Situ Island Resort Pemba

The Quirimbas Archipelago has developed a near-mythical status as being home to some of the finest scuba diving and deep-sea fishing on the planet. The problem (if you’re like most of us for whom money doesn’t grow on trees) is that the lodges located on the islands of the archipelago are almost without exception very upmarket affairs with similarly upmarket price tags to match!

Don’t despair though as there is an excellent lower-cost option which is perfectly suited to keen scuba divers or deep-sea fishing enthusiasts on a bit more of a budget – the charmingly unpretentious little gem that is Situ Island Resort! Located on the southern-most island of the Quirimbas, Situ Island is an easy 90-minute boat ride from the port at Pemba into which there are regular direct flights from Johannesburg (which means you avoid those expensive helicopter transfers necessary to get to most of the other island lodges in the area).

Arriving at the lodge which is attractively positioned on a white sand beach framed by a few prominent coral outcrops, the warm welcome you receive quickly sets the tone for the rest of your stay. In fact, Tessa and Craig Macdonald, the South African couple who run Situ (not to mention Mischief, Tessa’s adorable Jack Russell!) have conjured up a wonderfully warm and friendly yet relaxed sense of hospitality at Situ Island that we consider to be perhaps the lodge’s most stand-out feature. They make a fantastic team – Tessa looking after the Scuba diving operation with Craig skippering the deep-sea fishing trips (as well as being a superb chef).

The 8 standalone rooms at Situ stretch out on either side from the main lodge area and are similarly low key and simple – they’re not ever going to be in line for any design or style awards but are perfectly comfortable for all that and eminently practical too. There’s no air-conditioning which could be an issue in the peak of summer, but the walls are cleverly constructed from woven lattice screens that allow cooling breezes to flow through and there are also fans above the bed. Mosquito nets over the comfy beds ensure you’re not bothered by the pesky little critters. A small patio area outside boasts a couple of chairs along with a daybed or hammock if you fancy relaxing whilst looking out over the bay. But to be honest, you’re not going to come to Situ for the style of the rooms or to hang about the lodge all day. The real stars of the show here live below the surface of the water and keen scuba divers and fishing enthusiasts will be eager to get onto one of the lodge’s boats to explore the surrounding ocean as quickly as possible. The coral reefs in the Quirimbas are renowned as some of the best in the world having remained largely unbleached and boasting a profusion of marine life!