THGI Nungwi - Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
Nungwi, for us, is one of those sites you return to, not just for the bigger stuff, but for the details. We’ve found ourselves spending entire dives in one small patch, just watching, mesmerised by the granular frog shells and the cloth-of-gold cone snails inching their way across the sand. It’s a macro dream, particularly if you're into nudibranchs and smaller invertebrates, though we have had days with long-beaked dolphins making fly-bys in the bluer water off the reef. The bottom here is a mix of coral rubble and sand flats, with scattered seagrass beds. Look for the green turtles grazing peacefully amongst the thalassia and halodule seagrass. Our favourite memory is finding a triton's trumpet, an absolute giant, slowly moving along the bottom, leaving a trail in its wake. This site suits divers who appreciate a slow, deliberate exploration, those who love to find the small wonders often overlooked. It's a calm, easy dive perfect for refining your buoyancy or spending time with a camera.
- Location
- Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands, Tanzania, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -5.730153, 39.292656
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-20m
Marine Protected Area: Maziwe Island
Best Time to Dive in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands occur in April, averaging 29.3°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 25.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C
- February: 28.6°C
- March: 29.2°C
- April: 29.3°C
- May: 28.1°C
- June: 27.1°C
- July: 25.9°C
- August: 25.5°C
- September: 25.8°C
- October: 26.7°C
- November: 27.6°C
- December: 28.7°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
- Aquarium (reef)
- Big Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- Big Wall (wall)
- Captain Muddy - 10-30m (wreck)
- Club 54 - 10-25m (reef)
- Diving spot - 5-20m (reef)
- End of the world
- Fundo Gap
- Fungu Yasini Island (reef)
- HMS Pegasus (wreck)
- KRONBERG - 2m (wreck)
- Lighthouse
- Little Wall (wall)
- Little Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- Mandela Wall (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to THGI Nungwi
Marine Life in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
Home to 55 recorded species including 33 reef fish, 14 seagrass & algae, 2 other, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 clams & mussels, 1 starfish.
Notable Species
- Marbled Parrotfish (Leptoscarus vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
- Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) - Reef Fish
- Hooded oyster (Saccostrea cuccullata) - Clams & Mussels
- Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) - Reef Fish
- Silver-streaked rainbowfish (Stethojulis strigiventer) - Reef Fish
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Crested Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes mitratus) - Reef Fish
- Alligator pipefish (Syngnathoides biaculeatus) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- mangrove (Rhizophora mucronata) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Short-head Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes breviceps) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- gray mangrove (Avicennia marina) - Seagrass & Algae
- Flowery Flounder (Bothus mancus) - Reef Fish
- Species code: Tc (Thalassodendron ciliatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
Recommended Packing List for THGI Nungwi
Based on average water temperature of 27.6°C, currents 33 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins (stiff blade recommended for strong currents)
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories