My husband and I spent a week at The Manta Resort for our honeymoon and enjoyed every minute of our stay. I would highly recommend visitors who are seeking a quiet, secluded spot where you can enjoy some rest and relaxation with breath-taking surroundings. We appreciated the natural beauty that surrounds the resort and the authenticity of the resort itself - so unpretentious and peaceful. Bear i mind, this is not a place with a mass tourist vibe so don't expect any entertainment - there isn't even any background music at the bar! No TVs in the rooms (not complaining!). Wifi is available in the common area, although we barely felt the urge to have contact with the outside world! In fact, you only really see the other guests at meal times or at a distance on the beach, and we preferred it that way.

We were especially happy with the service, particularly from our fundi, Shabani who was very polite and attentive. Generally, the staff were very friendly and helpful. The manager was also always present and interactive with guests.

A highlight for us were the daily spa treatments, especially the hour long full body massages!

There are also a number of excursions you can choose from. Our favourite was a boat trip to the sandbank - a large stretch of sand in the middle of the ocean which appears at low tide, it was just incredible! And there were fantastic snorkling spots surrounding it.

Overall, we loved The Manta Resort and look forward to returning someday in the future!

We stayed at the Manta resort for a memorable week in August having read the wonderful reviews on Trip Advisor so we had high expectations and oh boy, we were not disappointed.
The location is stunning. The hotel overlooks a beautiful, unspoilt beach with powder, white sand set in well manicured gardens. The small resort is well maintained and extremely intimate and private. Our sea view villa was very comfortable with all amenities and no television-heaven!!! Although the main reception areas have Wifi for those who still require contact to the outside world!!!
The staff are amazing, from management, to waiters to gardeners, they are so friendly and I have never known service like it. Nothing was too much trouble, they are so caring and attentive and your well being was their primary concern. The food was cooked to a high standard with plenty of choice all cooked with local produce and loads of flavours. The chef, Lugendo, is very experienced and it shows, our last meal on the beach was simply outstanding-fresh lobster, king prawns, king fish-it was simply delicious.
We were fortunate to see dolphins in the bay most evenings, whilst enjoying a heavenly cocktail made by Lucas in the cosy, beach bar. Lucas always made us laugh, he was thoroughly entertaining and utterly charming! On top of this we were treated to a massage everyday and managed to enjoy the fantastic diving, whereby we dived with our own instructor on each dive. Our daughter is only 11 years old and qualified last year and this was only her second boat dive but this was never a concern, Maxwell, the dive master, gave her his total attention and reassuring support. In addition, the beach felt like it was our own, with comfortable beds and hammocks to relax the days away in.
We managed to visit the local village which is very poor but they have an amazing community spirit mostly living off the land. Sele, who works in the hotel, took us to the village and we were honoured to spend a morning with him whilst he taught the local children from his home. He is an amazing individual, who gives up his spare time to support and provide an opportunity to the children who are unable to travel to the school in another village. We learnt how the hotel is supporting the local community and the future plans to help create a new school and medical centre. It was equally refreshing to see how the hotel management only employs the locals and clearly cares about their staff. The staff were always engaging with our daughter, playing local games with her and teaching and encouraging her to learn expressions in Swahili.
On our last evening, the three of us went on a sunset cruise on a ‘ngalawa’, a small boat carved out of mango tree. For the first hour we were surrounded by dolphins swimming right up to the boat and the last half an hour the sail was opened up for an exhilarating ride whilst we watched a stunning sunset-thank you Haji for such a magical experience.
I could go on all day about the many wonders of this place but you must really experience it for yourself. We are very well travelled and have been fortunate enough to stay at some of the top hotels in the world, but The Manta Resort will always hold a special place in our hearts and we cannot wait to return again someday soon.

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After visiting Dar Es Salaam and being on a safari our next stop was Pemba. The way to Manta over the island was great. Sit back and see another culture and life pass by. Well there we were treated so well. The service is great, the food and organisation too. It is a perfect place to relax and rest. But there is also activities if you like. We tested diving and snorkling - perfect. We also did a stroll through the nearby village with our fundi on our way to the old lighthouse. Another nice activity was the spice tour. We saw how common spices at home are grown and harvested. Fantastic. We miss the beach, the pool, the people and the place. Thanks!

Our family travelled to Tanzania for a safari trip and the diving off Zanzibar, and Pemba was our last stop. The Manta Lodge is 65 km from Chake airport, the last 15 of which are on a rough dirt strip through a forest reserve - Land Cruiser country!
It has to be said though, it's worth the bumpy ride, as a paradise awaits. Blindingly white shell sand beach, large reception/entry area and terrace with a panorama view of the wonderful sunset, pool area below, a small spa, and the dive centre. They'd just reopened for the new season, so all was fresh and clean.
There are three types of accommodation, standard garden chalet, superior garden, and sea view chalet. We were there off-season, and were upgraded to a sea view. We were booked "All Inclusive", and as Matthew said, they mean it! You get free laundry, free time at the spa every day, and all your drinks are included. Food is good, especially the seafood, and served at table, there are no buffets here. Desserts are a bit lacking, though.
We were there specifically for the diving, and here comes the bogey. June/July is definitely not the time for this, so plan your trip for October-February for great vis and loads to see. The dive centre is good, equipment well-maintained, and David and staff helpful and flexible. We had just qualified AOWD, and tried most things, from the house reef to Manta Point (25m pinnacle and drift in a stiff current - fun!) Otherwise there's snorkelling, a sunset sail trip, or kick back and relax on that beach or by the pool.
Manta Resort is an unpretentious pearl, very relaxed atmosphere and a good place to go to unwind. Do it during winter in Europe and double your pleasure :)