A Mafia Island holiday is ideal for nature lovers. Guests enjoy, snorkelling, diving, 4x4 and sea excursions to deserted islands, beaches and sand banks - also seeing wildlife and ancient ruins. Mafia Island is unspoilt and timeless. Whale sharks visit the shores between October and March.
Chole Bay in the Mafia Island Marine Park is a dream African Island getaway. Guests at Pole Pole Resort in Tanzania do not have to be experts to enjoy the underwater splendours of the bay where snorkelling is a delight in the beautiful coral gardens. This area is protected from seasonal winds which affect other Tanzanian dive sites.
There is a PADI diving centre for beginners and more experienced divers with expert tuition and equipment handling. Almost all of Mafia’s top diving is at depths of less than 30 metres. Night dives and dive safaris to various exciting sites are offered. The resort and dive centre are closed in April and May due to heavy Monsoon rains.
Sailing on the bay, chartered fishing trips, sunset cruises and boat trips to visit local villages can also be enjoyed at Pole Pole Resort in Tanzania. Organisers at the resort choose the best spots for a daily boat excursion and romantic picnic in places often revealed by the tide.
Other excursions include 4x4 trips and short bush or forest walks to secret beaches, a ruined city and a stunning blue lagoon. Lunches and snorkelling opportunities are included in some outings. Guests can also travel to the lighthouse on the northern tip of the Island, following a most scenic route through changing landscapes - at certain times of the year a mysterious colony of “dwarf hippos” can be seen in this area.
Mafia Island can form part of an Island hopping itinerary or be the perfect stopover after a wilderness safari on the mainland.
Activities at a glance:
- Library, card and board games
- Massage centre (including manicure / pedicure) on site
- Snorkelling
- Diving
- Fishing
- Sailing and sundowner cruises
- Land excursions on foot and by 4x4
- Boat excursions in Chole Bay and off shore
