Pemba Island

Pemba is the second largest island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, covering about 988 km², located roughly 50 km north of Unguja in the Indian Ocean
Nickname: Known locally as “The Green Island” (Al Jazeera al Khadra) due to its lush vegetation and fertile soils
Topography & Climate: Hillier and more verdant than Zanzibar, the island’s highest point is Masingini Ridge (approx. 119 m). It enjoys a tropical climate—annual average around 25.5 °C, with two rainy seasons (April–May, Nov–Dec) and a dry spell June–Oct
Clove industry: Pemba is famed for its cloves—home to around 3.5 million clove trees, making it a global leader in clove export

Diverse crops: Alongside cloves, the island produces rice, coconuts, cassava, bananas, and red beans
Fishing & Pemba Channel: The deep Pemba Channel brings exceptional conditions for game fishing—big species like marlin, tuna, trevally are common

Marine & Eco-Adventures

World-class diving: The west side drop-offs (Kigomasha, Fundu Gap) host stunning dive sites populated with turtles, sharks, rays, Napoleon wrasse and more. Visibility is excellent year-round

Snorkeling & reefs: The fringing reefs, especially near Misali Island, are vibrant and sheltered. Coral gardens teem with fish and sea turtles .

Deep-sea fishing: Pemba Channel is prized for marlin, dorado, wahoo, tuna—best from July to mid‑April

Ngezi Forest Reserve: Dense forest walk with chance to see red colobus monkeys, bushbabies, endemic Pemba scops owls and more

Kidike Flying Fox Sanctuary: Home to ~4,000 endemic fruit bats (Pemba flying fox)—largest colony globally

Birdlife: Designated an Important Bird Area—hosts Pemba green pigeons, white-eyes, sunbirds

Getting There & Around

Access: Reachable by ~30-minute flight from Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, or ferry from Unguja.

Transport: On-island travel via taxi, hired 4WD, bicycle, or dhow for coastal transfers .

Best Time to Visit

Dry season June–October: Ideal for diving, beach-going, wildlife, and exploring ruins. Some rain in Dec/Apr/May but still enjoyable