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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Mnemba Atoll location page.
Overview
Coral bommie field on the south flank of Mnemba Atoll, sloping gently from 6m to 30m through a labyrinth of massive hard coral blocks. The site name is a play on what a bommie, and the bommies themselves are the draw. Bottlenose dolphins cruise the shallows throughout the year and often pass through the reef during a dive. Between the coral blocks, crevices shelter stonefish, scorpionfish, leaf fish, frogfish, octopus, and snowflake moray; macro hunters work the coral fingers for nudibranchs and porcelain crabs in anemones. Currents stay mild, so the dive runs as a slow drift suitable for all skill levels.
Briefing note
Inside the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area (MIMCA) — a daily marine park fee is collected by operators and is usually not included in the dive price. The island itself is private (andBeyond Mnemba Island lodge); landings are not permitted for day visitors, but the surrounding reefs are open to permitted dive boats. Touching coral and chasing dolphins are prohibited. Stonefish and scorpionfish are common between the bommies, so stay off the bottom and keep buoyancy tight.
What you'll see
11 species curated- year-roundBottlenose dolphin
- year-roundGreen turtle
- year-roundHawksbill turtle
- year-roundStonefish
- year-roundLeaf scorpionfish
- seasonalFrogfishPeak: Oct · Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
- year-roundOctopus
- year-roundSnowflake moray
- year-roundPorcelain crab
- year-roundBlue spotted stingray
- rareWhale sharkPeak: Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28–30 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Feb | 28–30 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Mar | 28–29 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Apr | 27–29 °C | 10–20 m | moderate |
| May | 26–28 °C | 10–20 m | moderate |
| Jun | 25–27 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Jul | 24–26 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Aug | 24–26 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Sep | 25–27 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Oct | 26–28 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Nov | 27–29 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Dec | 28–30 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Gear for this site
Beyond the basic kit- Macro lens or wet diopter — Reputation here rests on small subjects (frogfish, leaf fish, nudibranchs, porcelain crabs) hiding between coral blocks; a macro setup is the difference between seeing them and missing them.
- Reef hook — Most of the dive is a drift, but pockets between bommies let you pause if you want to work a single subject; a hook holds position without touching coral.
Next step
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