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Mnemba Atoll Snorkelling & Dhow Day Trip
A traditional dhow out to the protected reef of Mnemba Atoll for snorkelling with turtles and reef fish, with a...
Long, wind-swept beaches from Matemwe to Jambiani — kitesurfing, seaweed farming, big tides, and the reef of Mnemba Atoll offshore for snorkelling and diving.
Zanzibar's east coast is a near-continuous strip of white sand backed by palms and small villages — Matemwe and Kiwengwa in the north-east, Paje and Jambiani in the south-east. The reef sits close to shore here, so the water is shallow and the tide goes out a long way twice a day, exposing lagoons where villagers farm seaweed; when the tide is in, Paje in particular is one of the best kitesurfing spots in the Indian Ocean.
Off Matemwe lies Mnemba Atoll, a private island ringed by a protected reef that is the island's premier snorkelling and diving site, with reliable turtles, reef fish and, often, dolphins on the boat trip out. The east coast is quieter and more spread out than Nungwi, and suits travellers who want space, water sports or a barefoot lodge feel.
