Tanzania

Diving in Zanzibar

42 sites84 species24.7–30.8 °C15–30 m vis

Photo by Peter Holmboe on Pexels

Discover the Spice Islands: Zanzibar's underwater world — from the legendary Mnemba Atoll to the shark-filled channels of Pemba — offers Africa's finest Indian Ocean diving. Zanzibar combines the cultural richness of Stone Town's spice-scented alleyways with pristine coral reefs. Drift through Mnemba Atoll's gin-clear waters, encounter whale sharks at Leven Bank, or brave Pemba's legendary Fundu Gap — home to grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and manta rays. Year-round warm water, world-class visibility June–October, and Africa's most accessible island diving.

Zanzibar produces cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, and turmeric — earning it the moniker 'Spice Islands' along with Indonesia's Maluku. A spice tour is a must-do surface interval activity.The intricately carved wooden doors of Stone Town (UNESCO World Heritage) tell stories of the island's Omani, Indian, and African heritage. Doors with brass spikes were defensive against war elephants.Mnemba Atoll's private island resort (andBeyond) hosts only 12 guests at a time, giving them exclusive daytime access to some of Zanzibar's healthiest coral reefs. The surrounding marine reserve extends 3 km from the island.Zanzibar has NO hyperbaric chamber — the nearest is in Dar es Salaam (1 hr ferry + logistics) or Mombasa (flight). This makes conservative diving practices non-negotiable.Zanzibar banned non-biodegradable sunscreen in 2020 to protect its reefs. Only reef-safe mineral sunscreens are allowed — violators face fines. This was one of the earliest such bans in Africa.The Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 lasted just 38 minutes — the shortest recorded war in history. The cannonball from the British bombardment still marks the Sultan's Palace in Stone Town.Pemba's Fundu Gap and Njao Gap offer some of the most reliable grey reef shark encounters in the Indian Ocean, making Pemba the reef shark capital of East Africa.The Manta Resort on Pemba Island features an underwater bedroom — a floating structure with a submerged room 4 meters below the surface, where guests can sleep surrounded by reef fish, rays, and passing sharks.Kizimkazi on Unguja's south coast is the best place in Zanzibar for dolphin encounters — bottlenose and humpback dolphins are present year-round, making dolphin tours a major attraction.Zanzibar has a tropical monsoon climate with two distinct monsoons: Kaskazi (Northeast monsoon, December to March, hot and humid) and Kusi (Southeast monsoon, June to October, cooler and drier).

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Places on this map (41)

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Conditions

Water temp

24.7–30.8 °C

Visibility

15–30 m

Depth

3–40 m

Current

Moderate

Best season

July to October (dry season, best visibility 20-30m, cooler water 25-27°C, manta season)

Month	Summary
Jan	Warm water 28.6°C, Kaskazi monsoon from northeast, visibility 15-22m. Hot and humid with less rain. Peak tourist season. Whale shark season begins (Nov-Mar). Good diving on east coast.
Feb	Warm water 28.6°C, Kaskazi monsoon continues. Visibility 15-22m. Hot and humid. Peak tourist season. Whale sharks at Leven Bank. Good conditions on east coast.
Mar	Warmest water 29.3°C. Long rains begin (Masika). Visibility drops to 10-18m. Variable weather. Last month of peak whale shark season. Fewer crowds as low season approaches.
Apr	Water 29.2°C, long rains heaviest. Reduced visibility 10-15m. Rougher seas. Least recommended month for diving. Plankton bloom affects clarity. Possible travel disruptions from heavy rain.
May	Water 28.3°C, end of long rains season. Visibility improving 10-18m. Variable conditions. Transitional month. Fewer tourists. Bottom season for diving but still diveable on leeward sites.
Jun	Water 26.9°C, Kusi monsoon begins from southeast. Visibility 15-25m. Cooler and drier. Southeast winds create rougher seas on east coast but leeward (west) diving is excellent. Manta season begins.
Jul	Cool water 26.0°C, Kusi monsoon. Best visibility 20-30m. Leeward diving at its finest. Manta rays at cleaning stations (Mnemba, Pemba). Humpback whales begin passing through Pemba Channel. Excellent for experienced divers.
Aug	Coolest water 25.6°C, peak Kusi monsoon. Best visibility of the year 20-30m, up to 40m in Pemba Channel. Manta peak. Humpback whales. Cooler air 22-28°C. Premier diving conditions overall.
Sep	Water 25.9°C, Kusi continues. Excellent visibility 20-30m. Dry season. Humpback whales continue. Manta sightings still strong. Great conditions for Pemba Channel drift dives. Pleasant air temperatures.
Oct	Water 26.6°C, transition from Kusi to short rains. Visibility 15-25m. Short rains (Vuli) begin — lighter than long rains. Good diving overall. Less predictable weather. Fewer crowds.
Nov	Water 27.9°C, short rains season. Visibility 15-22m. Water warming up again. Whale shark season begins. Transitional conditions. Leven Bank whale sharks start appearing. Good prices.
Dec	Water 28.6°C, Kaskazi monsoon begins. Visibility 15-22m. Warm water returns. Whale sharks at Leven Bank. Tourist season ramps up. Hot and humid. Good visibility returns to east coast sites.

Dive Sites (42)

Bait-L-Baobab

5–14m · Beginner

Coral garden · Baobab tree landmark · Butterflyfish

Blue Lagoon (Chwaka Bay)

2–8m · Beginner

Shallow protected bay · Mangrove-fringed · Macro photography

Boribi Reef (South Mnemba)

10–25m · Intermediate

Coral bommies · Sandy bottom · Moray eels

China Island / Changuu (Prison Island)

3–12m · Beginner

Shallow fringing reef · Giant tortoises · Snorkeling

Chumbe Island

3–14m · Beginner

Private island coral park · MPA · Pristine coral reef

Dalla-Dalla (Pinnacle)

8–28m · Intermediate

Coral-covered pinnacle · Dense fish life · Current can pick up

Fundu Gap

10–35m · Advanced

Drift dive · Strong currents · Reef sharks

Jambiani Reef

3–16m · Beginner

Fringing reef · Seagrass areas · Turtles

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Marine Life (84)

must-see

Spotted Eagle Ray

must-see

Green Sea Turtle

must-see

Hawksbill Turtle

must-see

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

Great Barracuda

Broadclub Cuttlefish

Mauritian Anemonefish

Red Sea Sailfin Tang

Triton's Trumpet

Harlequin Sweetlips

humphead wrasse

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

+72more species in the app

Dive Shops (39)

Dive Buddy Store Zanzibar

★ 5Moderate

Diving in Zanzibar

Explore the map

Conditions

Dive Sites (42)

Bait-L-Baobab

Blue Lagoon (Chwaka Bay)

Boribi Reef (South Mnemba)

China Island / Changuu (Prison Island)

Chumbe Island

Dalla-Dalla (Pinnacle)

Fundu Gap

Jambiani Reef

Marine Life (84)

Dive Shops (39)

Dive Buddy Store Zanzibar

Easy Blue Divers

Awesome ocean diving

Mafia Island Diving

Spanish Dancer Divers

One Ocean Dive Centre - Kiwengwa

Pole Pole Divers

One Ocean Dive Centre - Kendwa

Dive Planet Mafia Island

ScubaCaribe

DIVE HORIZONS ZANZIBAR

Dive Junkies zanzibar

DiveTime Zanzibar - Jambiani

Scubafish Dive Center

Fun Divers Zanzibar

Dive Horizons Zanzibar

Wimbi Diving Zanzibar

Scuba World Divers - Kendwa Rocks

One Ocean Dive Centre - Matemwe

Eagle Ray Divers, Jambiani

Ocean dive Zanzibar

DiveTime Zanzibar Dive Center

Zanzibar Dive

Dive Point Zanzibar

MANTA COAST DIVERS

Rising Sun Diving Centre

One Ocean Dive Centre - Stone Town

BIG BLU MAFIA ISLAND DIVE CENTRE

Extreme Diving Centre ( Neptune Pwani)

Diving center zanzibar | ocean legacy

Diving Paradise Zanzibar

ScubaReef Zanzibar

Spicy Divers Zanzibar

Zan Unique Tour & Diving centre

DiveTime Zanzibar

Scuba Blue Zanzibar

Zanblue Dive Center

Kibwana Divers Zanzibar

Nakupenda Diving Center,Tsunami diving center

Guides

Top 10 Dive Sites in Zanzibar: From Mnemba to Pemba

The Complete Zanzibar Diving Guide: Mnemba to Pemba

Zanzibar Dive Conditions: Temperature, Visibility & Seasons

Safety

Bring Zanzibar underwater