are utility bills which may (but not must) consist of hot water, internet, electricity, and can amount to US$ 50 to US$140 per month. All the details should be included in the contract: personal data of a landlord and a tenant, duration of rent, the monthly pay, payment deadlines and method, cost of utilities, maintenance of the property and its cost (this should be a landlord’s responsibility), furniture and appliances and their state, a deposit, termination of the contract, and a form of return of the deposit. If you own a pet or consider having one, confirm with the landlord that you are allowed to bring it to the apartment and ensure it is covered in the contract.
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When it comes to payment avoid cash and request a wire transfer so there is an electronic trail for the transaction. Do not pay any fees upfront if you have not seen the apartment first. Try to avoid offers where someone is subletting their place, even for a short time, otherwise you can be evicted.
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If you know you are going to share an apartment with other flatmates, it is smart to meet them before you sign anything to ensure they are people you could get along with. You can use the meeting to also talk about the landlord, your co-living conditions, the flat itself and any other concerns you may have.
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THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN ZEBRA STRIPES ISSUE 1 >>>
