Pemba Island, 50 km north of Zanzibar, is one of the Indian Ocean’s most celebrated diving destinations — a 985 sq km island surrounded by the Pemba Channel, where the continental shelf drops from 10 metres to over 800 metres within a kilometre of shore, creating powerful upwellings that feed extraordinary coral reefs. While Zanzibar receives the mass market beach tourism, Pemba remains far less visited — its diving is considered by many professionals to be superior to Zanzibar’s, the beaches are quieter, and the island’s character is more authentically Swahili and less resort-oriented. For the East Africa safari visitor who dives, adding Pemba to the Northern Circuit creates a remarkable multi-environment journey: savanna to reef in 90 minutes by aircraft.
Getting to Pemba Island
Pemba is accessible by two routes: Auric Air and Coastal Aviation operate scheduled flights from Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) to Pemba Airport (PMA) — flight time 35-40 minutes, approximately USD $80-120 one-way. Alternatively, a high-speed ferry (Azam Marine) connects Zanzibar’s Stone Town to Pemba via the Chake Chake port — the crossing takes 3-4 hours and costs approximately USD $35. The ferry option is for those comfortable on rough water (the Pemba Channel gets choppy in the southeast monsoon season, June-September). Most visitors fly for the time saving and more reliable comfort.
The Diving: What Makes Pemba Special
The Pemba Channel is a deep water passage between Pemba Island and the Tanzania mainland. The channel’s depth and orientation funnel nutrient-rich water up the island’s western slopes, creating a marine environment of exceptional productivity. Key dive sites:
- Njao Gap: A dramatic channel cut through the reef wall where large pelagic fish (dog-tooth tuna, wahoo, barracuda schools) use the current. Advanced certification recommended for the current conditions.
- Misali Island Marine Park: A small uninhabited island 15 km west of Pemba with a fringing reef in pristine condition — hawksbill turtle, green turtle, white-tip reef shark, and spectacular coral garden on the shallow plateau. Snorkelling accessible for non-divers.
- Fundu Lagoon Reefs: The house reef of Fundu Lagoon resort on the island’s northwest coast — some of the most intact coral coverage in the Indian Ocean, with frequent sightings of manta ray in season (February-May).
- Pinnacles: Deep coral pinnacles rising from 30-40m depth covered in soft corals, sea fans, and encrusting sponges. Schooling snappers, batfish, and the occasional whale shark (November-February) make this the most dramatic site for experienced divers.
Combining Pemba with the Northern Circuit
A comprehensive East Africa experience: Fly into Kilimanjaro (JRO) → Arusha vehicle collection → 7-day Northern Circuit (Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti) → Return to Arusha, drive to JRO → Fly Kilimanjaro-Zanzibar (50 minutes, Precision Air) → 2 days Zanzibar Stone Town and beach → Fly Zanzibar-Pemba (40 minutes) → 3-4 days Pemba diving → Fly Pemba-Zanzibar-home. The total trip runs 13-14 days and covers three completely different East Africa environments: savanna wildlife, Swahili island culture, and coral reef diving.
Pemba Accommodation
- Fundu Lagoon: USD $400-600/night per person all-inclusive. The island’s flagship resort on the northwest coast, direct reef access from the jetty, PADI dive centre.
- Manta Resort: USD $300-500/night per person. Known for the Underwater Room — a floating platform with a glass-walled bedroom 4 metres below the ocean surface where you sleep among reef fish. One-night underwater room rate: USD $800 per person.
- Sharook Guesthouse (Chake Chake town): USD $30-50/night. Budget option in the island’s main town. No dive operation but can arrange local boat to dive sites.
