Zanzibar is a barefoot beach break that will have you sun-soaked and smiling. From diving alongside a pod of dolphins to snorkelling on a colourful coral reef and sipping cocktails while sailing on a traditional dhow, there is something for everyone here. This is why it remains one of the world’s most celebrated island holiday destinations.
There are several diving centres but the one Zanzibar Watersports centre is mainly Nkeya Tours & Safaris relying on. Based on the island’s northern tip at the Nungwi Paradise Beach Bungalows and the Kendwa Rocks Beach Hotel, they are known as a highly professional and experienced operator for fishing and diving in Zanzibar. Their ex-pat and local staff are well-trained, welcoming, and simply love what they do. Experiencing Zanzibar with us is as much about making new friends as it is about getting in the water.
All our centres offer a full range of PADI courses. First-time divers can sign-up for the Discover Scuba Diving course, while those who are wanting to take the plunge into professional diving, can become an accredited Open Water Scuba Instructors with us. Our commitment to your health, safety and protection is evidenced in our continuous perfect safety record.
A. Mnemba – Wattabommi (6-30m): Sandy slope with fringing plate coral, white tips, green turtles, large groupers.
B. Mnemba – Kichwani (6-40m): A wall of corals home to a vast array of marine life. Schooling fish feed in the shallow waters while larger predatory fish can be seen out in the blue.
C. Mnemba – Big Wall (14-40m): Northern edge of Mnemba Atoll is almost a kilometer long, best visibility, lobsters, white tips, and turtles.
D. Leons Wall (12-40m): The edge of the inner reef. Leon’s Wall is a vertical drop covered in a plethora of soft corals and encrusting sponges. Lionfish, schools of snappers, and the elusive leaf fish can all be seen along the wall.
E. Misoli (12-40m): Large coral island which can be circumvented on the dive. very diverse coral and lots of nudibranchs.
F. Kichafi (12-18m): A very healthy reef with vast expanses of plate corals. The large sandy area adjacent to the site also makes this an excellent training ground for all courses.
G. Haji (10-18m): A submerged coral ridge attracts an abundance of marine life and sports a vast array of hard coral formations. There are numerous Crocodile fish and Nudibranchs to be found here.
H. Mbwangawa (12-18m): An eclectic mix of life, including lobster sheltering beneath plate corals and frequent encounters with cuttlefish. The chance to see turtles also makes this a very popular dive site.
I. Ametatu (6-12m): Sister reef to Chakatuni, small coral bommies hosting a wide variety of marine life of all sizes and colors.
J. Chakatuni (12-18m): Hard corals in the open sea, seen best at slack tide. Attracts a wide range of marine life.
K. Shanes Reef (12-16m): This weird and wonderful dive offers the best array of macro life around. Flying gurnards frogfish and Mauritius scorpion fish make this site a photographer’s dream.
L. Hunga (12-18m): A wall that drops down to 45m with cascading plate coral flowing into the deep. Lionfish, large rays, and a passing point for dolphins and pelagic species.
M. Nankivell (12-18m): Can only be dived on specific tides this large area of coral has a great variety of reef fish, lobsters, and the occasional small reef shark.
N. Kendwa Reef (5-10m): Suitable for both divers and snorkelers, this site is a great nursery full of vibrant juveniles hiding amongst the corals.
O. Mwana na Mwana (2-12m): Soft and hard coral bommies with glass fish sheltering in the crevices. Frogfish have been spotted here, and often green turtles stop by to take advantage of the cleaning service.
P. Tumbatu – Haunted wall (2-15m): A small eerie looking wall with beautiful soft corals sheltering nudibranchs and leaf fish, with inquisitive batfish cruising past.
Q. Renco Bommi (7-14m): A huge coral bommi coming up from the sand, with an explosion of marine life. Leaf fish, Octopus, and the colorful Mantis shrimps are common sites here. An ideal dive site for the less experienced.
R. Leven Bank (14-40m): An Exciting must-do dive spot for experienced divers only. Spectacular dive, often in strong currents in the Pemba Channel with great visibility, but can only be dived on certain tides. Amazing mid-channel pinnacle, topped with coral and sandy patches, the walls drop down to over 160m. The pinnacle attracts some large pelagic fish from the open ocean, such as sharks, manta rays, whale sharks, and big game fish. The pinnacle itself is home to things from huge Honeycomb moray eels to colorful nudibranchs. Dolphins are often seen playing in this area.
Live-aboard diving
All departures from Kendwa Beach at 08:30, unless stated otherwise
FULL DAY: 10-11 hours, HALF DAY: 5 hours
Diving gear will be provided on dive cruises. (Please note: Qualified divers only)
Fishing gear will be provided on fishing cruises. (Guests may also bring their own)
Boats
Watersports Dive Centre uses a combination of traditional dhows and fiberglass speed boats. The former allows for comfort and space when the seas are a bit choppy and the latter allows us to get out to the more distant dive sites like Level Bank and Big wall quickly and efficiently for the more avid divers. This versatile fleet also gives us the ability to cater to a variety of watersports in comfort and safety. All our boats are fully equipped with safety gear and twin engines.
Equipment
Watersports Dive Centre uses well-maintained ScubaPro Mk2 R190/R295 combinations as its shop regulators, ScubaPro T-One BCD’s and a mixture of ScubaPro and Mares closed heel fins. For exposure protection, we have Reef 5mm wetsuits in both short and full length in a variety of sizes. Guests are also welcome to use their own gear and store it at our center during their stay here.
