Other watersports

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As expected the resorts around Zanzibar offer a wide range of watersports other than fishing, sailing and scuba diving as mentioned below. Breezes Beach Club, Fundu Lagoon (on Pemba), and Ras Nungwi offer the widest range of the activities mentioned below.

Safety and requirements
Instruction is given for beginners but most of these activities are not potentially dangerous.

Variety of trips
Windsurfing, wind gliding, water skiing, kayaking, dhow cruises, and snorkelling.

Best times to go
The season runs all year round.

Prices per person (at Ras Nungwi as a guideline)
Windsurfing and windgliding per hour - US$ 20 (GBP13)
Water-skiing per 15 minutes – US$ 50 (GBP31)
Kayaking per hour - US$ 20 (GBP13)
Dhow Cruise – POA

Snorkelling
Close Boat trip - US$ 30 (GBP19)
Mnemba half day - US$ 40 (GBP25)
Mnemba full day - US$ 60 (GBP38)


Deep sea fishing

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Ras Nungwi, Zanzibar North
Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel is situated in close proximity to some of Africa's best deep-sea fishing grounds. The waters between Zanzibar and Pemba are home to some excellent game fishing opportunities.

The boats on offer vary according to the time of year, but are all large, twin-screw craft, equipped to the highest international safety standards. They also all have the latest technology, with GPS navigational aids, colour echo sounders and fish finders.

A full set of tackle is provided with Shimano, Fenwick, Harnell or KC rods and Shimano or Penn international reels, spooled with 80 1b, 50 1b and 30 1b mono line. Clients who wish to use their own lighter tackle are welcome, and we are conversant with the IGFA fly-fishing regulations.

The experienced skippers can instruct novices and talk fishermen through any procedure in the course of reeling in their catch. Tag and release is generally encouraged for all big fish unless it is the fisherman’s first ever catch, his biggest to date, or if it is likely to be an East African or All Africa record.

Fundu Lagoon, Pemba Island
Fundu Lagoon is situated on the edge of the famous Pemba Channel, a natural corridor between the mainland of East Africa and Pemba Island. In its translucent blue depths are found no less than three varieties of Marlin, Sailfish, Swordfish, Mako and other sharks, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado and many others. Fundu Lagoon has a full equipped and crewed deep-sea sport fishing boat, Kasuri, based at the hotel. Kasuri is a Bertam with an excellent Skipper and crew, all fluent in English. They can instruct novices and talk fishermen through any procedure in the course of reeling in their catch.

Kasuri is a twin screw, diesel powered craft and is equipped to the highest international safety standards including radios. She is also equipped with the latest technology, with GPS (navigational aid), colour echo sounder and Harnell or KC rods and Shimano or Penn international reels, spooled with 80 lb, 50 lb and 30 lb mono line. Clients are welcome to use their own lighter tackle, and the Skipper is conversant with the IGFA fly-fishing regulations.

Requirements
W hile most serious fishermen usually supply their own rods and reels, Ras Nungwi and Fundu Lagoon supply all tackle, rods, reels and other necessary and modern equipment.

Variety
Yellowfin Tuna, Blue, Black and Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Swordfish, Mako and other sharks, Wahoo, Dorado and many others.

Best times to go
August to November provides really good sport for the big Yellowfin Tuna, one of the strongest fish around. Big Blue Marlin and a number of Striped and Black Marlin are also found, as well as Sailfish. During this season, multiple hook ups are normal, when the ocean can come alive with huge schools of Tuna in pursuit of smaller fish.

During the billfish season, which is from November to March, Striped Marlin are the most prolific, sometimes showing in packs of up to ten. Large Blue and Black Marlin are also quite common during this period with the Pemba Channel Fishing Club holding most of the Kenya and All Africa records for the largest fish.

Prices per person
Fundu Lagoon
Half day, six hour charter - US$ 600 (GBP375)
A full day, nine hour charter - US$ 780 (GBP488)
A packed lunch is provided on board and a cold box is available for drinks of your choice. Bookings for a fishing charter can be made in advance or direct at the hotel.

Ras Nungwi
4 hours, we recommend 6.30am to 10.30pm - US$ 275 (GBP172) for half day 6 hours, we recommend 6.30am to 12.30pm - US$ 400 (GBP250) for half day 9 hours, we recommend 6.30am to 3.30pm - US$ 600 (GBP375) for full day 12 hours, we recommend 6.30pm to 6.30am - US$ 800 (GBP500) for full night (Broadbill).

Rates include VAT, full charter of boat, skipper, bait, tackle, equipment
hire, soft drinks and lunch. Rates exclude tips.

Scuba Diving

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The North Coast
The variety of sea life on the various coral reefs is immense, with regular sightings of dolphins, manta rays, turtles and reef sharks. Typical dive sites include: Mnemba Channel, a wall dive off the Mnemba Atoll, descending to 35m; Leven Banks, a massive reef structure seven miles out to sea where depths vary from 14m at the shallowest point to +200m on the ocean bed. Depths on most reefs range between 12m and 40m in a year round average water temperature of 27 degrees centigrade.

The East Coast
A paradise for divers, the East Coast of Zanzibar is without doubt the place to dive, if you are looking for something new. It’s a unique opportunity of diving in a world which is still untouched. Zanzibar is also one of the world’s newest diving destinations.

The east coast offers a great variety of marine life as well as dive spots, so you can expect a very diverse diving experience. In addition to the abundant reef life, outside the reef, Turtles, Napoleon Wrasse, Giant Sting rays, shark species and Barracuda are just some of the marine life to be found.

Gentle coral slopes
You will be amazed by the differently shaped corals surrounded by colourful reef fish. Admire the small marine life living in perfect symbiosis with each other: moray eels, anemones, stonefish, lionfish, sea snails, lobsters and the smallest angelfish in the world – the African Dwarf.

Wall diving
For experienced divers and starting from approximately 25 metres depth, these untouched walls are the perfect environments for “big encounters”: oceanic sharks and reef sharks, huge stingrays, groupers and barracuda. At this depth, even the reef life is very large eg moray eels, angelfish and batfish. Coming up to the surface, it is not rare to find yourself surrounded by dolphins which live in big groups and hunt all over the coast.

Barrel sponges
If you want to see turtles, these are some dive spots not to be missed. On the sandy bottom at approximately 23 metres depth, you can see dark sponges filled with coloured reef life on a white sandy bottom. The ideal hiding place for giant eels, trigger fish, puffers and other small fish to hide. and the feeding ground for Sea turtles. The white sandy bottom is home to huge stingrays, eagle rays and guitar sharks.

Pemba
The area boasts some of the best marine environments in the world. Dives are conducted mainly on the Pemba Island west coast and around the Southern tip of Pemba including a long forgotten shipwreck. Most dives are wall dives where the pristine coral walls drop off to form almost vertical cliffs.

Visibility averages around 20 metres and can increase up to 60 metres. The best time to dive is usually on an incoming tide. For that reason the dive schedule changes daily and it is not always possible to dive twice in one day.

Safety
A wide choice of licensed Dive Centres all exercise excellent safety standards. The highly qualified diving instructors are PADI or SSI qualified and will introduce you to the world of diving with expert instruction and knowledge. Some instructors have over 10 years experience in professional diving instruction and can provide instruction in English, French, German and Italian. Zanzibar’s east coast is the ideal place to learn diving, with its shallow lagoon rich in marine life and the untouched corals and outside reefs.

Dive boats are fully rigged to high standards of safety, including DAN oxygen equipment, first aid, life jackets, spare outboard engines and radio communications on board.

Variety of dives
Sea dives will always vary slightly depending on conditions but generally are about 45 minutes long, and generally you’ll undergo a maximum of two recreational dives a day. For experienced divers you can also choose to Wall dive and Night dive.

Learning how to scuba dive will give you a unique opportunity of discovering a whole new world. The fascinating marine life of the submerged world is, without doubt, something that everyone should discover for themselves. It’s easy, it’s fun and you can get your internationally recognized diving license in just four days.

You may choose from a number of courses but the most popular ones are:
Discover Scuba Diving (min age 12): when time is limited, a complete pool session and sea dive with instructor – valid for 2 weeks.
Open Water Diver (min age 10): the most popular option, and takes just 4 days to qualify!
Advanced Open Water Diver: the 5 dives can be done over a weekend.

Best times to go
A year round average water temperature of 27 degrees C (80F) make Zanzibar the ideal diving destination.

Prices per person (approximate)
Charter dives (for qualified divers including full gear rental) – US$45 (GBP28)
Discover Scuba Diving: US$90 (GBP56)
Open Water Diver: US$390 (GBP244)
Advanced Open Water Diver: US$300 (GBP188)
Full diving gear can be rented from most diving schools from about US$16 (GBP10) day per person.