Zanzibar

[KristianH]

I am a beginner freediver going on a relaxed holiday in Zanzibar between the 3rd and 10th of February. I have done a bit of freediving without fins on mediteranean holidays, but this will be my first experience after joining a free diver course (in an indoor pool) this fall and buying fins.

Any advice or snorkeling/dive spots not to be missed will be much appreciated. I am staying in a hotel near the village of Kiwengwa.

Thanks in advance.

Kristian

[pauldeclercq]

Howzit,

This is a post for others, sorry it's a bit late for you.

Officially spearfishing is not allowed in zanzibar. However there are no controls and the local Mkoketoni divers do nothing else(with tanks), they kill everything even mantas.
You can easily hide a speargun in your boat. The only spot where you must not try to shoot fish is in the reserve around Mneba island, the diving here is awesome, don't bother about scuba since the best sights are above 20m and easily accessible to free-diving.
To spear fish, just go to some local dive charters they will take you along for a minimal fee, local fisherman are also keen.
For a real hardcore dive charter a boat to Leven Bank, this is a reef 17km north of Zanzibar, the reef come up from 270m to 14m, it is teeming with large school s of fish(up to 10kg) and there are some huge GT(40kg+), Wahoo, ect here. Diving can be very hard, ask about the conditions and tides, 10m/s rip over the reef is an experience in it own right.
The average dive is about 25m deep and if the winds and tides are right your are in heaven.

[pauldeclercq]

Contact Pete at Swahili divers.