Tanzania’s top 10 diving locations

• Pemba – The northernmost island of Tanzania and the Zanzibar archipelago, Pemba Island has beautiful corals that adorn walls and some huge sea fans. To describe the reef life here as spectacular is a clear understatement. While there are many dive sites here, the most popular is North Horn and it’s the case because of that magnificent creature of the waters- the shark. The Hammerhead, White-Tips, and Silvertips are visitors here and thanks to a 20 m to 40 m visibility, you can spot them easily and other creatures like the Humphead Parrot Fish and the Potato Cod too. For something more exciting, get to the south and east of Pemba.

• Leven Bank – Leven Bank is located in the northern tip of Zanzibar. The site is best suited for advanced divers only. Extremely powerful currents can be found here. You can keep a look out for Moray eels, Trevally and Barracuda.

• Mafia Island – The most exciting thing about Mafia is how untouched it is. You’re guaranteed a quiet diving experience here. Mafia is home to the largest marine park found in East Africa, established in 1996. The island is known for its sensational whale sharks sightings and the waters are home to more than 400 species of fish and 42 types of coral. Chole Bay is where the main diving sites are found, such as the Kinasi Wall and the famous Milimani Reef. Outside the bay, you’ll find Jina Pass. Green Turtles and Southern Stingrays make their home here.

• Mesali – Tanzania’s Coral Gardens are gorgeous and Mesali is surely its best feature. When you dive here, you’ll acquaint yourself with the shallow reefs and some of the best colours in the coral reef world. If you’d like to drift dive, there are sites close to Mesali to do just that.

• Lake Tanganyika – For an unusual diving experience, the freshwater haven that is Lake Tanganyika is perfect. You are surrounded by ancient Cichlid as you explore the depths of this marine richness.

• Mnemba – The best diving opportunities can be found at the northernmost point of Zanzibar. Close to Nungwi is Mnemba Atoll. You can dive in both places, and if you’re in Nungwi in September and October, you can see the Humpback Whales and migrating Sperm Whales. Mnemba is an hour away from Nungwi and is filled to the brim with tropical fish.

• Mikindani – Soon to become a popular diving destination, Mikindani is a wonderful diving spot, with many species of fish and over 250 species of coral. Trips to Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park take place from Dar-es-Salaam or Mikindani. This is an exciting place to be in, with the green turtles nesting between February to April and the humpback whale migration taking place from August to November.

• Zanzibar – Unguja, also called Zanzibar has enough and more operators to show you all the lovely diving sites around the archipelago. The waters have magnificent manta rays, apart from other marine life. What’s more, Zanzibar is easily reached from almost every part of the world.

• Mtwara-Mtwara – The southernmost city on the coast of Tanzania is located on an estuary. There are quite a few marine reserves here and the south equatorial currents bring such a wealth of marine life from the Indian Ocean that you can see Pelagic fish and the Monoliths as well.

• Songo Songo – Not too far from the Selous Game Reserve stretches 40 kilometres of reef. Turtles nest in the hot sands, the waters are a beautiful blue and the islands are virtually untouched. An airstrip brings you here and once here, you can enjoy the most idyllic diving conditions to be found anywhere in the world.