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Mafia Island

Mafia Island - Tanzania Beach Holidays

Mafia Island (“Chole Shamba”) – is renowned as an excellent world-class diving destination with some of the richest reefs in the world, The park covers the Southern part of Mafia Island and includes the inhabited islands of Chole, Juani Jibondo and Bwejuu and several uninhabited islets and the associated waters.

Mafia Island and its chain of small islets lie approximately 120 km south of Dar es Salaam and 20 km offshore from the eastern extent of the Rufiji is one of the largest delta systems in Africa. To the east of Mafia Island is the Indian Ocean. The main island of Mafia is about 48 km long and 17 km wide at its widest point. Several smaller islands and islets are scattered to the west and south.

Mafia Island marine Park (MIMP) consists of eight small reserves along the Tanzanian coast under the Fisheries (Marine Reserves) Regulations of 1975, two of these are in what is now the Mafia Island marine Park (MIMP), namely Chole Bay and Kitutia Reef.

The marine park area at Mafia Island extends across some 822km2, more than 75% of it below the high water mark. The area hosts an outstanding mosaic of tropical marine habitats including coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves and inter-tidal flats. In addition a remnant block of threatened lowland coastal forest survives along the eastern seaboard of the island, roughly half of it within the marine park boundary. Two species of sea turtle use Mafia’s beaches as nesting grounds and the area has been recognized internationally as a critical site for biodiversity. Several sites of historic ruins lie within the marine park area, some dating back to the C 13th. Mafia Island’s separation from the mainland and its freedom from industrial development have ensured that its surrounding waters are some of the least contaminated in Tanzania. The marine park area has national importance as one of the few remaining reef complexes within Tanzania’s coastal waters in relatively intact condition.

With the Rufiji River Delta on the western mainland of Tanzania and the expansive Indian Ocean on the east, Mafia Island has the distinction of hosting an incredible diversity of aquatic life, both flora, and fauna. The tepid, sheltered waters of the horseshoe-shaped bay are a superb habitat for an unbroken line of coral reef that houses an astonishing 460 species of fish. This reef runs from Kifinge (Forbes Bay) on the north to Tutia in the south. On shore, the coast is rich with forests of fruit trees, mangroves, baobabs and palms that in turn host bushbabies, wild pigs, small antelopes, monkeys and interestingly, small numbers of hippos, and also varied tropical birds. When vacationing on Mafia Island with BookmySafary.com, you could explore the first marine park of Tanzania, the Mafia Island Marine Park, that is spread over an area of 317 square miles (822 square kilometers). Or spend time on the stunning pristine white beaches washed by the crystal azure waters of the Indian Ocean. Accessible from mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar Island, Mafia features in historical accounts of the 8th century that speak of the island being used as a stopover by traders plying routes between Kilwa and Zanzibar, and all the way to Madagascar and Mozambique. The Omani merchants called it “Morfiyeh,” meaning “collection” in relation to the archipelago while the Swahili dubbed it “mahali pa afya” meaning “a healthy abode.” The present day term, Mafia is a derivative of these names. This little island has not changed much over the centuries and as you will see on your exploratory trip to East Africa, even today its casual, relaxed atmosphere is preserved by ardent community efforts. They have also preserved remnants of that primeval era, and there are distinct archeological sites you can check out.

Another trace of its interesting history is the dhow-building industry and the boat yards that you can visit when touring Mafia Island. Here you can watch as dhows are built by hand from the naturally occurring wood on the island. Most of the islanders still ply their ancient trade of fishing and grow crops of coconuts, rice, cassava, pigeon peas, pineapples, cashew nuts, mangoes, beans, paw-paw and many more. Weaving baskets and mats are other common trades. You will be touched by their friendly demeanor and the obvious pleasure with which they welcome guests holidaying in this part of eastern Tanzania. Join them on fishing trips around Mafia and in the deep waters channels of Lindi to Rufiji Delta, Njovi and Nyuni Islands, Songo Songo Islands and many more. Or go snorkeling and scuba diving in Chole Bay, that along with the outlying forests, beaches and isles all form part of the marine park. Bird lovers will find the island a sheer delight as they revel in countless, unusual bird sightings. Mafia is a part of Tanzania that comprises of the three main islands – Pemba, Zanzibar, Mafia and many other smaller islands; though, Pemba and Zanzibar are part of an independent governing institution. Mafia is the southernmost island that affords BookmySafary.com guests with a superlative, discerning castaway location to spend an off-beat seaside holiday in Africa where there are few other visitors and a tranquil, serene ambience with breathtaking vistas.

Marinelife

The sea around Mafia Island hosts an outstanding mosaic of tropical marine habitat including coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves, inter-tidal flats reef flats, lagoons and coastal forest. These are nesting sites for Green and Hawksbill turtles while Leatherback, Olive Ridlely and Loggerhead also occur in Mafia. Sharks, barracuda, grouper, needlefish, moray eels and triggerfish are also prominent in these waters. Also Torpedo-shaped and robust yellow-fin tuna, cobia manta rays and sting rays, swordfish, black marlins and wahoo are Mafia Island wildlife seen in the Marine Park.

Birds of the Mafia Archipelago

Bird watching while in Mafia adds a very interesting dimension to a Tanzania wildlife safari, as the visitor will see many species of shorebird, including migrants such as the Crab Plover, and other species found only in coastal thickets and mangroves and not observed in the inland National Parks and Reserves.

Village Walk and Bird-watching

Visit the village and surrounding farmlands where you can see rice-growing, cassava, beans, sweet potato and many fruit such as coconuts, papaya, bananas, pineapples, custard apples, jackfruit, mangoes, guavas, This can also be a bird walk as many of the interesting birds are busy harassing the farmers’ crops or are more easily seen in the open farmlands. The visitor will see many spectacular rollers (Lilac-breasted) and bee-eaters (White- cheeked) between Kilindoni and Kinasi, and there are five species of sunbird in the Kinasi gardens. The black or white Dimorphic Heron is the common species at roosts in Chole Bay.

Climate

Temperatures are mild, even when we speak of the “hot” season, as the temperature in Mafia rarely exceeds 30°C. It is the humidity level that often causes visitors to feel they are hot, especially when the breeze drops and it is very calm. Mafia has a relatively dry tropical climate with approximately 1,800 mm of rain each year divided into two seasons of “long” rains in late March-May and “short” rains in November-early December.

East Africa has well-defined seasons divided into the “kusi” South-East monsoon from June through August, followed by a lull when September and October have stunning weather. The kusi can be short-lived but is usually six weeks through July and sometimes into August. This builds to the short rains in November (“vuli”) that do not interfere much with activities and excursions as rain squalls are short and clear quickly. December to March is the “kaskazi”, when winds can be strong from the North-East but by mid-January these are usually over and the “hot season” runs through February and March to the long rains in April and May (“masika”).

The whale shark visitor season is usually October through March, inclusive and may begin with the first sightings in September. Here, the season to swim with them is the longest in the world. During these months, the kaskazi (north monsoon wind) pushes the water’s surface layer, full of plankton fed by the sun and nutrient-rich Rufiji River silt, towards the island, trapping it against the west coast. Why they disappear from view is not understood and studies are ongoing to learn more about these amazing sharks. Currently it is thought they may be feeding in deeper water but long-distance migration also takes place as some of the identified sharks are not seen for several years but have been identified by their tags in other locations such as the Seychelles.

The turtle-hatching season runs from June through September inclusive and is an extraordinary experience. All known nests are recorded and opened on specific days when eggs are due to hatch. This hands-on management ensures more success for hatch-lings and recovery of once-threatened populations.

Art & Culture

The Submerged Ancient City of Kisimani Mafia

The Mafia Archipelago (its name is said to come from the Arabic word morfiyeh, which means “archipelago”) consists of several islands and atolls, the largest of which is Mafia Island itself. Mafia Island is a nearly undiscovered alternative to Zanzibar, with similar picture-perfect beaches and diverse marine life, but without the crowds of tourists. Its history can be traced back to the 8th century, when boats would stop to refuel and repair along the lucrative coastal trade route. This legacy is evident in the crumbling ruins of a former town called Kua, which include a mosque and un-excavated Chinese and Persian pottery. South of the island is the submerged town of Kisimani Mafia, which was destroyed and submerged by an 1872 cyclone and has yet to be fully excavated. A protected marine preserve encompasses the islands and reefs, making this region is a diver’s paradise.

What To Eat

The culinary delight of Tanzania gets a lift when you leave the terrain for the coasts as the flavors of the Middle East and India blended with the new deliver of Tanzania to prepare some luxurious treats. There is Pilau Rice where rice and meat and flavors are altogether consolidated and cooked together and Biriyani which is a comparative dish with the main variety being rice and meats are cooked independently and afterward blended to smack on. Octopus Curry (mchuziwapweza) cooked in coconut gravy,nyamachoma (flame broiled meat/angle), Mishkaki produced using hamburger, goat, chicken, or fish, Mandazi(Swahili donut) are only one the numerous culinary delights that you get the chance to relieve your taste buds on.

Things To Do

Activities and Things to do on Mafia Island:

  • Diving
  • Snorkeling
  • Fishing Safari – Deep Sea Fishing
  • Kayaking & Sea – Trekking
  • Shark & Whale Watching
  • Turtle Watching
  • Bird Watching
  • Road Trips & Cultural Tours
  • Sand – Banking & Beach Picnic
  • Island Hopping & Boat Excursions
  • Wander Kilindoni market

Places To Visit

Mafia Island Marine Park

Mafia Island Marine Park is a protected marine nature reserve around Mafia Island, in the Indian Ocean southeast of Zanzibar Island. It is located in the Pwani Region jurisdiction of Tanzania.

Kilindoni

Whale shark and fishing

Utende

Beach and scuba diving

Chole Bay

Snorkeling, whale shark and scuba diving

Ras Kisimani is the far western cape of the main island, facing the Rufiji Delta. Kisimani Mafia, just north-east of the Cape is KiSwahili for “the place of the well”. An old town dating to the 12th Century has been drowned by rising sea levels and a collapsing foreshore for over 100 years. The Kinasi library contains a full account of the archaeology of these ruins, once the most important town on Mafia, especially from the 12th to 14th Centuries. It was founded by Bashat, one of the sons of the first Sultan of Kilwa, and extended the control of the Sultan to Mafia. The power and wealth of the Sultan of Kilwa was based upon gold, ivory and customs tariffs on all goods traded on the southern coast. In its time it was far more important the Zanzibar but its economic influence waned upon the arrival of the Portuguese at the end of the 15th Century. There is little left of the town now, but visitors can easily find many beautiful potsherds and coins in the ruins and on the beautiful palm-fringed beach. The circular rock weights used to confine slaves at night can also be found here. Due to erosion the old well from which the town took its name now stands on the beach. The whole area is now a protected core zone of the Mafia Island Marine Park.

Bwejuu Island sits between Ras Kisimani and the Rufiji Delta and is a sand-fringed, palm-covered island surrounded by sand bars and snorkelling reefs. These are all-day excursions by boat from Kilindoni for beach-lovers and those looking for a castaway experience. Beautiful beaches and fabulous swimming along the edge of the Ras Kisimani point and off the reefs and sand bars of Bwejuu.

The Lighthouse at Ras Mkumbi : 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. There are magnificent baobabs in the north of Mafia, especially at Ras Mkumbi (the northern tip of the island, just beyond Bweni village.

Jibondo is Mafia best-known fishing village. The island is about 30 minutes away by boat. Over-fishing resulted in a decline in shark populations but the people still harvest a great deal of octopus. Seaweed farming is becoming an important business. The Jibondo people are famous throughout the Swahili-speaking world as boat-builders.Unlike Chole, Jibondo island is almost entirely coral rock (ancient Porites coral) so no crops can grow in the shallow soil. There is always a water shortage and many of the younger people spend a great deal of time carrying water from sources on the main island.

Mafia island is one of best beach holiday destinations in East Africa, have pristine white sand, diving, sport fishing and snorkelling. Beach holidays is extension of kilimanjaro climbing adventure and wildlife safari tours

Best Time To Vist

When going on holiday to Tanzania the chances are the aim of the trip is to either go for a safari, or to the beach or both. As a general rule of thumb, the best time to be in Tanzania at the beach is in the dry season from July – October when the weather is dry and sunny. This is the only time of year which is pretty much guaranteed not to rain. There are short rains in November (which sometimes trickle through into December, January and March) before the long rains which come in April and May.

With Mafia Island, things can be a little different though… As the beaches are not the best on Mafia Island and can be pretty mangrove-heavy, most people are attracted to the island not for relaxation and sunshine, but to go for some of the world’s best diving, oh, and also to catch a glimpse of the mighty Whale Sharks. Whale Shark season is generally from October until March so we would advise to not think to much about the rainfall if this is your main priority. If you are looking to combine Mafia with some time on Zanzibar though, we would suggest February as there is significantly less rainy days here than in the other months. October is also similar, though if your priority is the whale sharks then February is more into high season so we would suggest picking this over October if you want to minimize rain chances and maximize your underwater experience.

The excellent visitor periods are August-October inclusive and early December-mid-March inclusive.

How to go

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.

Mafia has daily domestic flight connections to all of Tanzania’s far-flung safari destinations so logistics are now easy and we make sure they are trouble-free by monitoring the services we offer to each of our guests and helping along the way.

The easiest way to get to Mafia Island is on a plane. Coastal Aviation and Auric Air both offer multiple daily flights from Dar es Salaam, which take approximately 30 minutes. Budget travelers can also opt to travel to Mafia by ferry. There is only one, which departs from Nyamisati village on the mainland and leaves at 4 a.m. It takes around four hours and costs only 16,000 Tanzanian shillings (around US$7). However, the ferry is notoriously overcrowded and poorly maintained, and there have been several capsizing incidents making flying the safer option.

Once you get to Mafia, you can explore the island on local shared taxis known as dalla-dallas. These connect Kilindoni (where the airport and the port are located) with both Utende and Bweni. The trip to Utende takes 30 minutes and costs 1,000 Tanzanian shillings while the trip to Bweni takes between four and five hours and costs 4,000 Tanzanian shillings. You can also get around by tuk-tuk or rental bicycle. Most resorts include transfers from Kilindoni, and hotels and dive centers in Utende are usually able to arrange boat trips to Chole and Juani islands.