Ferries to Zanzibar

Zanzibar ferry port is in Tanzania. From here you can reach Dar es Salaam and Mkoani on the neighbouring island of Pemba. Together the services add up to as many as 10 departures a day. The crossings take between 1.25 and 2 hours. The port is served by Zan Fast Ferries.

Getting there and the terminal

The berth is called Malindi Port and is run by the Zanzibar Ports Corporation. It lies in Zanzibar Town in the west of Unguja, the archipelago's main island, and is therefore within walking distance of Stone Town. The port authority itself calls it the busiest passenger port in East Africa, with around 1.5 million travellers a year. On top of that comes the cargo business, because according to the authority about 95 per cent of Zanzibar's imports and exports pass over the same quays. Expect a busy, crowded site rather than a quiet terminal.

Alongside Zan Fast Ferries, Azam Marine also serves this port. That operator sails from here to Dar es Salaam, Pemba and Tanga.

Check-in

Azam Marine requires you to report to the terminal no later than one hour before departure. Anyone who misses check-in gets no refund. Passengers and baggage are screened before boarding, and this is binding: anyone refusing the check will not be carried. You should declare your baggage, because the operator accepts no liability for items that have not been checked in.