things to do in Mafia Island Marine Park

"Many people visit Mafia purely for its diving, which is considered by some to be the best anywhere in East Africa. It’s easy to dive two sites outside the bay on a single outing and the hour-long trip out and back again can also be great for sunbathing, sailing and dolphin-spotting," writes Jean de Villiers.

The warm, clear, tropical waters surrounding Mafia Island on the coast of Tanzania offer both new and master divers a memorable scuba diving experience. In fact, rumour has it that the best diving in Africa is found in the Mafia Island Marine Park. Some divers even claim it is better than diving the Great Barrier Reef! Still, when choosing a diving destination, many divers are unaware of this and instead flock in their numbers to a diving experience in the more well-known waters of Zanzibar.

Turtle hatching season will start in June and soon the beautiful coast of Tanzania will be filled with thousands of little newcomers. This reminded me of my first magical encounter with a turtle hatchling on the east coast beaches - the neighbouring JUANI island.

It is a great outing with boat ride (30 mins) and walk (40 mins) through coastal forest to get there.

Swimming with the largest fish on earth has become a bucket list item for many. Thousands of people travel all over the world every year, chasing the various whale shark seasons, to get the opportunity to swim with these gentle giants as they migrate to shallower waters to feed.