Home
Tanzania
PLAN MY VISIT
TanzaniaKenyaRwandaUgandaExperiences Team
  • Top Destinations
PLAN MY VISIT →
  1. Home
  2. Tanzania
  3. Destinations
  4. Coast and Islands

Mafia Island, Tanzania

Unspoiled and largely overlooked by tourism, Mafia Archipelago is located approximately 99 miles (160 km) south of Zanzibar and 13 miles (21 km) off the central coast of Tanzania’s mainland. The main island of Mafia covers approximately 152 square miles (394 square km) and half of Mafia’s coastline is protected as part of the Mafia Island Marine Park. This park covers 317 square miles (822 square km) and is the largest marine protected area in the Indian Ocean.

←→

While Zanzibar’s popularity as a beach vacation destination has soared in the past two decades, little has changed on Mafia Island and it remains a quiet, with only a few thousand visitors annually. Mafia’s beaches are poor compared to those of Zanzibar. Much of the island’s coastline is surrounded by mangrove forest with limited sandy beaches with a few exceptions, the best beach being at Chole Bay.

Mafia’s main attraction is its magnificent marine life. Similar to Pemba Island in the north, the diving, fishing, and snorkelling at Mafia are phenomenal, far better than anything found on Zanzibar. Mafia has plenty to see and explore for divers of all experience levels and snorkeling is also very rewarding. On the western side of the island, offshore from the town of Kilindoni, whale sharks visit from October to March, and excursions to swim with these gentle giants draw in people from around the world.

On Mafia Island there’s only one recently paved main road which stretches across the island and very few vehicles. The pace of life here is slow and most locals get around by bicycle, walking or by traditional dhow boats. The island is dotted with farming and fishing villages and the locals are friendly and welcoming. On Mafia there are virtually no touts or crime and is considered a very safe island for visitors.

In addition to marine activities, visitors can also explore the nearby islands on day trips. The islands are lush and home to a variety of wildlife including bushbabies, wild pigs, vervet monkeys, genets, and large fruit bats. Explore the mangrove forests and tidal flats and spot marine bird species. Overgrown ruins of Arabic houses and mosques from the 12th century and German ruins from the 19th century are worth exploring on Chole Island, a mere five minute boat ride from Mafia.

There are about a dozen or so accommodation options on Mafia Island, ranging from budget to semi-luxury standard. If staying at a lodge located on the east coast within the Marine Park, there is a daily park fee which is payable at the Marine Park entrance gate in addition to the accommodation rate. Mafia Island can be reached by daily scheduled flights from Dar Es Salaam or Zanzibar.

Coastal climate is typical of the tropics, high temperatures and some rainfall year round. The best times along the coast are from June to October and from December to March when there mostly sunny days with little rain. During November the wind patterns change and generally more rain is expected. April and May receive heavy, continuous rain and some lodges and resorts close during this time.



Excellent!
Trustpilot Rating
Based on 705 reviews
Trustpilot
Will use them again!
Communicative, helpful and honest. They stuck to my budget and accommodated my changes. My kids and I had such a good ti...
Dec 01, 2022
– Kayla C.
Trustpilot Rating
100 Stars!!
If I could give 100 stars, I would wholeheartedly. All the booked activities were excellent and pricing was unbeatable. ...
Nov 30, 2022
– Ravi D.
Trustpilot Rating
One of the best I have ever used
Having traveled a lot, I have used many travel companies. The responsiveness and efforts to meet our needs were unmatche...
Dec 08, 2022
– A. Hershe.
Trustpilot Rating
Above & Beyond in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, & Laos
Thank you to the entire team that made this trip so memorable for us. We appreciate your warmth and going above and beyo...
Jun 20, 2022
– Sapna
Trustpilot Rating
Best way to travel!
I trusted Harold from Anywhere.com to plan my family's vacation. Harold went above and beyond in making sure that our tr...
Oct 04, 2021
– Shivani P.
Trustpilot Rating
Profesionalism at its Best
My experience with Anywhere.com in Costa Rica was perfection. All of the drivers were punctual and pleasant; and all of ...
Aug 02, 2021
– Natasha I.
Trustpilot Rating
Anywhere is OUTSTANDING!
My family & I have used Anywhere to organize 3 vacations- Costa Rica, Peru, & now Ecuador. I would not hesitate to use t...
Jul 29, 2021
– Kara V.
Trustpilot Rating
Awesome vacation, everything went smoothly
Our agent (Erick) planned a great trip for our family of 5. All the tours were excellent, all the transport and lodging ...
Mar 17, 2020
– David
Trustpilot Rating
Everything Anywhere said they would do…
Everything Anywhere said they would do they did. Very professional and friendly staff.
Mar 16, 2020
– Darrell
Trustpilot Rating
We were very reassured in constructing…
We were very reassured in constructing our trip using Anywhere.com as the team responded promptly to our questions in a ...
Mar 16, 2020
– Michael
Trustpilot Rating
Great service!
Great service!
Mar 15, 2020
– Kyle K
Trustpilot Rating
If I could give 100+stars, I would.
If I could give 100+stars, I would.
Mar 15, 2020
– Jerry Pos.
Trustpilot Rating
I gave Anywhere a 48hr turnaround time…
I gave Anywhere a 48hr turnaround time before our departure to provide an itineary based on what we already researched a...
Mar 14, 2020
– Thomas hi.
Trustpilot Rating
Anywhere.com was so easy to work with
Anywhere.com was so easy to work with. They made booking my transfers a pleasant experience. And I even had some last ...
Mar 14, 2020
– Ashley Ba.
Trustpilot Rating
Perfectly planned
Perfectly planned. The trip went off with all (5) transfers on time and all our accommodations meeting or exceeding our...
Mar 14, 2020
– John C.
Trustpilot Rating

Let's Dream Together

Share your bucketlist to get inspiration and local connections.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.

Tanzania Vacations
  • Tanzania Family Safari Classic
  • Tanzania Active Honeymoon Safari
  • Tanzania Luxury Safari
  • On Safari 'Til Further Notice
  • Tanzania Classic Safari
  • Kenya Luxury Family Safari
  • Kenya Luxury Honeymoon Safari
  • Active Safari Adventure in Uganda and Tanzania
  • Rwanda Primate Safari
  • Luxury Rwanda Primate Safari
  • Kilimanjaro Summit
Highlights
  • Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
  • Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
  • Mount Kilimanjar, Tanzania
  • Mount Meru, Tanzania
  • Watamu, Kenya
  • Laikipia Lewa Ecosystem, Kenya
  • Tsavo National Park, Kenya
  • Masai Mara, Kenya
  • Lamu, Kenya
  • Amboseli National Park, Kenya
  • Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
  • Nyungwe, Rwanda
  • Kigali, Rwanda
  • Akagera, Rwanda
  • Queen Elizabeth, Uganda
  • Murchison Falls, Uganda
  • Kidepo Valley, Uganda
  • Jinga, Unanda
PLACES TO GO
  • Ngorongoro, Tanzania
  • Destination Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania
  • Destination Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
  • Zanzibar, Tanzania
  • Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania
  • Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
THINGS TO DO
  • Big 5 Safari
  • Gorilla Tracking
  • Wildlife Safari
  • Primate Safari
  • Horseback Safari
  • Walking Safari
  • Boat Safari
  • Kilimanjaro Climb
  • Mount Kenya Summit
  • Birdwatching
  • Volcano Hiking
  • Indigenous Culture
  • Hot Air Balloon
  • Helicopter Tour
  • Fly Fishing
Trustpilot 5 of 5 rated service
Trustpilot "Excellent"
Plan My Visit→+1 (888) 456-3212
MessengerContact AnywhereWhatsapp ContactCall USA: +1-888-456-3212

© 2023 Anywhere Inc. All rights reserved.Privacy Policy