Holiday in Pemba

About Pemba

Pemba is the northern and lesser-known sister island of Zanzibar — and that is exactly what makes it appealing. While Zanzibar attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, Pemba remains a hidden gem for divers, nature lovers, and travelers seeking authentic East African island life. The underwater world off Pemba is among the best diving spots in East Africa: the Pemba Channel reaches depths of over 800 meters and creates currents that attract large fish, manta rays, whale sharks, and even hammerhead sharks. The Misali Island Marine Conservation Area offers pristine coral reefs with over 300 species of fish — snorkeling and diving at world-class level. Pemba carries the nickname "The Green Island": lush clove plantations, rice fields, mangrove forests, and tropical rainforests cover the hilly terrain. The island produces the majority of the world's clove harvest, and the scent permeates the entire atmosphere. Chake Chake, the capital, is a sleepy town with Arab architecture, colorful markets, and a ruin from the Portuguese colonial era. The Ngezi Forest Reserve in the north is home to the last original rainforest of the island with the rare Pemba Flying Fox — an endemic fruit bat.