Mafia Island
“Water Sports, Relaxing, Honeymoon, Fishing & Diving"
Mafia Island is the third largest archipelago located 150km (93 mi) southeast of Tanzania's Mainland. It is a small island measuring 30 miles (50km) in length and 10 miles(15 km) across the widest point. Main Town is Kilindoni, located northwest. Utende, in the southeast, is the most popular tourist attraction and is best for luxury lodges and divers.
The island is rarely visited, is much more serene than Pemba, and is considered a more eco-friendly destination. Mafia Island is a remote, undeveloped tropical paradise with powdery white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. It is a haven for scuba diving nature lovers and a fantastic destination for an adventurous traveller seeking a thrilling holiday. Experiences include scuba diving, fishing, sea kayaking, snorkelling, and wildlife viewing. Explore the untamed wilderness on foot and come face to face with indigenous monkeys, flying foxes, lizards and squirrels. The island has over 120 bird species. The warm and safe waters of the inland bays and lagoons are perfect for novice or experienced divers. Sea life creatures include whale sharks, rays, hawksbill turtles, giant groupers, and giant clams, among other reef fish. Visit the Kua Ruins and see the evidence of the Mafia trading past in Juani Island, a once thriving medieval trading post with a Swahili house, mosque, and Sultan’s palace now covered by fig roots. Chloe Island has Arabic ruins that date back to the 12th century and German ruins left after the colonial era during the First World War.
Experience Mafia Island
Mafia Island is a perfect escape from the fast pace and busy daily life. This island is still pure and untouched, which means there are no tarmac roads and only few tourists. It’s like Zanzibar a few decades ago. The atmosphere is peaceful and the islanders are very friendly. Mafia is part of the Zanzibar Archipelago and surrounded by some of the richest coral reefs in the world. Almost half of Mafia’s coastline is part of the Mafia Island Marine Park, a park full of coral reefs, mangrove forests and lagoons.
This is the largest protected area in the Indian Ocean. The barrier reef is a dream to divers and snorkelers. It has 50 different corals and more than 460 species of fish! Mafia’s incredible and pure dive spots have remained a well-kept secret. Mangrove forests surround most of the island, therefore the deserted beaches are not as wide as the ones in Zanzibar, yet still beautiful. The dazzling marine life is the main feature of the island. This is the place to spot humpback whales, turtles and the biggest fish on earth – the whale shark. Thus, Mafia Island is a unique place for travellers and honeymooners to unwind
Best time to visit Mafia Island
Diving in Chloe Bay is all year round. However, if you want to access the deeper channels, the best times to dive are between November through March. The whale shark season is between October to March. These months are probably the best due to visibility, which ranges from 5 metres (16 feet) to more than 30 meters (100 feet). While diving on Chloe Bay, the visibility is better on incoming or high tide. Types of diving include wall diving, reef diving, drift diving and night diving. The highlights include the Pinnacle, Kinasi Wall, Dindini Wall North and Chloe Wall. In August and September, humpback whale migration can be spotted while baby turtles hatch on Juani Island between June and September.The water temperatures are approximately 25°C to 30° C/77° F to 86°F
Getting There.
By Air: The best option for getting to Mafia Island is by a flight from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar Island using a charter or scheduled flight. Prices may vary between $250 to $ 350 return. Flying is the easiest way to get around to avoid stress. There are only two airlines to Mafia Island: Coastal Air and AuricAir from Dar es Salaam, with flight times of approximately 30 minutes to Mafia Airport Kilindoni. The trip to Utende takes about 30 minutes.
By Ferry: You can catch a government ferry (MV Bacara) that leaves between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Always arrive early, between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm. The ferry costs approximately $8 (16,000)TSH one way. It is not always reliable as it can get grounded for repair work.
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