Best hotels and lodges for diving and snorkelling in Zanzibar
Top of our list must be the huge reef around Mnemba Island, which is vast and dwarfs the island by comparison. (Just zoom out from the satellite view of Mnemba to see what we mean!) As well as the top-end Mnemba Island Lodge itself, most of the lodges in north and north-east Zanzibar will do many of their dives here, so it's not a quiet reef.
Very different, but equally very attractive, are the quite and relatively undiscovered reefs of the Menai Bay Conservation Area - off southwest Zanzibar. These are fairly untouched as there's been little development, and currently there are just a few small lodges here - notably Fumba and Unguja, mentioned below.
Finally, no list would be complete without the tiny Chumbe Island which, thanks for historical protection, has some of the best coral gardens in the world. The only way to visit this is via Chumbe Island Lodge - and to preserve the reefs, only snorkelling is allowed, guided by one of the lodge team.
Best camps & lodges for Diving & snorkelling in Zanzibar
Fumba Beach Lodge
Fumba Beach Lodge operates a good PADI dive centre. Though the diving from Fumba is less spectacular than the best of the East Coast; the corals here are beautiful and in better condition. There aren’t as many fish, but it is a blissful experience.
Zawadi
Zawadi sits on a low cliff above a pretty cove next to the Indian Ocean, an idyllic spot for a beach holiday on Zanzibar. Enjoy relaxing on the beach, swimming (regardless of the tide) in the turquoise waters and snorkelling at the nearby lagoon.
Breezes Beach Club
Breezes Beach Club has the Rising Sun Dive Centre on site, where you can join one of the PADI scuba diving courses on offer. If you already have your certification you can head straight out on one of their organised dives to the nearby reefs.
Mnemba Island Lodge
Mnemba Island is surrounded by some of Zanzibar's best coral reefs, making it a great location for diving and snorkelling in Tanzania. Guests at Mnemba Island Lodge have immediate access to this spectacular reef – just a step off the shore.
Chumbe Island Lodge
Chumbe Island has some of the most pristine coral gardens in Tanzania and reef around the island has plenty of fish and coral. To help preserve them, scuba diving isn't allowed here, but guided snorkelling trips are a wonderful experience.
Baraza Resort & Spa
Located on Zanzibar's south east coast, Baraza is close to some fantastic dive sites. Walk along the beach to the PADI dive centre at Breezes Beach Club, novices can learn to dive while more experienced divers can explore the outer reefs.
Sunshine Marine Lodge
Sunshine Marine Lodge is in a great location to explore the Mnemba Atoll. Whether it’s your first time diving or you’re very experienced, the brand new dive centre with their state of the art equipment will be able to accommodate you.
Matemwe Lodge
Guided snorkelling and diving trips can easily be arranged at this very well run and long-established east coast favourite. The beautiful coral gardens and reef sections around Mnemba Island are easily accessible from Matemwe Lodge.
Unguja Lodge
Unguja Lodge has a PADI dive center on-site. Snorkellers and divers will enjoy the colourful coral in the protected Menai Bay area, whilst more experienced divers can even head out to new dive sites, identified only by a GPS.
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