Sports

Snorkeling on Zanzibar is a lifetime experience. Unlike many other popular snorkeling destinations around the world, it is still possible to find places along the coast that have never been explored before. Many varieties of coral provide a home to thousands of such colourful and exotic creatures as blue ribbon tail rays, fire fishes, and, for the “Finding Nemo” fans, clown fishes. Our guests often venture into the stretch of ocean outside the villas and return with interesting stories and curious photos of  such a huge variety of sealife as puffer fishes, damsel fishes, stone fishes, and dolphins.

The Island of Zanzibar is considered the best scuba diving and snorkeling location in East Africa together with Mnemba Island (1 hour boat ride). The environment and the ocean surrounding Mnemba island are colourful and enchanting, perfect for snorkeling all year round. Here you can see lion fishes, moray eels, stingrays, and turtles swimming in the lagoons and shallows, as well as humpback dolphins while sailing towards the island. You will be provided with masks and fins, but you can also use your own equipment, if preferred. The excursion will start at 8 am for 5 – 6 hours. After snorkeling around Mnemba, we will organize a barbecue at a nearby beach and then we will head back home thanks to the power of the dhow sails (wind permitting!).

Snorkeling at Milele Villas Zanzibar

Snorkeling at Milele Villas is free of charge. You will need to bring your own equipment. Talk to one of our managers for detailed information about the best time and places to see various fish species and for any important and essential detail such as tides, currents, and general weather conditions.
You can also check the weather conditions by yourself in our Zanzibar tide and weather forecast page. There is a certain number of different and interesting species to see in the reef outside Milele, even if the ocean does not have the same life variety and density of Mnemba Island.

Safety

Ask us for the best time to go snorkeling in the Indian Ocean. According to your experience, there are a number of different activities you can enjoy.

Some handy tips before snorkeling:

• Don’t go snorkeling by yourself
• Check all your equipment is working well before heading out
• Know your equipment
• If you are doubting your abilities, go and talk to one of our managers first
• Always inform somebody that you are going snorkeling and give an estimated time that you will be back
• Be honest with yourself about your fitness level
• Always plan ahead your coming back to the shore – remember that you have to swim back the same distance you covered before and you may have to battle against winds and tides
• Use sunscreen. If possible and if you are snorkeling longer than an hour, you should wear a wetsuit. The water reflects the sun and it can be dangerous.
• Hydrate yourself before heading out – the sea is warm and you will be sweating without noticing

Please be aware that snorkeling is at your own risk!