About Us

A local fisherman, Manicula, from Messanja used to row in his dhow all the way from Pemba to Situ Island. He would spend a few days fishing at Situ and then return to Pemba. He eventually set up a base camp at Situ in the form of a house.

He enjoyed it so much there, that we even got a wife to keep home for him at Situ and his original wife looked after the house in Pemba. Just behind his house, Manicula planted a coconut plantation, which stands to this day. He lived a separate life from the itinerant fishing villagers who also used Situ as a stop over point. He had 9 dogs which he used for hunting and protection on the island, and to keep him company.

In 1998, a South African, Martin Visagie, arrived in Pemba and started fishing charters to Lazarus Banks from Pemba. Returning one day from Lazarus Banks, Martin and his crew, with their fishing guests were caught in horrific weather and decided to seek shelter at Situ. The bay offered protection for him, his crew and the visiting fishermen.

Martin liked Situ Island so much that he contacted the owner, Maniculato negotiate the purchase of Situ Island, which he saw as an ideal base to run his charters. A price was reached with some provisors which included a new house for Manicula which was built in Pemba.

At this time, there was only Manicula’s broken down mud house and a coconut plantation on Situ Island. No fresh water was available, but Martin nonetheless decided to build a lodge. The fresh water was sourced from a well, across the bay at Arimba, with permission having been granted by Aiuba, chief of Arimba. Meco, a local farmer helped facilitate the deal and the well still exists today, although Situ’s fresh water is now manufactured through our desalination plant on site.

Once the lodge was completed, Martin started trading. Following a tragic accident in 2004, Martin was paralysed and moved back to South Africa. Every month he would send food and money to the island to his guard, Hastings and other staff. Meco transferred the goods to the island. Being a renowned businessman, even paralysis could not keep Martin from changing course and he approached John Pledger, another South African and Kevin Farr, whom he had spent many hours fishing with in Sodwana Bay. John and Kevin loved Situ Island and it was not long before they bought it over from Martin and so started the development of Situ Island Resort as we know it now.

The deal was finalized and the first two boats the new owners purchased from Martin were called Vis-agie and Sunbird (now named Babu). These have in time been replaced by Situ I and Situ II, but Sunbird is still present, just known now as Babu.

Kevin and John rounded up some like-minded businessmen and women and Situ Island Resort was born. Over the years, Situ has grown from just that one mud hut and a well for fresh water across the bay into a self-sufficient, self-sustaining island resort offering guests unparalleled beauty and incredible fishing and diving.