Pemba Island

Pemba Island is part of Tanzania's Zanzibar Archipelago, off the coast of East Africa. It is known for its lush, green hills and clove plantations.

With a land area of 988 square kilometers, Pemba Island is situated about 50 kilometers the north of Unguja. It lies 50 kilometers east of mainland Tanzania, across the Pemba Channel. Pemba Island together with Mafia Island (south of Unguja) form the Spice Islands of Zanzibar.

Pemba Island is separated from Unguja island and the African continent by deep channels and has a correspondingly restricted fauna, reflecting its comparative isolation from the mainland The island is home to the Pemba flying fox. The main town, Chake Chake, has a ruined 18th-century fort with a museum. Offshore, Misali Island is home to the Fischer's turaco, a colorful rare bird.

As tourism has boomed in neighboring Zanzibar, adventurous travelers are seeking out the less-crowded Pemba, primarily led by dive tourists seeking the pristine, untouched reefs that the island offers for experienced divers.