Pemba Island

Pemba is for travellers who want the Indian Ocean without the crowds. Where Zanzibar has busy beaches and a lively tourism industry, Pemba is hilly, deeply green and largely rural, with a handful of small lodges spread along its coast. Its draw is the water, the forests and a sense of a place still living its own life.

It suits divers, couples and anyone at the end of a safari who wants genuine quiet. It suits less well those who want nightlife, a choice of restaurants or long stretches of beach on their doorstep — Pemba's coast is shaped by mangroves, coves and small sandbars rather than one long strand.

Pemba is one of East Africa's most respected diving destinations. Deep water lies close to shore, creating dramatic coral walls with strong drift dives along the Pemba Channel, healthy hard and soft corals, turtles, reef sharks and large pelagic fish. Several sites suit experienced divers only because of the currents.

Misali Island, off the west coast, is a protected marine conservation area with clear, shallow reefs that make it excellent for snorkellers and beginner divers too. A day there, with a picnic on the island's beach and a walk along its nature trail, is one of the highlights of a stay.

Inland, Pemba is a patchwork of clove and coconut plantations, rice paddies and small villages. Cloves have shaped the island's economy for generations, and a visit to a plantation during the harvest, when the buds are picked and laid out to dry, fills the air with their scent.

In the north, the Ngezi Forest Reserve protects some of the island's last indigenous forest. Guided walks here offer the chance to see the Pemba flying fox, a large fruit bat found only on this island, along with endemic birds and the Pemba red colobus.

Pemba is a conservative, predominantly Muslim island where tourism is still small. Modest dress in villages and towns is appreciated, and photographs of people should always be asked for first. During Ramadan, the pace slows further and eating in public during the day is best avoided outside your lodge.

The island also has a long-standing reputation across East Africa as a centre of traditional healing. This is a living part of local life rather than a tourist attraction, and we approach it that way: with curiosity and respect, never as a spectacle.

Pemba is reached by short scheduled flights from Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam or Tanga, landing at Karume airport near Chake Chake. Lodge transfers then take you across the island by road. Most guests add three or four nights after a safari and a few days on Zanzibar.

Malaria risk is higher on Pemba than on Unguja, because the island is more rural and forested. Please speak to a travel health clinic about antimalarials before you travel, and use repellent and the nets provided at your lodge. Medical facilities are basic, so good travel insurance is essential.

For a complete Indian Ocean picture, compare Pemba with Zanzibar and Mafia Island, or tell us how you like to travel and we will suggest the right island for you.