mangroves favour sheltered shores on tidal flats in estuaries and bays, the sheltered bays of offshore islands and on some coral reef cays. mangroves grow best in areas where silt is brought down by rivers or is banked up by wave, tides and currents. mangroves usually grow in-between the mean sea level mark in the fringing zone, to above the mean high water mark in the landward zone. they are often found growing among saltmarshes and other coastal wetland communities.