Pemba Island - Beach Holidays

Still classed as part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, 40km north of the main island of Zanzibar (Unguja), Pemba Island is slightly smaller and much more rural than the more popular Zanzibar holidays on the main island. While Zanzibar is relatively flat, Pemba’s hills and escarpments are green and picturesque; coloured by the rich greens of ten types of mangoes and many hundreds of clove trees that have traditionally supported the fortunes of this island of spice. Although Pemba is surrounded by a fine coral reef and pristine seas, its shores are also flanked with dense mangrove forests, and the best beaches take a bit of hunting out and getting to. Generally, however, the beaches here are nowhere near as good as Zanzibar’s. Pemba has remained virtually unknown to the hordes of beach-bound tourists, with just a couple of luxury lodges, and the island is mainly visited by those who come to dive and snorkel its coral reefs and channels. The office here has always been slightly split about what we really think of Pemba. Yes Pemba’s off-shore islands have great beaches, and the diving and snorkeling are unquestionably superb, but Pemba’s beaches are poor in comparison to Zanzibar’s – so are the lodges really worth the money here when you don’t have a good beach on your doorstep? On balance our opinion is – only if you want to make your Tanzania safari holiday an underwater one. Otherwise, no!