Pemba Island Diving Holidays: An Overview
The diving around Pemba Island is undoubtedly some of the best to be found anywhere in East Africa.
What makes the diving here so special is the coral, which is both pristine and extremely varied. Reputed to be the best diving in East Africa, the Pemba Channel, and specifically the area around Mesali, has over 320 coral species - more than twice the number of anywhere else in the region. An added plus is that you will find no one else for miles; exploring these virgin reefs in near-solitude adds a wonderful dimension to the experience.
Pemba Island is still relatively uncharted territory, but it has plenty to offer: marine life of all sizes, acres of coral, an untouched environment, and some brilliantly organized diving. Now is the time to come.
To the south there are excellent dive sites but also the incredibly picturesque Emerald Lagoon, more often than not dotted with photogenic dhows. The best dive of all, and particularly on an incoming tide, is Mapanduzi where you can drift along a wall and see schools of hammerheads or barracuda coming in on the strong currents.
