You’re floating. Literally. There is something deeply unsettling and profoundly beautiful about waking up four meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean, staring into the eye of a curious trumpetfish while you’re still rubbing the sleep from your eyes. Most people head to Zanzibar for their tropical fix, but Pemba Island is different. It’s rugged. It’s quiet. And it’s home to one of the most audacious architectural experiments in the hospitality world: the Manta Underwater Room. This isn’t just a hotel suite; it’s a floating, three-story island anchored in a "blue hole" within a coral reef.
Honestly, the first thing you notice isn't the fish. It’s the silence. Down in the bedroom, encased in thick glass, the frantic sounds of the world just... stop.
The Reality of Pemba Island and the Manta Resort
Pemba isn't the manicured resort experience you might expect from its more famous neighbor, Unguja. It’s often called the "Green Island," and for good reason. It’s hilly, covered in clove plantations, and the infrastructure is, frankly, a bit hit-or-miss. But that’s the draw. If you’re making the trek here, you’re likely bypassing the all-inclusive crowds for something raw. The Manta Resort sits on the northern tip of the island, overlooking some of the most pristine waters in East Africa.
The Manta Underwater Room itself is a standalone structure located about 250 meters from the shore. You get there by boat. The design, spearheaded by Mikael Genberg of Genberg Underwater Hotels—the same mind behind the Utter Inn in Sweden—is a marvel of buoyancy and Swedish engineering. It’s held in place by several permanent anchors, ensuring you don't drift toward Madagascar while you’re brushing your teeth.
It's basically a private island. You have a landing deck at sea level with a lounge and bathroom, a roof for stargazing (which, by the way, is insane because there is zero light pollution), and then the submerged bedroom.
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What the Photos Don't Tell You
Instagram makes it look like a static, blue-tinted dream. In reality, it’s much more kinetic. The ocean moves. The room sways gently—rarely enough to cause seasickness, but enough to remind you that you are at the mercy of the tides.
The Night Shift
When the sun goes down, the experience shifts. The resort has placed spotlights beneath the windows. These aren't just for show. They attract squid and octopuses. Seeing a wild octopus crawl across your window at 2:00 AM is a core memory that no mainland hotel can replicate. You’ll see Spanish Dancers—not the people, the nudibranchs—gracefully swirling through the dark water.
The Logistics of Living Underwater
People always ask about the bathroom. No, you don't have to swim to shore. The sea-level deck has a fully functioning eco-friendly toilet and a fresh-water shower. It’s "off-grid" in the sense that your power comes from solar panels, but you aren't exactly roughing it. However, don't expect blazing-fast Wi-Fi or a 70-inch TV. The ocean is the TV.
Why the Manta Underwater Room Matters for Conservation
Tourism on Pemba Island has a complicated history. For a long time, the reefs were under threat from blast fishing and over-exploitation. The Manta Resort, in partnership with the Kwanini Foundation, changed the local dynamic. By creating the "Kwanini Marine Protected Area" (KMPA) directly around the underwater room, they’ve allowed the reef to bounce back.
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It’s a symbiotic relationship. The room needs the fish to be a viable product; the fish need the room’s protected status to survive. Because fishing is prohibited in the immediate vicinity, the density of marine life here is significantly higher than in other parts of the archipelago. You’ll see schools of Batfish and Trumpetfish that seem almost bored by your presence. They’ve seen humans through the glass for years. To them, you’re just the weird mammal in the box.
Getting There: It’s a Mission
You don't just "show up" at the Manta Underwater Room on Pemba Island.
- First, you fly into Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar.
- Then, you hop on a tiny Cessna or Caravan for a 30-minute flight to Chake Chake, Pemba’s main airstrip.
- Finally, it’s a bumpy hour-and-a-half drive through the clove-scented countryside to the northern coast.
It’s a lot. But the payoff is the total lack of "tourist traps." There are no beach boys trying to sell you sunglasses here. It’s just the wind, the cloves, and the sea.
Practical Advice for the Modern Traveler
If you’re planning this, pack light. Seriously. Space on the floating structure is finite. Also, bring a decent camera with a low-light lens. Most phone cameras struggle with the blue tint of the water and the reflections on the glass at night.
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Understand that nature is unpredictable. Some days the water is crystal clear; other days, a storm might churn up sediment, and your visibility drops. That’s the trade-off for staying in a real ecosystem rather than a giant aquarium like those in Dubai or the Maldives.
The Cost of Isolation
Let’s be real: this isn't a budget trip. You’re looking at roughly $1,800 to $2,000 per night for the underwater suite. Most guests stay at the main resort for a few nights and "bolt on" a single night in the underwater room. That’s actually the smartest way to do it. One night is enough to soak in the novelty without getting cabin fever.
It’s expensive because maintaining a floating metal structure in salt water is a logistical nightmare. Every barnacle and bit of rust has to be fought back constantly to keep the room safe and the glass clear.
Final Actionable Steps for Your Trip
- Book 6-9 months in advance: There is only one underwater room. It’s almost always booked, especially during the dry seasons (July–October and December–February).
- Check the Tides: If you’re a diver, try to coordinate your visit with the neap tides for the best visibility.
- Fly, Don’t Ferry: The ferry from Stone Town to Pemba is notorious for being unreliable and occasionally stomach-churning. Take the bush plane. Coastal Aviation and Auric Air are the main players here.
- Engage with the Kwanini Foundation: While you’re at the resort, ask for a tour of their community projects. Seeing the clove plantations and the local schools gives you a much better perspective on where your tourism dollars are actually going.
- Respect the Reef: When snorkeling around the room, do not touch the structure or the coral. The ecosystem is fragile, and the "blue hole" is a rare geological feature that deserves respect.
Staying here isn't just about a cool photo. It’s about a total shift in perspective. When you spend a night below the waves, you realize quite quickly that we are the guests in their world, not the other way around.