Destinations >> Diving Pemba (Mkunguni)
While Zanzibar is famous for its beaches, Pemba is renowned for its dramatic underwater topography. Known as the “Green Island,” Pemba’s northwest coast is the secret gem of the archipelago, offering breathtaking wall diving far away from the crowds.
While the Indian Ocean’s warm, calm waters make Pemba Island a year-round diving destination, the island truly shines during March, April, May, and November. During these months, you’ll encounter peak visibility and a significant surge in marine activity.
Experience an authentic Dive & Stay holiday right on Pemba’s untouched northwest coast.Our Mkunguni resort places you just a short boat ride from the island’s premier sites.
Relax in comfortable rooms and enjoy meals at our beachfront restaurant after a day of diving.
Pemba can be reached with a short 30-minute flight from either Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam.
On diving days, we provide free transfers from accommodations in Makangale to our dive center.
Our transfer service ensures guests can travel quickly and comfortably between their stay and the dive center.
While there are shallow spots, the dramatic walls and currents make Pemba a true paradise for Advanced divers.
Yes, we offer free daily transfers from your accommodation in Makangale to our dive center.
While Pemba is world-renowned for its dramatic drop-offs, deep walls, and the thrilling drift dives of the Pemba Channel—which are perfect for Advanced divers—there are also beautiful, sheltered coral gardens. Sites like Fundo Coral Garden and shallow terraces offer calm, clear conditions that are perfectly safe and highly rewarding for beginners or those looking to complete their Open Water certification.
The untouched reefs of Pemba support a massive diversity of life. Along the steep walls and underwater mountains, you can regularly spot large pelagic species such as giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, barracuda, and green sea turtles. On the reefs themselves, the healthy barrel sponges and gorgonian sea fans hide an incredible array of macro life, including colorful nudibranchs, leaf scorpionfish, and giant frogfish.
Pemba offers fantastic diving year-round with warm Indian Ocean water temperatures consistently between 26°C and 29°C (79°F - 84°F). For the absolute best visibility—often exceeding 30 meters—and the calmest surface conditions, the dry seasons from July to October and December to March are highly recommended.
