Mafia Island

Mafia Island, Tanzania is a little known island paradise just to the south of Zanzibar. It is a beautiful Indian Ocean tropical resort that is famous for deep sea fishing and absolutely fantastic for scuba diving. Aquatic life is abundant and the coral gardens are pristine due to the protection of the Mafia Island Marine Park. The reefs around Mafia are home to over 400 species of fish and marine animals. The warm, colorful waters of the park provide an ideal location for many sea activities. Enjoy some of the best snorkeling off the East African coast and explore many coral reefs that are teaming with tropical marine life. The Park is also a paradise for sailing from island to island in native boats. On land, the rich variety of vegetation is dominated by large palm groves. In some areas baobab trees dot the typical African savannah. There are also fruit trees in many areas, mainly mango and cashew trees.

Mafia is also famous as breeding grounds for sea turtles, which come up to lay their eggs on the white coral sand beaches. Important nesting sites are to be found on the uninhabited islands of Shungumbili, Barakuni and Nyororo.

The archipelago's wildlife is extremely varied, with monkeys, small antelopes, wild pigs, lemurs, as well as a small colony of dwarf hippopotamuses. Migration patterns bring countless types of birds to the island at various time of year. Fish eagles and falcons build nests on both the small and larger islands.