Chole Bay

Coral Gardens (Mafia)

Dindini Wall

Jina Pass

Kinasi Pass

Kitutia Reef

Mafia Island Marine Park (Forbes Bay)

Milimani

Mafia Island cuisine centres on fresh seafood from the surrounding marine park waters. Lodge restaurants serve grilled fish, coconut prawns, and octopus curry using catches from local fishermen. The island's fishing community ensures exceptionally fresh seafood prepared with traditional Swahili spice blends. Rice and cassava accompany most meals. Tropical fruits from the island's plantations provide dessert options. The lodge dining experience is intimate and personalised, with chefs preparing meals tailored to guests' preferences. Sundowner drinks on the beach after afternoon dives are a Mafia Island tradition. The focus on sustainability means most seafood is line-caught or hand-collected by local fishermen using traditional methods.

Kinasi Lodge

Pole Pole Resort

Chole Mjini Lodge

Mafia Island Lodge

Mafia Island is Tanzania's premier marine wildlife destination, world-renowned for its seasonal whale shark aggregation in Forbes Bay from October to March when up to 50 individuals gather to feed in plankton-rich waters. The Mafia Island Marine Park protects an extraordinary diversity of habitats including deep channels, coral walls, sheltered lagoons, and mangrove-fringed bays. Kinasi Pass delivers thrilling drift diving with potato cod and manta rays, while Chole Bay offers exceptional macro diving with seahorses, frogfish, and leaf scorpionfish in mangrove-fringed lagoons. Dindini Wall showcases gorgonian-draped vertical formations with reef sharks and turtles. Jina Pass features a manta cleaning station, and Milimani offers deep walls with dolphin pods. The island's low-key atmosphere and focus on marine conservation create an authentic diving experience far from mass tourism. Mafia Island represents the best of Tanzanian diving with reliable whale shark encounters, diverse reef systems, and genuine commitment to marine protection.

Mafia Island

Dry season with calm seas, excellent visibility of 15-35 meters, and comfortable temperatures for all water activities.

Long rainy season with reduced visibility, rough seas, and some dive operators reducing schedules.

Short dry season with generally good conditions and occasional brief rain showers.

Mafia Island is accessed by light aircraft from Dar es Salaam (30 minutes) to Mafia Airport (MFA) near Kilindoni. The island can also be reached by boat from Dar es Salaam (4-5 hours) though flights are the standard access method. Dive transfers are by boat from Kilindoni harbour to the various reef sites around the island. Some lodges offer direct transfers from the airstrip.

Dive Sites in Mafia Island