Swimming with the turtles in Zanzibar is a unique and unforgettable experience. The crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean provide an ideal habitat for green sea turtles, making it one of the best places to observe them up close. There are many reputable tour companies offering boat rides, snorkeling trips, and even scuba diving excursions to see these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. You’ll be able to get up close and personal with the turtles as they swim around you, giving you a rare opportunity to observe them in their environment. With its warm ocean temperatures year-round, Zanzibar is a great place to visit if you want to have an incredible encounter with these amazing animals. Below you’ll find all the information about my experience swimming with turtles in Zanzibar.
Location
We arrived at Baraka Natural Aquarium, where we fed & swam with the turtles.
Cost
We paid $20 and there’s an additional hotel fee pick up and drop off.
History
Our tour guide, MJ, gave us a brief history of the Aquarium. He mentioned that, currently, there are about 40 turtles in the aquarium and the oldest turtle is 25 yrs old. The turtles are rescued by fishermen and brought there. Once treated they are brought back to the sea within 1 year. They are all green turtles and as you can see, range from huge to small in size.
How It Went
We then went down some steps to see the turtles. It surprisingly wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be since we got there around 4 pm. MJ asked if we wanted photos, and of course, we did lol! He then took my phone and went up some stairs so that he could get a photo from above. I swam to a big rock that you can stand on in the middle. From there, he started throwing seaweed down towards me and that’s when all the turtles started swarming around me. It was honestly such a cool experience! After I got all of my photos I did a little bit of snorkeling nearby and got to swim with the turtles and the fishes.
Bite?
Now, I know you might be wondering if I got bit, and the answer is… YES, four times to be exact🥴! There were a few instances where seaweed was passing by, and the turtles just reach out to eat it, while also accidentally biting you as well 😭. In another situation, my fingers were too low while feeding them seaweed, and they reached up and bit down on my finger. It felt like a pinch, but after the fourth bite, I had enough lol
Recommendations
I would recommend swimming with the turtles to adults and children, with some extra caution for small children. Also, please ensure to wear reef-friendly sunscreen!! I’ve linked a face and body sunscreen.
Below are some more photos.
Xoxo!
