The Mystique Hidden Islands of Tanzania – The Mafia Islands
An ideal gateway for those that wish to discover the last remaining unspoilt islands of the world is Mafia Island that is located off the delta of the Rufiji Islands in the southern region of Tanzania. This island is 120 km from the city of Dar es Salaan in Tanzania and its one of the six districts of Pwani Region in Tanzania.
Mafia Island’s economy is based on fishing and subsistence agriculture, although fishing is restricted in the south of the island within the boundaries of the Mafia National Marine Park. Mafia has a long history that dates back to the 18th century when the island played a significant role as a trading centre for the Persians and the East Africans.
Arabs and Persians would make regular stops on this island when they moved across the coastal waters from the Gulf to Madagascar and Mozambique. The island of Mafia consists of one huge island and other smaller ones. Mafia Island is a huge attraction to scuba divers and light sport fishermen.
Chole Bay, Mafia’s protected deep-water anchorage and the original harbour, is studded with islands and beaches. The refreshingly clear protected waters provide wonderful snorkeling, sailing and swimming. Chole island excursion is packed with numerous ancient ruins and it is a good starting point for Mafia Island tours.
The horseshoe-shaped Chole Bay is an ideal site for snorkeling, underwater photography, and scuba diving. The Mafia National Marine park, which Chole bay is part of, extends to Kinasi Pass Wall. Kinasi Pass is a sheltered reef comprising several species of hard and soft corals. The reef supports a wide variety of marine life.
Some Mafia Island residents who identify themselves as Washirazi or Wamberwa, and found throughout the island especially in the North, claim to be the Island’s earliest inhabitants. You will also find the Wapokomo in the North, while in the South are small numbers of people of Arab descent, ‘Indian traders’, and Europeans in the tourism industry and aid projects. Ethnic identity keeps shifting as a result of population movements, and changing historical circumstances and contexts.
Kiswahili is the island’s main language, although the locals have their own dialect called Kingome. Mafia is little changed from ancient times and it retains a traditional and friendly culture. The community tourism association works hard to preserve the island. Chole Bay and its surrounding forests and islands are now within the protected Mafia Island Marine Park that is supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Sports fishing and birdwatching are some other interesting activities in Mafia Island. Equally interesting are visits to the villages, traditional boat-building yards, archaeological sites, coastal forests, and coconut plantations. If you are a diver, the period between October and March is the best season for diving. Mafia Island receives two rain seasons: the short rains between October and Mid-December, and the long rains from March to April. The Island is accessible both by road and air throughout the year from Arusha and Dar es Salaam.