Dive Sites Zanzibar
Discover the best dive sites in Zanzibar | Reef Guide
Top Dive Locations
Nungwi Beach at the northern tip is your gateway to Zanzibar’s best scuba diving. From our base here, we head out to the coral gardens of Tumbatu Island, our Nungwi Local Reefs, the Mnemba Island Marine Reserve, and Leven Bank—all just a short boat ride away. We also operate a second base on Pemba Island, offering some of the archipelago’s most pristine walls and reefs.
Tumbatu Island Reefs
Tumbatu Island is home to the most spectacular coral gardens in Zanzibar! These sheltered reefs are famous for seahorses, turtles, and a variety of fascinating underwater creatures. Above all, the incredible diversity of soft and hard corals makes diving at Tumbatu a vibrant experience.
Mwana Wa Mwana
Level
Snorkelers, beginner & qualified divers
Depth
3-12 meters / 12-18 meters
Type
Terraced coral garden
Highlights
Frogfish, leaf scorpionfish, mantis shrimps, nudibranchs, sea turtles, octopuses, cuttlefish, stingrays, seahorses, schools of colorful reef fish and many more.
Situated northwest of Tumbatu Island, Mwana Wa Mwana boasts a brilliant terraced coral garden starting shallow at 3 meters and gradually descending to 12 meters. From there, a sandy bottom slopes gently down to a depth of 18 meters.
Ras Misikitini
Level
Snorkelers, beginner & qualified divers
Depth
5-12 meters / 12-20 meters
Type
Small wall
Highlights
Mantis shrimps, leaf scorpionfish, nudibranchs, frogfish, sea turtles, stingrays, scorpionfish, spottwing flying gunnards, schools of colorful reef fish and many more.
Situated northwest of Tumbatu Island, Ras Misikitini presents an impressive small coral wall dropping from 5 to 12 meters. From the base, a sandy bottom dotted with coral bommies gently slopes down to a depth of 20 meters.
Three Turtles
Level
Snorkelers, beginner & qualified divers
Depth
3-16 meters
Type
Small wall
Highlights
Octopuses, stingrays, sea turtles, scorpionfish, schools of colorful reef fish and many more.
Situated west of Tumbatu Island, Three Turtles consists of a small coral wall dropping from 3 to 12 meters, followed by a gentle slope descending to 16 meters. Above all, the eye-catching colors of the corals at a depth of around 5 meters make it a vibrant experience for both snorkelers and divers.
Nungwi Local Reefs & Macro Spots
The local reefs of Nungwi offer quick boat rides and colorful marine life for every diver. Explore sloping reefs and coral bommies thriving with macro creatures, turtles, and vibrant schools of fish. These close-by sites are perfect for relaxed, effortless diving.
Shane’s Reef
Level
Beginner & qualified divers
Depth
10-20 meters
Type
Coral reef
Highlights
Crocodile fish, weedy scorpionfish, frog fish, seahorses, mantis shrimps, black-blotched porcupinefish, leaf scorpionfish, spottwing flying gunnards and many more.
Situated northwest of Zanzibar, Shane’s Reef is a unique spot and one of the island’s premier locations for macro diving and underwater photography. Composed of coral patches and sandy bottoms, the site starts at a depth of 10 meters and gently descends to 14 meters, followed by a gradual slope down to 20 meters. While the corals are not in great shape, this magical area is home to an incredible variety of fascinating macro marine life and extraordinary sea creatures.
Kichafi
Level
Experienced & inexperienced divers
Depth
10-16 meters
Type
Coral reef
Highlights
Spadefish, parrotfish, groupers, stonefish, napoleon wrasses, schools of colorful reef fish and many more.
Situated to the northeast of Zanzibar, Kichafi features breathtaking underwater landscapes with hard and soft corals fringed by magnificent, colorful cabbage and plate coral formations. This amazing reef offers opportunities to spot occasional cobias, mackerels, or big stingrays during early morning or late afternoon dives.
Mbwangawa
Level
Experienced & inexperienced divers
Depth
7-18 meters
Type
Coral reef
Highlights
Groupers, stingrays, scorpionfish, guitarfish, stonefish, sea turtles and many more.
Situated to the northeast of Zanzibar, Mbwangawa is a relaxing site combining hard and soft corals with two areas of plate coral formations. Starting at a depth of 7 meters, the extensive reef gently slopes down to 18 meters, offering a home to beautiful species of colorful reef fish. With a mild current you can enjoy a drift dive along this spot..
Hunga Reef
Level
Qualified divers
Depth
10-17 meters
Type
Coral bommies
Highlights
Groupers, napoleon wrasses, snappers, crocodile fish, tuna, batfish, unicornfish, redtooth triggerfish, nudibranchs and many more. On rare occasion you may spot eagle rays.
Situated to the northwest of Zanzibar, Hunga Reef is a stunning circular reef located in the open sea at a depth range of 10 to 17 meters—one of the best spots to dive in Nungwi. The site features great visibility and huge bommies covered with a variety of vibrant corals. Overhead, many species of shoaling reef fish make a colorful mid-water experience.
Nankivell Rock
Level
Qualified divers
Depth
10-15 meters
Type
Coral bommies
Highlights
Groupers, napoleon wrasses, snappers, crocodile fish, tuna, batfish, unicornfish, redtooth triggerfish, nudibranchs and many more.
Nankivell Rock is a sparkling dive site situated to the northwest of Zanzibar. The reef is located in the open sea at a depth range of 10 to 15 meters. It consists of a huge bommie surrounded by small ones, all covered with a variety of beautiful corals. Nankivell Rock is well known for its great visibility and shoals of colorful reef fish. On occasion, you may spot a huge grouper.
Leven Bank
Level
Experienced advanced divers
Depth
14-30+ meters
Type
Undersea mountain
Highlights
Nudibranchs, octopuses, honeycomb moray eels, rainbow runners, barracudas, trevallys, tuna, kingfish and many more.
Leven Bank is an exhilarating dive site situated to the north of Zanzibar. The extensive reef is an undersea mountain located in the open sea and one of Zanzibar’s best spots for a deep dive. Starting at a depth of 14 meters it gently slopes down to 30+ meters. Due to current and depth, this dive site is suitable for very skilled divers only. There is a variety of brightly glowing hard and soft corals on the reef. Overhead many species of shoaling tropical reef fish attract predators. Most of all the striking colors of both the corals and the reef fish together create a vibrant mid-water experience, enhanced by a great visibility.
Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area
Kichwani | Wattabomie | Small Wall | Big Wall
Dive into the world-renowned underwater beauty of Mnemba Island, Zanzibar’s premier marine conservation area. Enjoy exceptional visibility, vibrant marine life, and incredible dive sites tailored for all experience levels.
Looking for Pristine Reefs?
Based at our second dive center on Pemba’s northwest coast, we offer exceptional diving for all experience levels—from shallow coral gardens to dramatic drop-offs. Explore top spots like Njao Gap, Fundo Gap, Swiss Reef, Shimba Wall, and many more.