Mnemba Island: snorkelling, diving, fees and how to visit

• One Ocean, a dive centre, says the atoll has a great variety of marine life and dive sites, from shallow reefs to walls and drift dives⁴.
• Turtles and dolphins are sometimes seen¹ around the island.
• Green sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches between February and September¹.

Reef condition varies. Zanzibar’s clear water and good reefs draw divers and snorkellers, but Wikivoyage warns that in some areas reefs are in poor condition and fish populations are low⁵.

Expect a conservation fee on top of the boat. The Citizen reported Zanzibar’s revised marine conservation fees, in force since 1 September 2025¹⁰ (checked October 2026). Rates for non-East African visitors:

• rates include return transfers between Zanzibar town or the airport and the island¹²
• there’s a PADI dive school on the island, with a variety of dive sites and boats¹²
• the house reef can be reached without a boat¹², which makes casual snorkelling easy

Families should check before booking. Chalo Africa says children of all ages are welcome¹², while the booking site africaa-z.travel says no more than 2 children under 12¹³ can stay at any one time.

For a stay across the water, Expert Africa lists Matemwe Retreat, on the east coast opposite the island, with four villas¹⁴.

More boat trips and sights around Zanzibar

For the rest of your trip, these pages cover other outings elsewhere on the island:

• How to reach Nakupenda Sandbank, another boat trip
• Salaam Cave, Kizimkazi visitor guide
• Kuza Cave, Jambiani visitor guide
• The Freddie Mercury Museum in Zanzibar, for a day on dry land

The full things to do guide has the rest.