Tumbatu is a long, low island lying just off Zanzibar’s north-west coast, a few kilometres across the channel from Kendwa and Nungwi. It is home to a traditional Swahili community with its own dialect and customs, and it is not a tourist island — but the reefs around it are a different story.
For Nungwi’s dive centres, the Tumbatu reefs are the local favourite: sloping coral, turtles, moray eels and schools of reef fish, reached in a short boat ride and visited by far fewer boats than Mnemba. Snorkelling trips from Kendwa take in the shallower sites.
Top things to do at Tumbatu Island
Snorkel the Tumbatu reefs
A three-hour snorkelling trip from Kendwa or Nungwi is the easy way in, with equipment and pickup included.
Dive with a Nungwi dive centre
Most centres run daily Tumbatu dives, making it the natural site for check-out dives and relaxed fun dives.
How to get to Tumbatu Island
- By boat: from Kendwa or Nungwi — typically 15–30 minutes to the reef sites.
- Landing on the island: visits to Tumbatu’s villages are not a standard tourist activity; stick to organised trips and respect local customs if you go ashore.
Insider tips
- Mornings usually have the calmest water on the west coast.
- Currents can be noticeable in the channel — stay with your guide.
Best tours & tickets for Tumbatu Island
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Tumbatu Island from Nungwi or Kendwa:
Boat trip from $45 Tumbatu Island Snorkelling Tour from Kendwa & Nungwi
The quick, close-to-home alternative to Mnemba: Tumbatu lies just off the west coast, a short boat ride from Kendwa, and its reefs see far fewer boats. Ideal for a morning when you do not want a long day at sea.
- Short boat ride from the north-west coast
- Snorkel quieter reefs off Tumbatu Island
- Pickup included
Boat trip from $55 From Kendwa: Mnemba Boat Trip and Dolphin Snorkel Adventure
The best-reviewed Mnemba trip leaving from the north coast. A speedboat runs round the tip of the island to the atoll, where the crew looks for spinner and bottlenose dolphins before a long snorkel over the reef. Back in time for a late lunch on the beach.
- Look for wild dolphins off Mnemba Atoll
- Snorkel the atoll’s coral gardens with gear included
- Small group, with pickup in Nungwi and Kendwa
