AUTHENTIC TOURS & PERSONALIZED EXCURSIONS AROUND MAFIA WITH AFRICANMECCA

While you could spend your complete outdoor holiday in Mafia Island sunbathing in the powdery white sands or swimming in its azure waters, do take the time to explore its many fascinating treasures. You could go snorkeling in the waters off Chole Bay where you will discover an enchanting underwater world painted by nature’s many vibrant colors. Look closely into the waving fingers of the coral and you will spot many shy marine denizens peeking through them.

Check out the Kirongo Rocks, Utumbe or shallow garden and Milimani, the reef hills. Chole Bay is the superlative spot for diving excursions and has depths from 5 to 24 meters. Beginners and experienced advanced divers can enjoy personalized AfricanMecca diving trips in Mafia under the watchful eyes of an expert divemaster viewing large groupers or tiny invertebrates swimming among the reefs.



If you would like to experience the awesome thrill of swimming with whale sharks, then you should get onboard the Kitu Kiblu dhow, best seen from October to March. In the months from July to October, you could also chance to watch humpback whales following their annual migratory paths to the warm Erythraean Red Sea.

On shore, should you chance to tour Mafia in the months of June through September, you could delight in watching rare species of hatched turtles such as green and hawksbill emerging from their sandy nests and scrambling to the ocean. If history interests you, visit Juani Island that houses the 13th century Kua settlement. Shirazi merchants from Kilwa had set up base here, but today nature has taken over completely. You can reach the island by a short dhow ride.



Tropical vegetation covers the island, and you will find diminutive antelopes, wild pigs, monkeys and many feathered denizens scampering or flitting among the fig trees. The southeast section of the island has a saltwater pool where you can view upside-down jellyfish that fascinatingly have no stings. A picnic on pure white sand banks is another pleasurable activity on your dream trip to Mafia Island.

Every day at low tide, the 600-meters Funguni Sandbank appears and remains accessible by boat for around five-six hours. The receding water leaves behind pools where small creatures abound and you can view tiger cowries, tiny seahorses, crabs and starfish, to name a few. As you laze on the sands sipping drinks and munching on snacks, you might spot coastal birds arriving for meals of their own on the seafood laid out so tantalizingly in the pools.



Take a stroll to Chole Village during where you can interact with the local Swahili people and peek into their way of living. Watch craftsmen fashioning dhows alongside the relaxed pace of several village activities. On Chole Island is the Popo Park, the site set aside for the preservation of the habitat of fruit bats (aka flying foxes). These beautiful, nocturnal avian creatures have distinctive fox-like faces and russet-colored fur. Watch them take to the air in hundreds as the sun sets over the horizon.

To enjoy the spectacular sunsets on the Indian Ocean, you could take a dhow ride around the island. Sip cool cocktails as the ocean breeze caress you while the calls of the seabirds lull you to a dream-like state, the ideal ending to another day on your unforgettable island travel in Tanzania with AfricanMecca. Deep sea fishing is also available in Mafia.

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