Mafia Island

Pristine marine park famous for whale shark encounters, untouched reefs and sleepy Swahili villages.

See 1 tour → Plan a custom trip

Country

Tanzania

Region

Pwani Region

Best time

October–March (whale sharks peak Oct–Feb)

About Mafia Island

Mafia lies 160 km south of Zanzibar and 20 km off the Tanzanian mainland. Its marine park is one of the Indian Ocean's best-kept secrets — giant whale sharks gather seasonally in the shallows off Kilindoni between October and March. Add pristine reefs (less damaged than Zanzibar's), historic Swahili ruins at Kua on Juani Island, and no mass tourism.

Highlights

Whale shark snorkelling (Oct–Mar)
Chole Bay coral reefs
Kua Ruins (Juani Island)
Sleepy Swahili fishing villages
Deep-sea sport fishing

Best time to visit

October–March (whale sharks peak Oct–Feb)

Itineraries

Tours that visit Mafia Island

Choose a curated departure or use any of these as a starting point — we'll tailor the itinerary, dates and pace to you.

Photo: Barlky / CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Beach, Coast & Islands Easy

Mafia Island Whale Sharks — 4 Days

Snorkel with gentle 12-metre whale sharks in Chole Bay — October to February only.

✓Return scheduled flights Dar es Salaam ↔ Mafia Island (Kilindoni)
✓3 nights full-board accommodation at beachfront lodge on Chole Bay
✓2 guided whale shark snorkelling excursions by motorised boat (October–February season)

View itinerary →

Book

Browse all tours →