Looking out at the azure waters of the Indian Ocean from Driftwood Beach Lodge, it’s clear to see that diving in Jambiani is a very special experience. While there are plenty of activity and relaxation options on the beach or above the waves, there’s also a whole underwater world to explore.

Whether you come to Zanzibar never having dived before or as a qualified diver, you’ll find it hard to resist the lure of the sea. After diving here for years, we’re always a little bit jealous of people who are experiencing diving in Jambianifor the first time.

Schools of fish… and diving lessons

Jambiani is a great place to learn to dive, with friendly, experienced instructors at the local dive schools creating an atmosphere of easy trust. They won’t rush you, but rather let you learn at your own pace as you become more comfortable with the unfamiliar (but incredible) sensation of being able to breathe underwater.

Our neighbouring dive schools offer a range of internationally recognised SCUBA courses, from the PADI Open Water qualification through to more specialist Divemaster and Rescue Diver courses. First-timers can start with a discover SCUBA experience. These courses typically take a day, and involve basic diving theory lessons, a first dive in a controlled pool environment and then the freedom that comes with being in the sea.

There are many reasons to choose diving in Jambiani as part of your holiday, from the relaxed yet safety conscious vibe to the variety of locations on offer. These range from our house reef, which can be reached by swimming from the beach, to dive sites in deeper water that are best accessed as part of a traditional dhow excursion.

Underwater and over the top

Then there’s the sheer quality and beauty of the diving itself. Shafts of sunlight pierce the warm blue waters, illuminating untouched coral reefs which are the submarine equivalent of busy shopping malls. Hundreds of brightly coloured fish hustle and bustle about their business, occasionally flitting away as the shadow of a larger fish passes overhead.

Whether you’re determined to find Nemo, or you’ve always dreamed of an undersea encounter with a giant, gentle manta ray, diving in Jambiani consistently delivers when it comes to marine wildlife. Returning from SCUBA trips, our guests have reported diving with dolphins and seeing creatures from sea turtles and octopuses to bizarre lifeforms like the nudibranch.

Who will you meet on your next dive?

Immense yet peaceful whale sharks migrate past Zanzibar each year and diving on the reefs, you can encounter smaller species of shark too. They may look the part, but they’re far more interested in pursuing the fast-moving sushi all around them than in trying to dine on a diver.

In between dives, you’ll have the whole of the island of Zanzibar to explore – or you could just hang around the dive centre swapping SCUBA stories with the instructors, or stroll back to Driftwood Beach Lodge for refreshments.

Diving in Jambiani is every bit as chilled as you would imagine, and yet the dive centres here have an impeccable safety record. Our guests tell us that they feel completely at ease, and that the friendly yet professional instructors have a way of calming any pre-plunge nerves.

For the ultimate immersive experience, and the chance to capture awesome underwater shots for social media, Jambiani is unbeatable. If we ever have a day without guests here at Driftwood Beach Lodge, we often pop in to one of the Jambiani dive centres, and then drop in on our coral reef chums. It’s one more way that we know that here on Zanzibar, the tank is always half-full and never half-empty.

Contact us today to book your stay at Driftwood Beach Lodge and experience diving in Jambiani. We can advise on the very best times of year to come here for diving, when the water is at its warmest and visibility at its best.