Kendwa Reef
Zanzibar Island · Tanzania
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.
Conditions
Depth
8 to 30 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
25 to 30°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
House Crow
Last confirmed Jun 6, 2026 · 26 records
Very likely
Most dives
Red-Knobbed Sea Star
Last confirmed Jul 3, 2026 · 29 records
Very likely
Most dives
Rough-Scaled Plated Lizard
Last confirmed Jul 4, 2026 · 19 records
Very likely
Most dives
Giant moray
Last confirmed Jul 2, 2026 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Green Sea Turtle
Last confirmed Apr 4, 2026 · 3 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Gorgonian sea fan
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Nudibranch (chromodoris)
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear
Basic kit
For this site
- Macro lens / SUPE wide-angle dioptre · The nudibranch diversity and sea fan commensals reward a dedicated macro setup — bring a dioptre or a dedicated macro lens if you plan to photograph the smaller residents.