Mafia Island

　　Introduction:      Mafia Island is located 10 miles off the coast of Tanzania in Africa and 80 miles south of Zanzibar. While Mafia Island may not have as many white sandy beaches as Zanzibar, it also lacks Zanzibar’s scorching sun and political instability. Surrounded by the Indian Ocean and roughly the size of England’s Isle of Wight, Mafia is part of the Swahili Coast that quickly disappears on the horizon. The island has three hotels, and its main road is so faint it’s almost hidden beneath the sand, resembling a mere track.

　　Compared to the scenery above water, the underwater world of Mafia Island is even more captivating. Chole Bay boasts abundant marine life, especially tropical fish and high-quality coral.

　　Accommodation:     The Pole Pole Resort is the best hotel on Mafia Island (double rooms cost $160 per day, including all three meals). The resort consists of nine cottages with verandas, thatched roofs, and interiors furnished with red teak wood, fine cotton curtains, and linens.

　　Dining:        Numerous Italian-Swahili style restaurants line the waterfront, each offering views of the beach. Don’t expect to find any other types of cuisine here.

　　Details Tip:       Chole Bay is undoubtedly the highlight of Mafia Island, so be sure to bring your diving gear.

　　Transportation:     Fly from London Heathrow Airport with Kenya Airways, connecting through Nairobi and arriving at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (lowest fare: £378); then take a ZanAir flight from Dar es Salaam to Mafia Island (round-trip lowest fare: £70).

　　　　 

　　 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania