Empty white sand beach curving to a wooded headland and turquoise water

Nobu / Zanzibar

Pemba.

Zanzibar's wild green sister — where the reef falls away into blue and the hills breathe cloves.

Start your Pemba journey

YOUR AFRICA, BEAUTIFULLY TOLD.

Travel stylePrivate & tailor-made

Start withYour dates and interests

Suggested paceFewer stops, more time

Your next stepA conversation with Nobu

The Nobu perspective

Pemba,
at your pace.

Pemba is Zanzibar's greener, hillier northern island, separated from Unguja by deep channel water and visited by far fewer travellers. Clove plantations, mangrove creeks and steep coral walls make it a compelling choice for experienced divers and curious explorers.

Pemba's ridges, valleys and working plantations feel far removed from Unguja's famous resort coast. Fishing, cloves and seaweed still shape daily life, while tidal lagoons and coral islets replace one continuous ribbon of beach.

Underwater, reefs fall sharply into the Pemba Channel, creating dramatic wall and drift dives with strong currents and pelagic possibilities. Misali offers shallower snorkelling, while mangrove kayaking, dhow sailing and plantation visits diversify the stay.

Two people holding hands walking in shallow surf on a beach

PEMBA

The deep channel waters draw game fish; catch-and-release charters can be arranged.

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When to go

Best time to visit

Start with the season that suits the journey you want, then confirm conditions for your exact route.

A closer look at Pemba

Jul / Individual planning

Your dates, your route

Start with your preferred month. Your designer will help match the season, chosen stays and connections to your route, interests and preferred pace.

June to October

The drier coast

June to October brings the calmest seas, reliable sunshine and strongest underwater visibility, making it the principal period for wall diving. December to February is warm and largely dry, another comfortable window for boats, reefs and plantation exploration.

March to May

The long rains

March to May carries heavy rain and rougher seas that can halt diving and boat travel, while November's short rains are lighter. Channel dives remain subject to currents, individual experience, operator assessment and current marine conditions.

5 places to stay

Where to stay

Compare the selection by style.

5 stays · All stays

Signature
Pemba / Zanzibar
Pemba Misali Sunset Beach
resort · beachfront
From USD 100per person per night · indicative
Enquire about this stay
Expedition
Pemba / Zanzibar
Gecko Nature Lodge
lodge · beachfront
From USD 60per person per night · indicative
Enquire about this stay
Elevated
Pemba / Zanzibar
Fundu Lagoon
resort · beachfront
From USD 300per person per night · indicative
Enquire about this stay
Elevated
Pemba / Zanzibar
The Aiyana Resort & Spa
resort · beachfront
From USD 300per person per night · indicative
Enquire about this stay
Elevated
Pemba / Zanzibar
The Manta Resort
resort · beachfront
From USD 300per person per night · indicative
Enquire about this stay

Good to know

Know before you go

Getting there

Road and air connections depend on the wider route and current operations. Nobu confirms the suitable connection for your dates before approval.

Fees and permissions

Park, conservancy, community, activity or permit rules may apply. Nobu confirms the operative permissions and current fees in the approved quote.

Time and pace

The right stay depends on season, interests and onward routing. Nobu will recommend a pace for the individual journey rather than promise a fixed transfer or duration.

Pemba Channel Conservation Area fees and entry rules

Good questions. Straight answers.

Is Pemba the same as Zanzibar?

Pemba is part of the Zanzibar archipelago, but it is a separate island from Unguja — the island most people mean when they say "Zanzibar." Pemba lies about 60km to the north, across a deep channel, and is hillier, greener and far less visited.

Why is Pemba famous for diving?

The island's reefs drop as sheer coral walls into the deep, current-fed Pemba Channel, giving dramatic underwater topography, excellent visibility and strong pelagic life — conditions that make it one of the Indian Ocean's premier wall-diving destinations.

How do you get to Pemba?

By air into Pemba Airport (PMA) at Chake Chake, on short domestic flights from Zanzibar (Unguja), Dar es Salaam or Tanga, or by ferry across the channel. There is no bridge from the mainland or Unguja.

When is the best time to dive Pemba?

The dry season from June to October brings the calmest seas and best visibility; December to February is also good. The long rains from March to May can limit diving.

Why is Pemba called the Spice Island?

Its hills are cloaked in clove plantations; for much of the twentieth century Pemba was among the world's leading clove producers, and the trees still define the interior and scent the air.

Suggested Pemba journeys