A tiny archipelago facing mainland Tanzania
With a surface area of 947,300 km2, Tanzania is a vast country (almost twice the size of France) bordering Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to the north, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the east and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country boasts some spectacular geographical features, including Kilimanjaro, the "roof of Africa" and the continent's highest peak at 5,895 metres. Situated on the famous African Rift, this imposing mountain is not isolated: the impressive Meru Mountains (4,565 m) are also to be found at the foot of Arusha, 70 km away. Tanzania has the distinction of being the only African country to border the continent's three largest lakes: Lake Victoria to the north, Lake Tanganyika to the west and Lake Nyasa (or Lake Malawi) to the south. The Swahili coastline from Tango to Kilma has many similarities with the Zanzibar archipelago just opposite.
Unguja, an island with a varied coastal geography
Unguja has a few hills planted with modest rainforest and banana plantations in its center, and a few pockets of unspoilt forest and mangroves, but remains flat and very low-lying to the east and south. It is obviously very fertile, given its centuries-long yield of spices. But it is above all its beaches that have made its reputation. Here, the coral reef forms a protective ring some 1 km long, separating the translucent turquoise lagoon from the deep, choppy, darker blue waters. With the two daily tides, the coral and rocks gradually reveal themselves under the sun, forming small pools of water and gradations of color on the palette of blues and greens. This is the real Zanzibar spectacle, as the landscape changes rapidly with the tides.
Stone Town. Facing the mainland, built on the western side of the island, the capital is located in the south-central part of Zanzibar.
The north-west of the island, with Nungwi and Kendwa, boasts some of the most beautiful beaches, where you can swim at both high and low tide. The sand is soft and the water crystal-clear turquoise.
The northeast, from Matemwe to Kiwengwa and even Chwaka Bay, is characterized by a very wild, fairly wide beach lined with palm trees.
Mnemba Atoll, opposite Matemwe, is only 1.5 km long and 500 m wide, but is surrounded by extraordinary coral reefs that provide a dozen diving spots and a classic snorkeling site.
The south-east, from Michamvi to Makunduchi, boasts some of the most impressive beaches on the island, with its white sand and turquoise ocean, where the barrier reef is dense and wide at Michamvi Point, a peninsula surrounded by rocks and home to the famous The Rock bar. A slightly stronger wind blows along this coast, making it ideal for kitesurfing, particularly at Pajé and Jambiani.
The south-west coastline is bordered by a string of islands (Niwi, Nianembe, Kwale, Pungume...), again boasting exceptional seabeds, which can be seen on the Safari Blue excursion.
Pemba, the wild and hilly unknown
The strait that separates Pemba from the mainland offers some of the richest waters in the world for big-game fishing: they are almost 1,000 m deep at this point, whereas Zanzibar is sometimes considered no more than an extension of the mainland. The island has been shaped by the cultivation of cloves, which persists throughout the countryside, and in fact produces three times as much as its larger neighbor. Harvesting takes place between July and December. Pemba is very fertile, and the Arabs called it the green island ("Al Khudra"). The unparcelled rice paddies that stretch to infinity, encompassing coconut and banana trees, help to reinforce this image. Rubber trees, mango trees, corn, sugar cane, coconut palms and many fruit trees are also cultivated. Many parts of the island are occupied by swamps or mangrove forests: forests flooded by sea water, whose trees have resurgent roots. The rest of the island is fairly hilly, with the highest point reaching 930 m. Pemba forms a plateau that slopes gently from west to east. To the north, the Ngezi primary forest remains. Stores and food markets are mainly to be found in the small central town of Chake Chake. The conservative, rural population is careful to preserve the area, and there are few hotels here. A few luxury resorts offer exceptional diving around the island, and excursions to the small satellite island of Missali, with its rich seabed. Pemba is inhabited by around 450,000 people, and is seldom visited by tourists, even though some of its beaches are absolutely superb and it boasts numerous curiosities, including 25 archaeological sites, most of which are of Shirazian Persian origin. Nevertheless, it has more mangroves and fewer beach strips than its neighbor, which is bordered by huge, wide sand crowns.
Mafia, a myth for divers
The island of Mafia (its Swahili name is Choleshamba), geographically part of the Zanzibar archipelago, is not administratively part of this semi-autonomous region. It is just 394 km2 in size, a crescent-shaped confetti in the Indian Ocean, 20 km off the Tanzanian coast. It has just 40,000 inhabitants, mainly fishermen. Kilindoni is the main micro-town. All along the island, from Tutia in the south to Bweni in the north, runs an almost uninterrupted coral reef, protected by a marine reserve to which access is strictly regulated. The area is famous to all the world's great divers. You'll find marlin, kingfish, barracuda, shark, snapper, mackerel, sailfish, wahoo and large rock cod. An exceptional animal, the dugong, a marine mammal, inhabits the waters of the Strait of Mafia (between the island and the mainland), while the whale shark comes to enjoy its warm waters. During the northeast monsoon (kaskazi, December to March), sea turtles come to lay their eggs on the eastern islets. The horseshoe-shaped Bay of Chole, surrounded by superb beaches, is home to deep, rich waters.
