Emerald Reef

Fundu Gap

Manta Point (Pemba)

Misali Island Marine Reserve

Njao Gap

Shamiani

Uvinje Gap

Pemba Island cuisine reflects its agricultural heritage as the world's leading clove producer alongside traditional Swahili coastal cooking. Fresh seafood is complemented by clove-infused rice dishes, coconut curries, and tropical fruit. Pilau rice with cloves is a Pemba speciality served with grilled fish or chicken. The island's fishing communities provide exceptionally fresh catches including tuna, kingfish, and lobster prepared with local spice blends. Cassava, plantain, and breadfruit serve as staple accompaniments. Fresh coconut water and clove tea are distinctive local beverages. The cuisine is simpler than Zanzibar's but equally authentic, reflecting Pemba's more traditional and less tourist-oriented character.

Manta Resort Pemba

Aiyana Resort Pemba

Pemba Lodge

Fundu Lagoon

Pemba Island, known as the Green Island for its lush vegetation and clove plantations, offers some of the most spectacular channel diving in the Indian Ocean. The Pemba channel system features dramatic gaps where tidal currents funnel through narrow passages between islands, creating nutrient-rich upwellings that attract extraordinary concentrations of pelagic life. Fundu Gap drops to over 800 metres with massive barracuda schools and grey reef sharks, Njao Gap delivers thrilling drift diving with dogtooth tuna and eagle rays, and Uvinje Gap offers giant groupers in strong tidal flows. The year-round Manta Point cleaning station provides reliable reef manta encounters at shallow depths of 8 to 15 metres. Misali Island Marine Reserve protects pristine fringing reefs with green turtles and bumphead parrotfish, while Emerald Reef showcases brilliant turquoise hard coral gardens. The southern drop-offs at Shamiani offer seasonal humpback whale encounters from August to October. Pemba receives far fewer divers than Zanzibar, preserving an exclusive frontier diving experience with extraordinary coral health and natural marine life behaviour.

Pemba Island

Dry season with calm seas, excellent visibility of 15-35 meters, and comfortable temperatures for all water activities.

Long rainy season with reduced visibility, rough seas, and some dive operators reducing schedules.

Short dry season with generally good conditions and occasional brief rain showers.

Pemba Island is accessed by light aircraft from Zanzibar (30 minutes) or Dar es Salaam (45 minutes) to Pemba Airport (PMA) near Chake Chake. A fast ferry also operates from Zanzibar (2-3 hours). The island has limited road infrastructure and most dive transfers are by boat from Chake Chake or Mkoani harbours. Some resorts offer direct transfers from the airport.