Pemba Island · Tanzania · Coral garden · Reef
Misali Island
300 fish species on a reef that starts at the beach
Photo: Jojona · CC BY-SA 3.0
Misali is a small protected island about 10 km west of Chake Chake, and the nearest dive and snorkelling stop to Fundu Lagoon. The reef slopes straight out from the beach in calm, extremely clear water - turquoise over the shallows, deep indigo where the land falls away. More than 300 fish species and 40 coral species have been recorded around it.
Where it is and how deep
5.2397° S, 39.6050° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The first thing you notice is the colour of the water: vivid turquoise over the shallows, deep indigo blue where the land falls away. The reef slopes right from the beach, so there is no swim out to reach it and nothing to fight, and the water is calm and extremely clear, which lets people set their own pace. Low tide is the best time for snorkellers because it puts them closest to the reef; at high tide you are still only hovering about 5 m above it.
What is here is the product of long protection. More than 300 fish species and 40 coral species have been recorded around the island, and it is a key nesting site for green and hawksbill turtles. No-fishing zones now cover a third of the reef area, rangers patrol the coral daily, and the daily visitor fee goes straight into the conservation programme that pays for it.
Background
Misali's reef was first protected in 1998 as the Misali Island Marine Conservation Area, and it is now part of the larger Pemba Channel Conservation Area under Zanzibari law. Designated no-fishing zones cover a third of the reef area, daily ranger patrols monitor the corals, and visitor fees of $10 a day contribute directly to conservation programmes. The reef still faces illegal fishing practices such as weighted nets that damage coral, and climate change has affected the health of parts of the coral ecosystem.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Pemba Island: Oct–Mar is the main season with the calmest sea; the long rains in April and May close most operations on the island.
Questions divers ask
Is there a fee to visit Misali Island?+
Yes - a $10 daily visitor fee, which contributes directly to the conservation programmes run on the island and its reef.
Is Misali Island good for snorkelling?+
It is the easiest option on this coast. The reef slopes from the beach in calm, extremely clear water, and low tide brings snorkellers closest to the coral.
Sources
- Misali Island — Wikipedia
- Diving — Fundu Lagoon
Photo credits
- Aerial view of Misali Island surrounded by its coral reef in turquoise water by Jojona, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Pemba Island
Wall
The sand floor beside the wall drops away past 80 m
Reef
Coral bommies off the resort's own water entrance
Pinnacle
A summit 40 m long with the reef falling past 60 m
Wall
The northbound current sweeps divers through the gap into the lagoon
Pinnacle
A coral mountain from 30 m to 16 m, slack water only
Wall
Camouflaged fish on an easy 5–18 m slope, day or night
Reef
A split in the wall opens into a sand valley at 12 m
Wall
500 m of sloping wall from 6 m down to 25 m
Similar dives elsewhere
Shallow coral gardens a short ride from the city
Three coral patches divided by bright sand channels
A brain coral and a rare red anemone at 12 to 20 m
Shallow coral regrown since the 1992 cyclone, and a strong night dive