Tanzania Resorts

Where’s the best resort-based diving in Tanzania?

Zanzibar, Mafia Island and Pemba are all blessed with some excellent diving. Here, you will find flourishing reefs and varied marine life to see for all levels of diver.

Off the main tourist trail, the sleepy, charming Mafia Island provides access to Chole Bay, the oldest and largest marine protected area in Tanzania. This area is renowned for the highest biodiversity in the region, where beautiful coral reefs play host to marine life from the humble nudibranch to the giant grouper.

To the north, Pemba Island completes this trio of islands. The island rises out of the Pemba channel, bringing clear visibility, blue water drop-offs, and healthy shallow reefs.

What to see when

For lovers of marine life, one of the most exciting draws of a holiday to Tanzania is the chance to see whale sharks. These gentle giants gather off the coast of Mafia island each year from November through to February, with responsible snorkelling excursions run by a local conservation organisation.

This small island also provides the opportunity to see turtle hatchlings scrambling for the ocean between June and September, while humpback whales splash and spray as they pass the island on their annual migration during August and September. Tanzania’s other islands can also see whale sharks and humpback whales at similar times.

Turtle and dolphin can be seen at any time of year, along with reef species common to the area.