Nungwi Reef

Nungwi Reef sits right off the north coast of Zanzibar, directly in front of Nungwi Beach, and serves as the primary local reef for the area. The reef runs from shallow water suitable for beginners down to walls that experienced divers find genuinely engaging, with a maximum depth of 18 m. Bottom terrain includes coral reef that gives way in places to a sandy area with barrel sponges.

The reef holds a solid variety of marine life across day and night dives. Regular daytime sightings include stingrays, reef sharks, octopus, and turtles — sometimes gathered in large numbers on the sandy sections. Large schools of reef fish such as angelfish, triggerfish, and pufferfish are common, and deeper water brings schools of pelagic species including trevallies and rainbow runners. Between August and September, humpback whales have been spotted from the surface on the way out to the site.

Night dives take place on the same reef, entering from the beach at dusk. Nocturnal species regularly seen include Spanish dancers, cuttlefish, octopus, guitar rays, frogfish, and squid. Night dives are restricted to advanced divers.