Part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, Pemba Island is a Tanzanian island located in the Indian Ocean off the Swahili Coast. The island spans 988 square kilometers (381 square miles) and is located approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Unguja, the archipelago’s biggest island.

Pemba’s culture, like that of many other islands in the archipelago, has been influenced by Arab traders from Oman and the island’s original inhabitants who have lived there for centuries. Pemba is home to well-preserved ruins such as Qanbalu (a Muslim settlement dating back to the eighth century), as well as remnants of old voodoo rituals practiced by the island’s traditional witch doctors.

Pemba Island offers some of the best diving in Zanzibar and the top dive sites in the world. Visibility around Pemba Island ranges between 30 to 40 metres.