Many of the sites are actually multiple sites and most can be dived by novice divers, if the tides and currents allow.
Download the divemap and diving prices as a PDF
document.
Below are some of the dive site around Pemba Island.
Just in front of The Manta Resort there is this hole in the reef, with a maximum depth of 8 meters. It is protected by the coral reef, and is the perfect place for yours first dives. Inside the hole is our private little wreck that is slowly becoming part of the coral reef. You will find different species of corals and fish, including the strange juvenile Boxfish, Torpedo Rays, and Hermit Crabs. Highly recommended for your first night dive. Recommended for: Novice divers.
System of sea mountains running parallel to the wall on a platform 25m down. The mountains have different profiles; from just a few meter up to 100m long. The thing to do here is drift dive over the system going from one mountain to another discovering the amazing reef life. Good chance in seeing big pelagic and turtles. Full of fish in big schools. Recommended for: Experienced divers.
Just west of the north-western peninsula. This is the last wall before Pemba island drops into the Pemba channel The wall starts at 30 meters and falls down steep! On the top of the wall huge barrels sponges and spirals corals grow up to two meters high. This is a great place for encounters with Napoleon fish, potato grouper, cubera snapper, big pelagic, turtle and even white tip shark. Recommended for: Deep divers certificate apply. Strong currents occur.
Just off the extreme north-western peninsula. Gentle wall with profusion of reef fish and rainbow runners. This is the closest wall to the resort, only 5 min boat ride away. The wall starts at 5m depth finishes at around 20m in a platform. A good spot for seeing lion fish, nudibranches, scorpion fish, leaf fish, clouded moray, purchipine puffer fish, trigger fish, glass fish and cornet fish. Lots and lots of Octo coral. Recommended for: Novice Divers
The last corner of the Shimba Wall breaks into two and forms a valley at 12m depth with sand bottom with lots of barrel sponges and anthias, red sea sweatlips, fusiliers, red tooth triggerfish, etc. Recommended for: Novice Dive
Just north-west of Njao Island, on the north-west corner of Pemba. Another interesting and dramatic dive site. The lovely coral garden slopes from 5m to 18m, and suddenly plummets down into “un-diveable” depths. Currents can be strong. Best enjoyed when drift-dived, allowing the north bound current to sweep you through the gap into the lagoon, with no risk of getting lost. Vertical walls, giant sea fans, green turtles, large napoleon wrasse and a host of titan trigger fish makes this site memorable. Visibility usually excellent. Recommended for: Novice divers.
Description: Steep Wall, huge overhangs, gorgonian sea fans, eels, giant grouper, turtles, wrasse. Amazing night dives. Recommended for: Open water divers
The north-western tip of Fundo Island. The top of this wall is between 8 to 15 metres deep, dropping dramatically in some areas to more than 200 metres. The precipitous cliffs are adorned with gorgonian sea fans and whip corals. Be on the look out for large “blue water” species. This wall runs parallel to Njao Islands south wall, and has a shallow platform that gently falls from 4m to 12m. Extraordinary table coral formations on top of the wall and anemones cities. The wall continues to gently fall down, all covered of lettuce coral, gorgonian, and sponges till 25m depth. Occasional pass of pelagic fish like Tuna, Wahoo etc. Recommended for: Novice divers
At the end of Mandela wall, and start Fundo Gap, this platform of coral is protected from strong currents. It is a great place to see the thousands of coral formations. Take your time to see the macro life that exist in Pemba, such as the pipe fish, banded boxer shrimps, commensal, emperor partner shrimp eels. Good possibilities to see the napoleon fish, Nassau groupers and torpedo rays. Recommended for: Novice divers
Manta Point, said to be one of the world’s finest dive sites, is situated just beyond the mouth of the Fundu Gap, west of Fundu Island. It is well-named, though mantas are not guaranteed. During dry season from January, to April it is possible to see Devil and Eagle rays in groups of up to 15 individuals. They visit this spectacular coral pinnacle for cleaning purposes or just to glide past in their graceful way, filter feeding as they go, sometimes at surprisingly shallow depths. The pinnacle, flocculent with fantastic corals, rises from 40m to 8m, with a dramatic drop on its western side. Visibility varies from about 20 to 40 metres. A whole range of marine life, from fusiliers, jackfish and surgeon-fish and turtles, might be seen here, as well as plenty of coral. Recommended for: Unfortunately for novices, this marvellous site is for experienced divers only.
Fundo Gap is a solid coral drop off that starts at 3-6 meters and drops down until it disappears in to the big blue. A smooth current that we call “The Fundo Express” transports you past huge waterfalls of corals such as Broad Leaved coral, Brain coral, sponges and Soft coral. Hunters like Jackfish, Barracudas, Snappers and Groupers pass thru the mouth of the narrow Fundo gap, waiting for food. The Gap finishes in an underwater dessert where the life is reduced to small corals heads. Recommended for: Experienced divers.
The Crack is a massive vertical crack that divides the wall in two. The wall starts at 7m and falls down to 45m. The crack is situated in the narrowest part of the gap. Be aware that there always is very strong currents! The wall is one of the most amazing walls you will ever see. It’s full of sponges of the most variable colours and forms, the cliff is 90 degrees and is a perfect location to spot big potato bass, Nassau groupers, Cubera snappers, barracudas, batfish, napoleon wrasses and occasional devil rays. Please note that The Crack is only diveable when the right weather and tide conditions apply.
Recommended for: Experience divers only
The upper part of this reef has a shallow and sandy bottom, falling away abruptly in a sheer cliff to more than 100m. The cave that gives this site its name is situated on this wall. Large pelagics are always around and you might see turtles along the coral cliff. Currents can be strong. Recommended for:
Description: Depth: Recommended for:
Off Uvinje Island, south-west of Wete. Main feature is its spectacular sheer wall dropping to over 40 metres with fascinating overhangs and a host of fish (such as butterfly, angel and moorish idols) nestling amongst the black corals that are common here, with countless goldies among the bommies in the shallows. At lower depths you might see large groupers and napoleon wrasse. Recommended for: Experienced divers only.
The north wall of this site, supporting healthy populations of large fan and gorgonian corals, starts at 7m and descends irregular terraces in places, to a maximum of over 40m. The near-vertical south wall starts at 6m, also dropping to below 40m. Various species of rays might be seen here, as well as schools of barracuda and tuna and other large pelagics, plus groupers and napoleon wrasse. The corals are showered with resident goldies and there are good chances of seeing green turtles. There is some current but beginners as well as more advanced divers can operate here. Recommended for: Novice divers
There is a large sheer wall with many overhangs and caverns. The corals on the reef are particularly resplendent, especially the large rose coral and red and yellow sea fans. Fish of many species are abundant, including barracuda, jacks, kingfish, triggerfish and wrasse, with humphead parrotfish and sweetlips hovering around the yellow fans. Visibility at Fundo Reef and the South Wall ranges from 20m-40m.
Recommended for: Experience divers only. Strong currents
Just south of Pemba Island, south-west of Wete. Said to be an ideal site for night dives, as the waters are shallow and generally calmer, ranging from between 8m and 20m. Among the creatures of the night to be seen here, if you are lucky, is that remarkable nudibranch the Spanish Dancer. Recommended for: Open water and experienced divers
Like Mnemba Island in Unguja, Mesali is such a relatively accessible and popular destination. “Popular” in Pemba being far from crowded. So superb for snorkelling and diving that it has been given its own list of sites. Visibility averages between 20 to 50 metres. Recommended for: Open water and experienced divers
An interesting, undulating reef set on a sandy slope on the south-western edge of Mesali. A series of coral knolls extends from the top of the reef at 8-10m to the seabed at more than 30 metres. The corals provide shelter and sustenance for lobsters, moray eels, torpedo rays and many reef fish, while the sandy valleys are home to schools of surgeon and unicorn fish, roaming napoleon wrasse and large spotted eagle rays. Dolphins (often spinners) frequent this site. Recommended for:
This superb site is generally approached as a drift dive but suitable for beginners as well as experts, with depths from 16 to 30 metres. The “garden”, running north to south along Mesali Island, consists of multitudinous corals, among them gorgonian fans, in fine condition. Among them, and in the little caves and around the ridges, flourishes a remarkable abundance of marine life, from tiny reef fishes to giant groupers and great shoals of surgeon fish. Several large napoloeon wrasse are resident on the ridge. At its southernmost point the corals are not quite so resplendent though this doesn’t seem to bother the turtles that are often found here. The Razorback Reef and a further deep reef (experienced divers only) can be included on this dive. The inside face of the Razorback descends to around 30m, the outer face to about 40m. The deep reef can be approached from the top at 45m, from where very large napoleon fish and the occasional shark might be seen. Recommended for: Novice divers
Based on a submarine eminence, which while not exactly mountainous, rising from a little over 80m to 18m of the surface, is beautifully embellished by a bloom of rose coral. Said to be suitable for novices as well as more advanced divers, its corals attract unusual species such as leaf fish and an abundance of blue-striped fusiliers. Larger fish, including rainbow runners, trevally and dog-tooth tuna, hunt the area whilst octopuses can usually be found hiding among the crevices. Recommended for: Novice divers
This is yet another wall dive, falling to 45 metres with large gorgonians and fan corals decorating its cliffs. Large schools of barracuda and lots of giant triggerfish might be seen here. The giant triggers are said to be “Pemban” - not aggressive. Recommended for:
A large flat reef on the edge of the Pemba Channel, maximum depth around 20m. Strong currents make this site, like Panza, unsuitable for the inexperienced. Characterised by scattered, unspoiled corals inhabited by abundant and diverse marine life. Samaki (“Fish”) lives up to its name as there are large schools of fusiliers, surgeon fish and trevally here, among others, and often lobsters, morays and octopus hiding amongst the bommies.
Ras Mtanga Reef is on the east side of Pemba, from Kojani island in the North-East of Pemba to Ras Mtangani further south-east. This huge wall that runs parallel to the cost from North to south in the eastern cost of Pemba offer you incredible cliffs starting from 10-12m down to 100m and more. The wall is covered of huge coral formations such table, brain and Acroporas coral that share the space with fantastic gorgonians and soft coral. This is not an easy place to dive due to strong currents all year.It is possible to see numerous fish schools of surgeons, trigger fish, rainbow runners, barracudas and large pelagic such Tunas Wahoo, King fish and perhaps even a Hammerhead sharks. Recommended for: Experienced divers
Off the islets at the south-eastern extremity of Pemba. Named after the green coral that thrives here, this reef, with its gentle slope from around 7m-30m, is situated at Pemba’s southernmost point, where strong currents can make diving difficult except at favourable states of the tides. It is therefore a site for experienced divers only. Visibility is usually very good and there is much to see, not least, if you are lucky, schools of giant barracuda and perhaps even a whiteshark shark. A wide range of other fish, such as damselfish, fusiliers, goldies and groupers (including large brown marbled) are also found here. Recommended for: Experienced divers
All dives are guided by a professional dive master and will take place from a boat. As Pemba channel is a constant area of currents it is mandatory to use a dive mark buoy – these can be provided from the Oxygène Pemba dive shop. Decompression dives are not allowed. We highly recommended the use of a computer.
Maximum depth allowed
Scuba diver / divers under 12 years - 12m/45ft
Open water diver - 18m/60ft
Advanced or higher level - 30m/90ft
Deep specialty or similar - 40m/110ft
 |
