Mafia Island Africa Beach Holiday

Mafia Island is a sleepy island located south of Zanzibar, where days are spent exploring exposed sand bars, fishing and diving. Scuba is seriously good here, especially in whale shark season.

Location

Mafia is a 30 minute flight from Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. It is home to the largest marine park in Africa and is a very good destination for spotting whale sharks. The diving here is even better than off Pemba – in fact, we think it is the best to be found in Tanzania.

Favourite beach lodges on Mafia Island

There are more hotels here than in Pemba but, true to the island atmosphere, they are more rustic-chic than luxurious. We think this is a good destination for adventurous travellers who enjoy the outdoor life. It is particularly suitable for advanced divers. For a facility and activity heavy lodge, consider Kinasi, which is the first major lodge on the island. However, if you’d prefer a characterful and quirky base, try either the fabulous treehouses at Chole Mjini or the scenic raised bungalows at Pole Pole.