The sand is white and pure and one
can always swim, despite tidal changes.
SCUBA DIVING AND SNORKELING
Mafia Island and its reefs are renowned as an excellent,
world classdiving destination.
WHALE SHARKS DIVING AND SNORKELING
These beautiful giants are seasonally found just a few hundred metres offshore near Kilindoni Harbour.
HISTORY & CULTURE
These islands of Mafia host antiquities dating back to the eleventh century, including ruins at Kisimani Mafia, Kanga, Kua and Cholesland.
AMAZING NATURE
Walks and nature trails to enjoy the native
trees, animals and birdlife, cultural visits to villages to understand local village life and watch skilled craftsmen at work.
A visit to the lighthouse will allow you to see far to the south over the Mlola Forest, protected for its vegetation and wildlife, including Sykes monkeys.
A visit to the lighthouse will allow you to see far to the south over the Mlola Forest, protected for its vegetation and wildlife, including Sykes monkeys.
professional & amateur mafia island photography compilation
Mafia Island Kipekee
Activities & Excursions
Underwater
How to get here
To reach Mafia one no longer sails, but must fly in light aircraft from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, or one of the game parks such as the Selous. The experience is fantastic, with great views of the African bush and coastline.
VISASThe Tanzania tourist visa is a three-month travel visa for bone fide tourists. It may be extended once for a further three months. Check with the Tanzania Ministry of Home Affairs for your country and the fee at
You can also get your tourist visa on arrival but credit cards must be used for payment and there can
be long delays
HEALTHMalaria is the main health issue along the coast of Tanzania, so each traveller should seek
expert advice from a doctor competent and up-to-date with tropical medicine (effective drugs
are changing rapidly).
If you come from a Yellow Fever area please understand you will need a vaccination
certificate. Please check here
if you do not feel well please get a checkup as soon as possible. The diagnostic facilities at the Mafia
District Hospital are good and include a labora
tory for identifying malaria and other parasites,
radiology and ultrasound. There are also several private clinics and some well
-
stocked pharmacies.
SAFETY AND SECURITYIn general Mafia has a low security risk as it remains relatively undeveloped and unaffected
by tourism and urbanisation. There is almost no chance of any untoward personal harm in
Mafia, due to crime.
Happily Mafia suffers a minimum of the scourges of modern-day life in urban centres such as
Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar Stone Town, where – more than anything else – the traveller is
a target for scams and touts offering anything from money changing to hard drugs. However,
pick-pocketing, bag-snatching and more dramatic forms of robbery do occur and the traveller
is advised to get some good local knowledge on where not to be and what not to photograph.
In other words, apply the normal caution you would in any area that is foreign to you, as you
would going to a new city in Europe or USA.
Passports, cash and cameras are of course the favourite targets. Travellers should not carry
cash and other valuable on their person during daily activities, going to the beach, out on
boats, etc and should always deposit any valuables, including passports and tickets, with
hotel managers.
Some of the lodges have bicycles for their guests’ use. Check our information page for your hotel/lodge or host.
At
Utende you can hire bicycles from Meremeta Lodge.
If you are staying in Kilindoni ask at the market - it won’t take long to find someone ready and willing to hire a bicycle. The best source of information are the tuktuk and bodaboda drivers at the market
The collection of marine organisms whether dead or alive by visitors is prohibited.
All forms of waste disposal are regulated within marine parks & reserves.
Fishing in marine parks is mainly reserved for registered local fishers.
To protect natural ecosystem processes and areas of high species and genetic
diversity;
Users of the marine parks & reserves should avoid all physical contact with reef
organisms, such as corals and sponges. They can be easily damaged.
Fishing in marine parks is mainly reserved for registered local fishers.
All extractive activities are prohibited in marine reserves and core zones.
It is illegal to pick up or possess any marine organisms from a marine protected area
without a valid permit or license.
Visiting the Marine Park
The entrance Service Charge is US$ 20 per day for adults and half for children , To this you must add
the government value added tax of 18%. Currently the only entrance is at Utende and the Gate is
clearly marked with a barrier. Payment must be made by credit card. If you do not have a credit card
you can obtain a “Tembo Card” which is a prepaid card that can be purchased from appointed
agents.