Mnemba Island Lodge

Zanzibar & Pemba, Tanzania

The team at Mnemba Island Lodge runs a tight ship, as you’d expect from a private island. This isn't your budget-friendly backpacker spot, so let's get that out of the way. If you’re looking for an exclusive, pampered dive experience, this is absolutely it. We love that they focus on small groups, often just two divers and a guide, which means you’re not jostling for space and your dive plan is tailored to you. Their house reef is genuinely lovely, a gentle slope often dotted with octopus peering from crevices and schools of fusiliers so thick they sometimes block the light. Our favourite time to dive there is early morning, before the day boats from Zanzibar arrive. But the real draw is the Mnemba Atoll itself. We’ve had some cracking encounters with green turtles munching on seagrass, and the wall dives on the outside of the atoll can be spectacular, with currents that sometimes bring in bigger pelagics. Keep an eye out for white-tip reef sharks cruising the deeper sections. Visibility is generally excellent, often 20-25 metres, and the water is bathwater warm. It's PADI-only for courses, which makes things straightforward. For a luxurious, uncrowded dive holiday where everything is taken care of, Mnemba Island Lodge is a proper treat.