Thanks to the warm Indian
Ocean, Zanzibar is the perfect spot to play in the water. It’s
one of the top game fishing destinations in the world, and catches
include black marlin, tuna, king fish and barracuda.
Windsurfing, water skiing and sailing are great ways to ride the
waves through the steady monsoon winds, and scuba diving and snorkelling
are fabulous ways to see the veritable underwater gardens of the surrounding
reefs.
There are a number of diving operators around the island, in
Stone Town and the resorts on the north and east coasts. They offer
dives for beginners and seasoned divers.
In deeper waters, the lush coral is home to big game fish, graceful
manta rays, scary moray eels and snappy sharks, while the shallower
water is the playground of tropical fish.
Not far from Stone Town is the Turtles' Den where as many as 10 turtles
can be seen in one hour’s dive. From Nungwi in the north of
the island, Leven Banks lies in the deep water of the Pemba Channel.
Experienced divers can enjoy exciting wall dives, night dives
and drift dives.
Another interesting dive site is the wreck of the Great Northerner
between Pange and Bawe islands. It sunk in 1897 while laying the
electrical cable from the main land to Zanzibar.
Diving is good all year, round with an average water temperature of
a comfortable 27°C, though the best time is October
to March before the long rains hit and affect visibility. Supposedly
the best time to see manta rays is around January.
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