Diving trip to Zanzibar

Diving trip to Zanzibar

Those of you who follow us on Instagram know that our Scuba Travel-Sanna has been off on an adventure. Recently returned home, she is now talking about her experiences from her diving trip to Zanzibar i Tanzania. According to Sanna, this is the perfect destination for those looking for tropical diving, beautiful beaches and exciting culture. Read Sanna's story below and be inspired.

“Zanzibar is a very special island, consisting of a mixture of African and Arab culture. An exciting combination that truly characterizes the island. We started our journey on the east coast in the village Matemwe which is closest to Mnemba atoll, known for all its fine diving spots.

Pole pole

There are many boats that go out to the atoll daily, usually filled with snorkelers but also several diving boats. When and how you get to Mnemba depends entirely on the tide. Because the beaches are shallow on the east coast and the difference between high and low tide is as big as 5 meters. The tide determines whether on this particular day we can go out by boat from the diving center or have to take a bus a bit north to be able to get out to the diving boat. We quickly understand that this is a big challenge for the dive center and their planning and flexibility is impressive. In Zanzibar, there is generally a very relaxed atmosphere and attitude to time.

The expression "pole pole" is quickly learned. Which means "take it easy" But when the tide is going out, then it's important to be on time to the diving center in the morning if we want to get out in the boats. Then it is rather "hurry hurry" that applies and no slow movements are allowed.

Well out at Mnemba atoll offers great variety in diving. Nice reefs, lots of fish and exciting macro diving. Octopuses, turtles and dolphins are common, as are whitetip reef sharks, but mostly during the summer months when the water is a few degrees colder. In January we have 28 degrees in the water and 32 in the air, it's lucky that the dive boat has a roof because we spend about 5 hours out at sea every day.

Large animals

During the spring, there is also the opportunity to see humpback whales that pass on the eastern side of the atoll. Also whale sharks seen from time to time. Our guide Cheti tells us that he thinks the diving is at its best in March-April and in September-November when the sea is clear and visibility is at its best.

Between dives we get something very typical of Zanzibar - spiced tea. Warm, sweet tea seasoned with cinnamon and cardamom that warms well. Chapati, fresh fruit and pastries are served with this. Definitely the best diving talk I've ever received!

I must also take the opportunity to tell you about our accommodation in Matemwe, Zanzibar Retreat Hotell which was 15 min walking distance from the diving centre. The hotel is small, personal and absolutely wonderful! 12 rooms right by the sea, plenty of cozy seating in both sun and shade. They have a lovely pool that cools down nicely when the water is low and difficult to swim, very nice staff and amazingly good food. If you like to enjoy large dinners after a long day at sea, it is clearly worth taking half-board here and enjoying a 4-course dinner every evening. The massage huts down by the beach are also well worth a visit.

The island of spices

We continued our journey west towards Stone town and stopped along the way. There we visited a spice farm and we got to taste more fruit and spices that we knew existed! It was truly an incredibly delicious experience. Sun-ripened mango straight from the tree, mango stone, rambutan, custard apple, jackfruit, turmeric, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and scores of other fruit trees, shrubs, herbs and roots. Our guide showed us how everything grew and let us taste and smell. Here we also had lunch and even though we ate probably 2kg of fruit, the homemade lunch tasted fantastic. A visit to a spice farm is something I really recommend to you and anyone who wants to travel to Zanzibar.

Stone Town

Then we continued our journey with the final destination Stone town which is also a very exciting part of Zanzibar. Not at all a boring city where you only spend the last night near the airport, rather a place where I wished I had more time. Stonetown is beautifully located by the sea, which means that it is perfectly fine to lie on the beach for an afternoon and swim in the sea a few more times. The One Ocean dive center that we dived with at Mnemba atoll has a dive center in Stone town as well and thanks to the location they can offer a whole different kind of diving here. For one thing, they are not at all affected by the tide, which means that they have the same start time every morning and can also do afternoon dives and night dives for those who want.

What mainly attracts the diving trip to Zanzibar and to Stone town are the wrecks that are available to explore. "The Great Northern", which sank on New Year's Eve in 1902, lies at a depth of 12m and is very popular with both snorkelers and divers. At a depth of 30 meters there is also The Royal Navy Lighter, which has been sunk for diving. It is now covered in coral and large shoals of snappers thrive in its vicinity. There are also a couple of nice thriving reefs here on the east side.

When you're not diving or swimming, there are plenty of exciting alleys to explore in Stone town. I, who usually claim that I have a very good local sense, got totally lost time and time again. But it was just exciting and fun. The Zanzibarians greeted us kindly with a "Mambo" and asked if we were lost when we wandered into a school yard, or into yet another dead end among their homes :)

Good food

In addition to small nice shops, there are lots of cozy cafes, restaurants, rooftop bars and carefully renovated hotels in Stone town. Traces of Arab culture can really be seen here. We would have needed at least a week to dine on all the tastiest roof terraces in town.

Another must at sunset is a stop at Forodhani Gardens where skewers, Zanzibar pizza and sugar cane juice are served from the small stalls in the food market every evening.

Zanzibar is truly a wonderful destination for those who want relaxation and activity, experiencing both nature and culture. It is very easy for snorkelers to accompany divers as they often go out on the same boat. 4-5 diving days are enough to do the best dive sites on the island."

If you are interested in hearing more about or booking a diving trip to Zanzibar, just give us a call or contact us here we will be happy to tell you more at the office!

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