Snorkelling at Mnemba

Turtles, anemonefish and coral heads in two to six metres of clear water. Mnemba's shallow reef, two to six metres over coral heads, is where most visitors first put their faces in the Indian Ocean: anemonefish, boxfish, sergeant majors, starfish, turtles, and often dolphins on the way out. Boats leave Matemwe and Muyuni for a short ride. From Kendwa, Zanzibar Watersports runs a full day to Mnemba with a guide and a vegetarian lunch on board, and on Saturdays its "Seafari" goes by dhow, with a seafood lunch and the marine-park fee included. How to book: Go with a dive centre's snorkel boat — One Ocean and Scubafish in Matemwe — or from Kendwa with Zanzibar Watersports (daily Mnemba trips leave at 09:15 and return by about 16:00; the Seafari dhow runs on Saturdays only). Make sure the boat has life jackets and a dedicated snorkel guide.