I've been working in Zanzibar (Unguja) for a couple of years now, and I was recently speaking to the owner of Swahili Divers in Pemba (the northern-most island of the Zanzibar archipelago). I think what he was saying to me is broadly spot on regarding diving in Tanzania, and I share it below for anyone who might have any additional thoughts:
"In the recent months, I have been looking at a map of Tanzania. And have realised that if you include Tanga and combine Dar es Salaam with Latham, we have 9 outstanding dive areas in this nation. From the Kenyan Border to the Mozambique border, we have world class diving. On our two lakes, we have cichlids and in Lake Tanganyika a unique underwater world. In Mtwara you can dive on underwater mountains with pelagics in the morning and be spotting hippos in the afternoon. In Zanzibar you can dive the most excellent wreck at 12m and stroll around a world heritage site in the afternoon, in Pemba you can dive deep and long and then walk in a primeval rain forest 40 minutes stroll away. In Mafia, you can be among the fattest potato groupers, schools of fish and then sail back under canvas. We all also have some of the most prolific macro diving that I have seen. I don't wish to overplay our hand, but we have diving in Tanzania that reminds me of a meeting of the Lembeh Straights and the Pacific Ocean.
How can it be, that Tanzania is a WORLD CLASS DIVE DESTINATION, and no one seems to know about it? Every other dive destination nation of our quality and diversity is known around the world. The Philippines, Indonesia, Micronesia, are the only countries that compare to Tanzania. Even Egypt with its red sea, lacks our total diversity. Ewald Liske, the author of the Collins Reef Guide told me that the red sea has 350 species of fish. East Africa has 450-500. Isobel Pring has counted 280 alone in Mtwara, and she was not trying. I keep seeing stuff that SHOULD NOT EXIST in East Africa. As you keep reminding me, I have dived around the world - I have been to Indonesia, Micronesia, Australia, Egypt, the South Pacific, South East Asia, the red sea, Turkey, the UK, Ireland and Japan. Tanzania either compares favorably or supersedes any of these destinations in terms of dive quality and overall experience.
The only thing that I can surmise is that we have been eclipsed by being the best wildlife safari destination in the world.
...Why should a New Yorker choose Tanzania over Lembeh. Simple- it's cheaper, ($1500) closer (10hrs+7Hrs+1hr) and he can see pelagics in the morning, muck in late morning and hippos that afternoon.
In Zanzibar, I think town diving is the most underrated in the world. It's excellent- there is so much life, and you can stay in the Serena, or Stone Town Cafe, stroll to your dive dhow, not get your camera bag wet, and bob around next to sand bank in between dives. Then in the evening you are in a unique city..."
Personally, I would add that diving in Zanzibar itself has an unbelievable variety of diving options for such a relatively small island - from the above mentioned Stone Town there is also Mnemba Island (part of the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area, and regularly erroneously called an atoll) with approximately 7 kilometres of reef surrounding the exclusive small island itself. In the north west there is some great diving in the area of Tumbatu Island, and in the south east some fantastic diving both inside and outside the fringe reef that runs the entire length of the main island. Unfortunately I am unable to comment first hand on the diving at the southern most tip of the island (Kizimkazi).
But anyway, I was just wondering whether anyone who has dived here had any thoughts on this...
"In the recent months, I have been looking at a map of Tanzania. And have realised that if you include Tanga and combine Dar es Salaam with Latham, we have 9 outstanding dive areas in this nation. From the Kenyan Border to the Mozambique border, we have world class diving. On our two lakes, we have cichlids and in Lake Tanganyika a unique underwater world. In Mtwara you can dive on underwater mountains with pelagics in the morning and be spotting hippos in the afternoon. In Zanzibar you can dive the most excellent wreck at 12m and stroll around a world heritage site in the afternoon, in Pemba you can dive deep and long and then walk in a primeval rain forest 40 minutes stroll away. In Mafia, you can be among the fattest potato groupers, schools of fish and then sail back under canvas. We all also have some of the most prolific macro diving that I have seen. I don't wish to overplay our hand, but we have diving in Tanzania that reminds me of a meeting of the Lembeh Straights and the Pacific Ocean.
How can it be, that Tanzania is a WORLD CLASS DIVE DESTINATION, and no one seems to know about it? Every other dive destination nation of our quality and diversity is known around the world. The Philippines, Indonesia, Micronesia, are the only countries that compare to Tanzania. Even Egypt with its red sea, lacks our total diversity. Ewald Liske, the author of the Collins Reef Guide told me that the red sea has 350 species of fish. East Africa has 450-500. Isobel Pring has counted 280 alone in Mtwara, and she was not trying. I keep seeing stuff that SHOULD NOT EXIST in East Africa. As you keep reminding me, I have dived around the world - I have been to Indonesia, Micronesia, Australia, Egypt, the South Pacific, South East Asia, the red sea, Turkey, the UK, Ireland and Japan. Tanzania either compares favorably or supersedes any of these destinations in terms of dive quality and overall experience.
The only thing that I can surmise is that we have been eclipsed by being the best wildlife safari destination in the world.
...Why should a New Yorker choose Tanzania over Lembeh. Simple- it's cheaper, ($1500) closer (10hrs+7Hrs+1hr) and he can see pelagics in the morning, muck in late morning and hippos that afternoon.
In Zanzibar, I think town diving is the most underrated in the world. It's excellent- there is so much life, and you can stay in the Serena, or Stone Town Cafe, stroll to your dive dhow, not get your camera bag wet, and bob around next to sand bank in between dives. Then in the evening you are in a unique city..."
Personally, I would add that diving in Zanzibar itself has an unbelievable variety of diving options for such a relatively small island - from the above mentioned Stone Town there is also Mnemba Island (part of the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area, and regularly erroneously called an atoll) with approximately 7 kilometres of reef surrounding the exclusive small island itself. In the north west there is some great diving in the area of Tumbatu Island, and in the south east some fantastic diving both inside and outside the fringe reef that runs the entire length of the main island. Unfortunately I am unable to comment first hand on the diving at the southern most tip of the island (Kizimkazi).
But anyway, I was just wondering whether anyone who has dived here had any thoughts on this...