Pemba Island Tanzania

Pemba Island is part of Tanzania’s Zanzibar Archipelago, off the coast of East Africa. It’s known for its lush, green hills and clove plantations. The Pemba Channel, with its coral reefs and abundant marine life, separates the island from mainland Tanzania. The main town, Chake Chake, has a ruined 18th-century fort with a museum. Offshore, Misali Island is home to the Fischer’s turaco, a colorful rare bird.

Pemba Island has been separated from the mainland of Tanzania and Zanzibar for decades, leaving an untouched and pristine island of great beauty and fertility. The mosaic of forests, swamps, mangroves, hidden beaches, and lagoons is scattered with the ruins of mosques and tombs mostly reclaimed by the forest – sites that date back to Arab domination when Pemba Island was seized by the Sultan of Muscat (Oman) in the 17th century. He loved the Spice Islands and established his court in Zanzibar and ruled Muscat from there.

Pemba is still the predominant global producer of cloves yielding around 60% of all the world’s cloves, but now plays its more traditional role of being an island paradise with small inter-island trade. Pemba Island also has a strong reputation as a ‘magic’ island, a center for ju-ju traditions of medicine and wizardry.

How to get to Pemba Island

Pemba Island is accessed via most airports in East Africa via Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam. Pemba Island can also be accessed with direct local flights with several charter airlines that operate smaller aircraft. The most frequent route is Zanzibar – Pemba and is serviced by these airlines: Coastal Air, Auric Air.

Where to stay at Pemba island Tanzania

Manta resort

The Manta Resort is not a typical 5-star luxury resort and certainly different from what you might find on other tropical islands. If you however are looking for serenity, close encounters with nature, and a close knit family of people we look forward to sharing our island with you.