Kichwani - Zanzibar & Pemba
Kichwani offers some reliable reef diving just off Pemba’s coast. We often find ourselves drifting along its gentle slope, spotting the usual suspects like triggerfish and groupers nestled among the hard corals. It’s a comfortable dive, usually with manageable currents, making it a good choice for newer divers looking to get a feel for the local conditions without too much fuss. Visibility here can vary, but on a good day, it's a pleasant way to spend an hour underwater.
- Location
- Zanzibar & Pemba, Tanzania, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -5.840251, 39.395687
Best Time to Dive in Zanzibar & Pemba
The warmest water temperatures in Zanzibar & Pemba occur in January, averaging 28.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.1°C (air: 27.5°C)
- February: 28.1°C (air: 27.9°C)
- March: 28.1°C (air: 27.7°C)
- April: 28.1°C (air: 26.1°C)
- May: 28.1°C (air: 26.1°C)
- June: 28.1°C (air: 25.4°C)
- July: 28.1°C (air: 24.8°C)
- August: 28.1°C (air: 24.9°C)
- September: 28.1°C (air: 25.4°C)
- October: 28.1°C (air: 26.2°C)
- November: 28.1°C (air: 26.7°C)
- December: 28.1°C (air: 27.3°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Zanzibar & Pemba
- Abbas reef (reef)
- Abbas reef (reef)
- ALMASI - 3m (wreck)
- Anemona City (reef)
- Anemona City (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- ATA - 0m (wreck)
- Barracuda Point
- Bawe Island - North (reef)
- Bawe Island - North (reef)
- Bawe South (cenote)
- Bawe South (reef)
- Cement wall (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to Kichwani
- Awesome Ocean Diving Center - ["PADI"]
- Bawe Diving Center
- Bluewavediving-Zanzibar - ["PADI"]
- Buccaneer Diving - ["PADI"]
- Cool Zanzibar Water Sports - ["PADI"]
- Dive Horizons Zanzibar
Marine Life in Zanzibar & Pemba
Home to 331 recorded species including 266 reef fish, 14 sea snails & nudibranchs, 10 seagrass & algae, 8 hard corals, 8 sharks & rays, 7 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Species code: Tc (Thalassodendron ciliatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- cowry (Monetaria moneta) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- cloth-of-gold cone snail (Conus textile) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Golden-Yellow Cone (Conus flavidus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Rock Cod (Cephalopholis boenak) - Reef Fish
- Brown Frillfin (Bathygobius fuscus) - Reef Fish
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) - Reef Fish
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Sand-dusted Cone (Conus arenatus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Pronghorn Spiny Lobster (Panulirus penicillatus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Grouper (Epinephelus areolatus) - Reef Fish
- Coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae)
- Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) - Seagrass & Algae
- Pufferfish (Arothron hispidus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Kichwani
Based on average water temperature of 28.1°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- 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