Tanzania/Zanzibar diving

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Zanzibar underwhelming or at least not so nice as other destinations... Still worth a visit but there is better than that. Am I wrong? Would you consider Zanzibar comparable to Egypt for example?

Statistically Zanzibar, being in the western Indian Ocean, has more marine species than the Red Sea.
You can't compare Zanzibar to the Red Sea. One is a small island, the other is sea in its own right, bordered by several countries, with a variety of diving. I.E, Diving around Sharm in East Mohammed NP is different to Hurghada, which is different to Dahab, which is different to Marsa Shagra etc... And there are liveaboards in Egypt.
And what do you want to compare? "Just" the diving, or also the beaches (much nicer in Zanzibar as soft sand, not gravel), the evening socialising experiences, the cultural aspects (Stone Town is fascinating, but so are the ancient cities in Egypt and the tombs of the pharaohs).
There is always better than somewhere else... It depends what you are looking for. Egypt has more sharks, Zanzibar has more nudibranchs, etc.
 
And what do you want to compare? "Just" the diving, or also the beaches (much nicer in Zanzibar as soft sand, not gravel), the evening socialising experiences, the cultural aspects (Stone Town is fascinating, but so are the ancient cities in Egypt and the tombs of the pharaohs).
My comparison is based on diving only. I have heard different reports on Zanzibar. Some people say that the dives are incredible both for macro and pelagic animals, especially the Indian Gate in Mnemba or the Leven Bank in Pemba, and again Kitchwani and Wattaboni in Mnemba. They say the dives are "better" than Egypt, meaning especially Sharm and Tiran/Ras Mohammad or the dives in the south like Elphinstone and Dedalus. Others on the contrary say that Zanzibar is underwhelming, and they found almost nothing there. I don't understand if there has been a change in the climate in Zanzibar, so now it's worse than in the past, or if it depends from the season and the currents, or if it is just a matter of luck
 
Leven Bank is between ZNZ and Pemba, dived from Zanzibar, but only rarely and only with experienced divers.
The experience you get depends greatly on which dive centre you choose, where you go, and what you want to see. Like I said, it's no good if you expect to see sharks, it's very good if you expect good macro, a variety of species, and some healthy pretty reefs. Personally I prefer the sites around Tumbatu Island, Hunga reef, Nankivell, Shamzi reef, Wattabomi is good too around Mnemba. I send clients there who have dived extensively, and they enjoy, otherwise they wouldn't contunue to trust my judgement and keep booking new trips with us.
I have done over 3000 dives around the world, as a photojournalist and as a travel company owner. I've been to Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia over a dozen times in the last 13 years, and still enjoy diving there. The best idea, if you can afford it, is to combine two or three of the islands. I'd suggest going between November and March, when you can see whale sharks on snorkel from Mafia, and when the winds are best for Mafia diving. The water is also warmer then.
 
Thank you very much, I appreciate that you share your opinion based of first hand information and experience
 
By and large, biodiversity is better in Pemba than Unguja. Above water, Stone Town is a UNESCO site worthy of a visit. Water transport is easy to come by and the locals are receptive to crowds.
 
By and large, biodiversity is better in Pemba than Unguja. Above water, Stone Town is a UNESCO site worthy of a visit. Water transport is easy to come by and the locals are receptive to crowds.
Hi Alaistair, that depends very much where you dive around Zanzibar and especially who you dive with. I have seen more frogfish from Unguja than Pemba, and have only evr seen Weedy and Paddelflap scorpionfish from Unguja. Conversely, I see more nudibranch species from Pemba, schooling barracuda, rainbow runners, and potato groupers
 
Hi Alaistair, that depends very much where you dive around Zanzibar and especially who you dive with. I have seen more frogfish from Unguja than Pemba, and have only evr seen Weedy and Paddelflap scorpionfish from Unguja. Conversely, I see more nudibranch species from Pemba, schooling barracuda, rainbow runners, and potato groupers

Fair point Christopher. It is always better to experience it personally and everything is close in proximity so it is easy to dive in both places. I spent a bit of time volunteering with an effort to deter the lion fish population so pure recreational diving is likely to be different. Cheers
 
I spent a bit of time volunteering with an effort to deter the lion fish population
Why would you want to do that? They are meant to be in the Indian Ocean.
 
Why would you want to do that? They are meant to be in the Indian Ocean.

Your comment is certainly valid from an "invasive species" perspective but there are other reasons (i.e. overfishing of natural predators) that might lead to an overabundance of lionfish, even in native regions, according to underwater visual census (UVC).

I appreciate your full disclosure statement and respect how much diving experience and expertise you have.
 
I’ve dived a lot in the Red Sea. Egypt and The Sudan. And a little around Zanzibar, Pemba & Mafia. Both areas have some very good diving (and some that are not very good). Spieces diversity on coral and fish is better in the Indian Ocean but still good enough in the Red Sea for general reef diving to be interesting, Not like the Caribbean which can get dull if nothing special happens.
 

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