While Zanzibar has become a popular tourist destination, Mafia Island is considerably less well known. The island is only 160 km south of Zanzibar and is about 50 km long and 15 km wide. Mafia is surrounded by a barrier reef and teems with marine life.
The vegetation on Mafia varies from mangrove trees to rainforest. In the central parts of the island you will find a series of reed-fringed lakes where a number of small hippos have settled. Other animals on the island are flying foxes, several different species of monkeys and lizards. If you like watching birds, you have come to the right place, at Mafia you will find about 120 different species of birds and also a large number of butterflies.
About the diving around the Mafia
Protected marine park since 1996
Visibility of 25-30 meters
Whale sharks
Mafia's archipelago consists of one large and several small islands, all with an incredible number of animal species with everything from the small butterfly to the graceful collared flying dog. Below the surface you find yourself in one of the largest marine ecosystems in the Indian Ocean. Areas became a protected marine park in 1996 and have a very healthy and varied coral reef system. The water maintains an average temperature of 26 degrees and the visibility is 25-30 meters. To date, over 50 species of coral, more than 460 species of fish and up to five different species of turtles have been recorded in the waters around Chole Bay.
The whale shark season starts in October and lasts until March, which means great chances for exciting encounters with the sea's largest fish. The best chance to see a whale shark is on the west side of the island.
