Little paradise, lush and green

Pemba Island is pristine, adventurous and fascinating.
Enjoy snorkeling, diving, sailing and lazing on the deserted beaches.

Pemba Island has a lot to offer. Beautiful beaches, first class diving and snorkeling sites and several historical places. Travelling on Pemba Island is like travelling in an undiscovered area. Besides, you’re approached friendly everywhere you go.

Surface 985 km2
Inhabitants 330.000
spring rain season April & May
fall rain season November

About Pemba Island

Hilly and green, a little paradise with mangroves and lagoons along the coast, surrounded by idyllic beaches and islands. The pristine island has few tourists and only a handful of properties. It’s very suitable for experienced divers.

Culture and products on Pemba

The two islands of Pemba and Unguja (Zanzibar Island) together form the semi-autonomous state of Zanzibar. The archipelago lies on the east coast of Africa. Pemba Island is located 50 km north of Unguja (Zanzibar Island).

Cultuur
A large group of Arabs live on Pemba Island who came here from Oman. The first Arabs called Pemba Island ‘Al Huthera’: ‘The green island’. Therefore, the population is a mix of Arabs and native Africans. This mixed culture is also called the Swahili culture. The spoken language is Swahili. Almost the entire population is Muslim.

Producten
Both islands of Pemba and Unguja are sometimes called the Spice Islands (“spice islands”) for the cultivation of cloves. In addition to cloves, rice, coffee and red beans (maharagwe) are also grown. Fishing is another important source of income.

Diving
Pemba Island is one of the 10 best dive sites in the world.

Beaches
Pemba Island has a wonderful scenery: hilly, green, very fertile, and is surrounded by numerous smaller islands and coral reefs. Compared to Unguja (Zanzibar Island), Pemba Island has little tourism, smaller beaches, yet better diving possibilities.

Climate & season

Pemba 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, with an average of 27 degrees.

June to October
This is the “cool” period on Fanjove Island. Temperatures are pleasant, with an average of 25 degrees.

November to December:
Precipitation varies and temperatures slightly rise, to an average of 28 degrees.

December to February:
This is the hottest period of the year. The daily temperature is between 24 and 29 degrees.

Interesting facts

1. Although Unguja (Zanzibar Island) has the reputation of ‘spice island’ in particular, 90% of the cloves come from Pemba Island.

2. There is still a lot to discover on Pemba Island, tourism is still in its infancy.

3. The capital is Chake Chake, in short ‘Chake’. On Sundays, the shops outside of Chake Chake are usually closed.

4. Over the centuries, Pemba has been the center of traditional religion and witchcraft, in addition to their more famous role as centers of the spice and slave trade. On Pemba Island you will still find traditional healers and Voodoo is still practiced.

5. Legend has it that there are magical spirits on the island. Today, the cult of shetani is still going strong. The shetani are creatures from another world, who live on Earth alongside animals and humans, but are mostly invisible.

6. The people on Pemba Island are friendly. In the city, people in the market will invite you to their stall to taste fruits and share jokes.

Activities

Pemba Island is an idyllic and pristine destination for wonderful snorkeling, diving, sailing and undisturbed lazing on the deserted beaches.

Diving

Diving

Pemba Island offers a range of breathtaking diving sites, suitable for numerous levels.

Diving around Pemba Island is diverse and very special – clear water, deep cliffs, remote sites with little diving and many pristine reefs. Extraordinary locations include Emerald Wall and Panza Wreck.

One of the most spectacular sites is the famous Misali Island. This island is covered with forest, and lies off the west coast of Pemba Island. Misali Island is surrounded by crystal clear waters and offer a breathtaking, 9 km ring of coral reefs. Allegedly, the hideout of Pirate Captain Kidd. Misali Island offers one of the best diving locations in East Africa, with over 42 types of coral and 300 species of fish, including barracudas and manta rays. No wonder it’s highly appreciated by both divers and snorkelers. Nowadays, Misali Island is a protected area.

It’s possible to take a PADI diving course at our accommodations.

Animals in the area

Pemba Island is the habitat of the rare ‘flying fox’ (a bat), many species of birds and a vibrant marine life.
Common animals include turtles, vervet monkeys, birds and tropical fish.

Click here for the wildlife overview

Dieren overzicht Pemba Island

Diverse bird species
Flying fox (bat)
Sea turtle
Tropical fish
Vervet monkey

Accommodations on Pemba Island

The number of properties on Pemba Island is very limited.
Our properties have been selected with great care and attention: small scale, hospitality and quality are paramount.

Pemba Island