Manta Reef Lodge - Pemba Island

Situated some 40 miles to the North of the main island of Zanzibar, Pemba is Known as "The Evergreen Island" because of its lush vegetation and rolling countryside. Pemba is also famous for its immense and dramatic blue water drop offs along with pristine coral reefs teeming with marine life of all shapes and sizes.

The Northern tip of the island is one of the world's great dive sites but only suitable for advanced divers due to the strong currents.

The Pemba Channel located between the island and the mainland is up to 400 fathoms deep and is recognized as the site for some of the finest game fishing in the world and Fundu Lagoon holds.
The beaches are not as accessible as on the main island and the roads on Pemba are terrible.
The warmth of the people and the unspoilt beauty of the island make up for the difficulties.
Those wishing to visit Pemba need to allow more time than for a visit to the main island.

The three main cities of Pemba are Wete, Mkoani and Chake Chake. They are small, run down, sleepy little towns where foreigners are still a rare site.

Pemba produces 80 per cent of the cloves grown in the archipelago and traditional agriculture and crafts still flourish on the island.

Pemba also has a number of interesting archeological sites. The earliest ruins are situated near Chake Chake. The site include numerous houses, three pillars, tombs and a large 14th Century mosque. At Pujini there is the remains of a 14th century fortified settlement with a citadel, mosque, several graves and a lily pond still intact.