Mafia Island
From Wikitravel
Mafia Island is in Tanzania.
Mafia Island is often described as Zanzibar 30 years ago, there is some truth in this. No tarmac roads, few hotels, no shops, no atms, and it isn’t geared for mainstream tourism, which is to the good, there aren’t many places these days where you can spend a day on an uninhabited island or have kilometres of beach to yourself.
There are 5 hotels clustered closely together within Chole Bay, the beach here is a busy working beach and most of the hotels have created their own ‘beaches’ by removing mangrove, a handful of backpacker friendly ‘hotelis’ in Kilindoni the main town (the port and airstrip are here). Plus one Lodge on the western side where all the long stretches of deserted beaches are.
It is only a matter of time before Mafia Island becomes the ‘next destination’, already an annual Music Festival is planned, this will take place each August on remote beaches bordered by coconut plantations.
Whale sharks and Humpback Whales can be found in the waters surrounding Mafia Island, as can turtles and so rumour has it so can dugongs.
[edit] Get in
http://www.coastal.cc/mafia.htm http://www.zanair.com/empresa/newsite/index.asp http://www.tropicalair.co.tz/schedule.html
[edit] Get around
There are only a few jeeps owned by the resorts or lodge. You can hire a rickety Land Rover with driver near the market in the centre of Kilindoni. The street are all still murran, so it could be really fun to wonder about walking and get a bit lost along the main street where you will meet all the locals working, interacting, bycycling, playing, etc. If you are more adventurous you can rent a bike from the place you are staying. The price should be anything from 8 to 15usd/day. The most fun whatever is to take a typical sailing boat(dhow) which here do also bus services. They have a wonderful structure all woodmade and usually full of residents with dresses and pots of different bright colors. Almost all diving centers and Lodges will offer you also excursions around the Island.
[edit][add listing] See
Whale sharks, Humpback Whales, Deserted Beaches. Unspoilt reefs.
[edit][add listing] Do
Diving, snorkelling. Some resorts and lodge have dive centres. The only independent one is The Big Blu: http://www.bigblumafia.org
[edit][add listing] Buy
Locally made coconut oil soap http://www.coconut-wood.com/homepage.html
[edit][add listing] Eat
Almost all resort and lodge have their own restaurant and usually the price are Full Board, so it's rare tourists go around to find different places.
[edit][add listing] Drink
You can find whatever you want but if you look for something typical in Tanzania you can drink the coconut water (madafu) (from a real coconut), the soda called Stoney Tangawizi (with ginger taste) and some Tanzanian good beers such as Kilimanjaro. You can also find wines from South Africa.
[edit][add listing] Sleep
Ras Mbisi lodge http://www.mafiaislandtz.com
[edit] Contact
[edit] Get out
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