How to get to Pemba Island : Pemba Island is a well-liked honeymoon safari destination in Tanzania , it is one of the less well-known islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago. This spotless green island is undoubtedly among the most breathtaking Tanzania tours and beautiful locations on Earth. This is the place to go if you’re searching for relaxation, serenity, and a romantic setting. A peaceful retreat and one of the world’s top dive spots. There aren’t many lodging options in Pemba.
Travel to Pemba by Air
Pemba Airport, also called Wawi Airport or Karume Airport, serves as a direct local flight hub for a number of smaller charter airlines, and it links the island to Arusha, Dar es Salaam. The most popular route, Zanzibar – Pemba, is flown by the following airlines: Flying in with a private aviation firm, such as Coastal Aviation or Auric Air, which both offer daily scheduled flights to Pemba Airport (PMA) in Chake Chaka, is the most convenient method to reach Pemba.
It is quite simple. There are two 30-minute daily flights from Zanzibar to Pemba: one departs at 8 a.m. and the other at 3 p.m. Pemba is easily accessible—only one hour from Dar es Salaam—and convenient for spending a few nights on because it is located just off the coast to the north of Zanzibar. Before travelling to Pemba, it is worthwhile to spend one or two nights at Stone Town, Zanzibar, to take in the blend of Arab, African, and European cultures.
By Ferry
Ferries can transport passengers between Zanzibar and Pemba, albeit their safety is debatable. The ferries run by Azam Marine are the most dependable. Once there, if you want to explore on your own, take dala dalas or local minibuses to travel around.
The best time to visit
The greatest time to visit Pemba is in the dry season, which runs from July to late October. This makes it the ideal addition to a safari in East Africa. While there are a few showers in November, Pemba is often remains fantastic until March.
The average annual temperature of Pemba is a tropical 80 F/26.5 C due to its closeness to the equator, though it can reach much hotter. November through December is the first of the two rainy seasons, and April and May are the second. Numerous lodges close amid the intense rains that occur in April and May. All things considered, the driest season (June to October) is the ideal time to travel. There is the lowest humidity, the finest visibility for diving, and fewer mosquitoes that spread malaria. Aiming to visit between September and March, however, is when fisherman who dream of landing billfish should go.
Sea Fishing
Take pleasure in an unforgettable experience of a day spent deep-sea fishing aboard the 34-foot sport fishing vessel, Lunatic. The day trip fishing excursion will take you to the well-known North Pemba Channel fishing grounds, where a variety of game fish species (such as sailfish, dorado, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and stripes marlin) await beneath the crystal-clear blue seas. Without wasting any time dashing out and back, your fishing safari trip will begin minutes from the mooring and last all the way back to your packed lunch. All necessary fishing equipment and tackle are supplied, and snacks and refreshments will be offered all day long. It is still possible to arrange for you to go fishing for both traditional and casual purposes.
Beaches and Wildlife
In comparison to Zanzibar, Pemba has fewer beaches that are accessible because of its mangrove woodlands. On the island’s more serene east coast, there are coves with white or pink sand, crystal blue water, and little to no tourists. These coves can be reached by boat through the services provided by lodges and tour companies. Pemba’s most well-known beach is presumably Vumawimbi Beach. Its remote beaches, which are on the Kigomasha Peninsula in the far northwest of the island, like a wonderfully rendered postcard from heaven. Day tours to Misali Island, an undeveloped paradise off Pemba’s central west coast known for its stunning beaches, top-notch diving, and shallow reefs ideal for snorkelling, are also offered by businesses like Coral Tours.
Approximately 4,000 indigenous Pemba flying foxes call the Kidike Flying Fox Sanctuary on land home. This is a must-visit location for wildlife aficionados. This giant fruit bat, which has a wingspan of 5.3 feet (1.6 metres), is especially striking as it soars above the forest canopy in tandem with hundreds of its roost-mates. On the Ngezi Forest Reserve’s walking pathways, flying foxes are also visible. This unspoiled stretch of natural woodland offers sanctuary to red colobus and vervet monkeys as well as a variety of bird species, one of which is the highly sought-after unique Pemba scops owl. A local naturalist is required to go on all walks in the reserve.
Diving areas
Pemba boasts some of the best diving in all of East Africa, with levels ranging from beginner to experienced, therefore it would be a crime to discuss the island without mentioning the diving. There is a pinnacle dive site in the Pemba channel where schooling hammerhead sharks can be seen, which is one of the nicest spots we have heard about but haven’t dived yet. They never make an appearance on the island, so don’t worry! Big gamefish, reef sharks, turtles, and Napoleon wrasse are just a few of the aquatic animals that call the island’s underwater topography—dominated by pinnacles and beautiful submarine walls—home. Pemba diving is best suited for experienced divers because of its strong current, which is just as distinctive as its great visibility.
Cultural attractions
Experience Pemba’s rich culture in a variety of ways. Take a tour of a remote village to discover how people make the products they need to survive, cook, and fish. Alternatively, embark on a tour of the capital’s historic fort and slave port, Chake Chake with Focus East Africa Tours. On the spice plantations of Pemba, cloves account for the island’s largest export; about 3.5 million clove plants are planted there. At the ZSTC Clove Oil Distillery, you may learn how the clove stems are processed into essential oil or tour the farms.
