160 km to the south of Zanzibar lies Mafia Island, a
favorite haunt of big games, fishermen and scuba divers. Following the
tradition of Ernest
Hemingway, sports fishermen net the specimens of
King-fish, shark, tunny (one of the biggest along the East African
coast), barracuda, red snapper, dolphin, wahoo, five fingered jack,
fimbo, marlin,
horse mackerel, sailfish and huge rock cod.
Mafia Island, only 45 minutes flight south of Dar es Salaam, is one of
the most exciting big-game fishing and diving location in the world.
Expenses of virtually unfished waters offer a keen
challenge to the
fisherman. They abound with a rich variety of fish of tremendous size
and weight. Many of them being great fighters.
Mafia Island provides a base from which the fisherman may explore the
best potential fishing along the Indian Ocean shelf and round the many
small island of the area. Big game fish caught off Mafia
Island
include marlin, sail-fish, shark tunny (some of the biggest landed
along the eastern African coast), King fish, Barracuda, Red snapper, Rod cod, Dolphin, Horse Mackerel, Wahoo, Five fingered Jack and Fimbo.
Fishing is possible all the year round inside the reef and channel.
Mafia Island Lodge offers first class accommodation, facilities for
under-water diving and "seafaris" along the
coast and neighboring
island.
The rare and exotic dungong breeds in the Mafia channel as does the
giant white turtles which lays its eggs on the smaller islands east of
Mafia during the northeast monsoon. There are ruins of settlements at Ras Kisimani. A 13th century mosque has also been excavated there.
Beach Holidays
Mafia Beach
