Tropical island in the Indische Oceaan

The island of Fanjove with its beautiful pristine nature, 30 km from the coast, has not yet been discovered.

The tropical island is located in an area that has little tourism. An unforgettable Robinson Crusoe experience on a uninhabited island. Here, you can still feel the true calm island feeling.

Surface 5 km2
Inhabitants 0
spring rain season April & May
fall rain season November

About Fanjove Eiland

Fanjove Island lies in the Songo Songo Archipelago, consisting of 25 islands and coral reefs. The archipelago is a diverse area with lots and lots of coral and is an important area for nesting sea turtles and birds.

Culture and products on Zanzibar

Fanjove Island is part of the Songo Songo archipelago.

Culture
Fanjove is an uninhabited island, apart from the hotel guests, staff and animals.
Upon arrival at the island Songo Songo, a 40-minute flight from Dar es Salaam, you sense an unforgettable experience after a short boat trip…… truly exotic.
Time slows down when in this paradise and you are completely separated from your daily routines.

Products
Songo Songo has a large natural gas field that is exploited as part of the Songo Songo Gas to Electricity Project. In addition, Songo Songo has several coconut plantations.

Diving
Together with various other surrounding islands, Fanjove Islands form the Songo Songo archipelago. This is an ecologically important area for nesting sea turtles and sea birds. The surrounding waters also offer an impressive array of hard and soft corals. A wonderful place for diving and snorkeling.

Beaches
Fanjove Island has beautiful deserted beaches.
Imagine yourself a true Robinson Crusoe.

Climate & season

Fanjove Island has a tropical climate and is a beautiful destination all year round.

April and May:
There is a higher chance of rain. This essentially means a tropical shower in the morning and sometimes at night. The temperatures are pleasant.

June to October
This is the “cool” period on Fanjove Island. Temperatures are pleasant and vary from 25 to 35 degrees.

November to December:
Precipitation varies and temperatures slightly rise.

December to February:
This is the hottest period of the year.

Interesting facts

1. Between November and March, the island is a true paradise for bird spotters! Migrating birds are en masse on the island this time of year.

2. Banda in Ki-Swahili means “Hut” and in a sense, it describes your property well. Its shape resembles the Dhow sail.

3. The six lights of your Banda are powered by a solar panel on the top of the makuti roof.

4. The shy and colorful coconut crabs live on the island, the largest crab that lives on land. They only appear at night.

5. The green sea turtle nests from February to June.

Activities

Fanjove is a special island for a beach holiday. There’s a lot to experience on this rather small island!

Dolphins

Various dolphin species swim in the waters surrounding Fanjove Island.
On this trip, you go looking for the long-beaked dolphin and the bottle-nose dolphin. With a little luck, you can have a swim with them.

Diving

The coral reef of Fanjove Island extends over 11 km, a beautiful tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean that has just been discovered. This is the place where humpback whales migrate, sea turtles lay eggs and tropical fish dance for you. With every diving site, you come across different fish, sharks, mammals, and molluscs. The underwater landscape is very diverse and has underwater peaks and gardens of coal coral. With a view of more than 20 meters deep, you have the rare opportunity to experience an area that has never been explored before.

Dhow

Experience the timeless beauty of the wooden dhow and enjoy the sunset and the view of Fanjove Island from this traditional East African coastal sailing ship. This local boat leaves before sunset with one of our waiters on board, so you can enjoy a sundowner cocktail while you watch the sun go down.

Snorkeling

Relax in the blue waters of Fanjove Island as you watch the enchanting sea world pass by. Innumerable tropical fish and a variety of corals and molluscs live around Fanjove Island.

Go by yourself for a relazing exploration, or let us take you in a small boat to show you all the secret spots.

Sandbank

At low tide, you have access to a remote sanbar for snorkeling. A fish is grilled for you for lunch. Relax in the shade and wait for dolphins to pass by, or jump into the water to cool off, until the sandbank disappears under water again with the tidal waves.

Humpback whale

From July to October, the sea between the mainland and Fanjove Island serves as a passage for the humback whale. Be the first one to spot them from the sand in front of your cabin or hop on a boat to find them. The experienced local fisherman take you to the exact place to be amazed by these giants, their acrobatic turns and the sounds of their deep exhalation.

Animals in the area

The shy and colourful coconut crabs live on the island, as well as many different birds species. Between November and April, the island is home to many migratory birds.

Click here for the wildlife overview