Mafia Island and its marine park
Opposite the Rufiji delta, Mafia Island covers 394 km² and became home in 1995 to Tanzania’s first marine park. Whale sharks, humpback whales and turtles are found in its waters.
Key facts
Before you go.
- Starting point
- Dar es Salaam: about a 30-minute flight to KilindoniMafia Island (Wikivoyage)
- GPS coordinates
- -7.85000, 39.78333Mafia Island (Wikipedia)
- Best season
- Whale watching October to February; turtle hatchings June to AugustMafia Island (Wikivoyage)
Good to know
Three things to remember.
The Chole Bay side is the best for diving and snorkelling.
Mafia Island (Wikivoyage)Kilindoni, the main town, has the port, the airstrip and a few simple places to stay.
Mafia Island (Wikivoyage)Near Chole, Jibondo island is famous throughout the Swahili world for its boat-builders.
Mafia Island (Wikivoyage)
Plan the trip
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Sources · 2 pages consulted, with the exact sentence used
- Mafia Island (Wikipedia)
Mafia Island, (394 km2 (152 sq mi)), lies off the east coast of Tanzania opposite the delta of the Rufiji River. The main town on Mafia is Kilindoni on the west coast. […] In 1995, Mafia Island had financial help from the World Wide Fund for Nature to make a natural marine wildlife centre which led to establishment of the first Marine Park in Tanzania. (coordinates -7.85, 39.78333)
- Mafia Island (Wikivoyage)
There is a handful of backpacker 'hotels' in Kilindoni, the main town (the port and airstrip are here). Whale sharks and humpback whales can be found in the waters surrounding Mafia Island, as can turtles […] There are two airlines with regular service from Dar es Salam to Mafia's Kilindoni airport and flights take about 30 minutes. […] The Jibondo people are famous throughout the Swahili-speaking world as boat-builders. […] sea-turtle hatchouts via Sea Sense (Jun-Aug), and Whale Watching (Oct-Feb) […] the Chole Bay side of Mafia is superb for diving and snorkelling.
Opening hours, prices and access conditions change: check them with the official source before you go. Viafro publishes no price without a source and a date.