Kendwa Reef

On Zanzibar's sheltered northwest tip where the Zanzibar Channel narrows and the southeast monsoon swell barely registers, Kendwa Reef offers consistently calm conditions and the warmest water on the island through the austral winter — a rarity that makes it the only site regularly dived year-round including during the May to June rough season. The outer wall drops from the reef crest at 8 m to a sandy bottom at 30 m and is draped in massive sea fans up to 2 m across and golden encrusting soft corals, while the shallower terrace above hosts a spectacular density of nudibranchs and other macro life. Dolphins are frequently encountered in open water during the boat crossing, and the resident cleaning station at 16 m hosts theatrical interactions between large moray eels and industrious cleaner wrasse.