Snorkeling in Fumba: Full-Day Dhow Sailing & Reef

Six hours: sandbank snorkeling, a centuries-old baobab, grilled lobster on the beach, and a mangrove lagoon

A full-day snorkeling adventure from Fumba aboard a traditional wooden dhow sails through the Menai Bay Conservation Area to pristine reefs and Kwale Island. You snorkel vibrant coral teeming with fish, relax on a sandbank, explore the island's natural features including a fallen baobab tree still thriving, and swim in a natural lagoon surrounded by mangroves. A fresh seafood buffet with grilled fish, lobster, calamari and coconut rice is served on the beach.

The experience

The day starts with a six-hour window that fits a morning departure and afternoon return, leaving the rest of your day free. You board a traditional wooden dhow in Fumba and sail into the Menai Bay Conservation Area, where dolphins are frequently spotted moving through the water. The route passes through protected waters before reaching your first stop: a sandbank where the reef drops away close to shore and the water stays shallow enough to wade in and out without a boat.

Snorkeling equipment is provided, and you spend time on the reef watching parrotfish, groupers and smaller species move through branching corals. The sandbank itself is the kind of place that appears on no map. It exists only at certain tides and disappears again. From there, the dhow continues to Kwale Island, where you can walk ashore and see a baobab tree that fell centuries ago but has kept growing horizontally across the ground, its trunk now thick as a building. The island's other natural features reward a short exploration before the crew prepares lunch.

Lunch is a grilled seafood buffet (fish, lobster, calamari, coconut rice) served on the beach in a relaxed setting with no rush. In the afternoon, the dhow sails to a natural lagoon ringed by mangroves where the water is calm and clear enough to swim without gear. The return journey gives you time to dry off and settle in before the boat reaches Fumba again. Entry to the Menai Bay Conservation Area, all snorkeling gear, mineral water, and taxes are included. The guide speaks English and pickup is arranged from your accommodation.

What’s included

• Snorkeling equipment.
• seafood lunch with grilled fish, lobster, calamari and coconut rice.
• entry to the Menai Bay Conservation Area.
• mineral water.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by My Unique Zanzibar

Is this one for you?The six-hour window means you leave Fumba in the morning and return by mid-afternoon, leaving your evening free for other plans in the city. If you need a full-day commitment or want to spend more time on the reef, a longer private charter would suit you better.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What kind of coral and fish will I see when snorkeling in Menai Bay?

The reefs around the sandbank hold branching corals with parrotfish, groupers and smaller reef fish moving through them. The Menai Bay Conservation Area protects these reefs, so the marine life is active and abundant, though the exact species you encounter depends on the tide and the day.

Is the snorkeling suitable if I've never done it before?

Yes. The sandbank snorkeling happens in shallow water where you can stand, and snorkeling equipment is provided. The activity is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and the guide is there throughout the day.

What is Kwale Island like to explore?

Kwale Island has natural features including a centuries-old baobab tree that fell long ago but continues to grow horizontally along the ground. You have time to walk ashore and see these features before the crew prepares lunch on the beach.

How long is the boat ride from Fumba to the snorkeling sites?

The full day is six hours total, including sailing time, snorkeling stops, lunch and the lagoon swim. The initial sail from Fumba through the Menai Bay Conservation Area to the sandbank and then to Kwale Island takes up the morning portion of the day.

What happens if I don't want to snorkel?

You can relax on the sandbank and the beach while others snorkel, swim in the lagoon in the afternoon, and enjoy the sailing and the island exploration. The day includes multiple activities beyond snorkeling.