Pemba, Mafia or Tofu/Inhambane?

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mlbman

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I'm planning a combo dive and wildlife safari for Jan-Feb 2008 and would like some info. It seems that the reefs are better at Pemba, but do you see whale sharks and mantas which Tofu seems famous for? Which location has the best overall diving? I am traveling as a single so which location has more to do after diving? Any suggestions for inexpensive but good lodges?

Thanks for your feedback.

Mike
%^)
 
It's a big continent... what part are you planning to visit?

I was in Kenya in December 2005, and did some diving in the Watamu reserve. I saw manta, and the group out the day before I went out did two dives with a whale shark.

As for the safari, I went to Tsavo west and stayed at the Ngulia lodge, which was good and inexpensive, but DEFINATELY somewhere you'd want to use your mosquito netting. In Ambosili, there were several inexpensive lodges of good quality. I booked with Nik's Safaris out of Mombasa, and couldn't have been much happier with the experience or the price.
 
Pemba, Mozambique or Pemba, Tanzania?

I'd say a combination of diving Pemba Island, Tanzania and visiting Ngorongoro and/or Serengeti would be one of the best African wild life experiences. The diving around Pemba has very good spieces diversity and is typically 'tropical' with lots of colour and clear blue water in the right season on incoming tide. No that much in the way of really big animals (there used to be plenty of mantas, but they have probably been fished out by the locals), but a good amount of coral reef fish and also pelagic spieces in big schools, like barracuda and jacks. And you normally see big tuna, wahoo and big napoleon fishes and groupers on the reefs. Turtles and rays as well. Steep walls tumbeling down to big depths and very strong currents.

Another great combination is diving Tofu/Mozambiqie combined with a safari in the Krüger Park, SA. The overall diving in Tofu is so-so with almost no coral, pretty low in spieces diversity and so-so viz., but if you get to see mantas and whalesharks (which is pretty much guranteed) it's a spectacular experience. It's also pretty common to see a few white tip sharks, leopard sharks or guitar rays. Huge groupers are also common. Reefs sit in comparatively shallow waters. Currents sometimes strong, but more usual to have a mild current. Strong surge is common, sometimes felt all the way down to 30 metres. Very special launch and landing procedures with the dingys - as someone said about the landing "it felt like we were invading the place". Haven't dived Pemba, Mozambique, so I can't say what it's like.

You can't go wrong with either inmo. They're both good, just different. Krüger is very nice and is one of the best parks to really see a lot of different animals in Africa. Ngorongoro perhaps the more spectacular scenery (inside a huge crater). Moz/SA a lot cheaper than Tanzania overall.

Jan-feb should be spot on seasonwise for diving both areas. Not sure about the wild life on land?

/c
 
Just got back from my 2nd visit to Tofo and was completely blown away this time. Viz was up tp 30m, had a Whaleshark come right through our group at the safety stop and saw Mantas on every deep dive - Giants Castle, Sherwood Forrest, Office, Manta and Hogwarts. Even saw Frogfish !!!!!
 
Both are great destinations but very different. I organise tailor-made trips to both, combined with safaris to suit most budgets. Look me up by googling Indigo Safaris.
 
Hell guys, this post is only 3 years old ....

I suspect that the OP has been and gone already.
 

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