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Pristine reefs in a remote location

Mafia Island diving holidays, with the Tanzania experts.

Diving Holidays In Mafia IslandMafia Island is the largest of a small archipelago on the coast of southern Tanzania in the Indian Ocean.

Best Time To Go
5★ on Google — 190+ reviews Every hotel personally vetted by us ATOL & TTA — 100% protected
Pristine reefs in a remote location Best as part of a wider Africa tour or safari Authentic uncommercial Tanzania
When to go

The Mafia Island season at a glance

The strongest, most reliable dive months are highlighted below — based on our own time on the water here, not guesswork.

JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Best dive season Good dive season Quieter months
Why you'll love Mafia Island

Why you'll love diving in Mafia Island!

Diving Holidays In Mafia Island

Mafia Island is the largest of a small archipelago on the coast of southern Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. Mafia Island is only 50 km long and 15 km wide, surrounded by a beautiful marine environment. Almost half the coastline is fringing barrier reefs, forming a protected marine park. The main attraction of a diving holiday to Mafia Island is its feeling of remoteness combined with stunning beaches and incredible marine life. Life on Mafia seems to have stood still, while the rest of the world races, making it feel like you are in the early 20th century. One advantage that Mafia has over it'e better-known sister islands of Zanzibar and Pemba Island is that the main dive sites, especially around Chole Bay, are accessible all year round.

The Diving On Mafia Island

Mafia Island and its reefs are renowned as an excellent diving destination with an unparalleled variety of hard and soft corals and diverse tropical fish. There is a good range of dive sites with shallow reefs of immense beauty and richness, bommies, channels, walls and caves, drift and night dives. You can occasionally see manta and whale sharks here, but you must be lucky. Although there are better world-class dive destinations in terms of visibility and pelagics a diving holiday to Mafia Island is very special with each dive making you feel like you are discovering new dive sites each time.



DIVE SITES ON MAFIA ISLAND

Belami Reef: A shallow dive to 17m, there are many isolated coral heads and a profusion of small tropical fish.

Kinasi Pass Wall: This site has walls and drop-offs down to 22m. The marine life is impressive with large numbers of grouper, stingray and game fish. Reef sharks and tiger sharks can be seen as well as a profusion of smaller fish.

Sefo Reef: Situated far out to sea in the Mafia Channel, this site haunts many large game fish. The reef is in pristine condition but the site is not dived much due to its accessibility. However, for those with time, this is a great dive experience.

Kaule Reef: Good for night dives due to the profusion of lobster found here, this is a shallow dive to 18m. Turtles are often seen and there is a good variety of coral.

Chole Bay: The wonderful Chole Bay is probably the most outstanding part of Mafia Island Marine Park’s marine environment. It is a vast circular bay of over 50 sq km with a depth varying from 1 to 28 metres and a tremendous variety of coral, fish and other marine species. An important feature of Chole Bay is that the water is continuously exchanged as fresh ocean water flushes in through Kinasi Pass every flood tide.
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We've dived every spot and stayed in every hotel we sell in Tanzania. Tell us your dates and level — we'll tell you honestly whether Mafia Island is your best match.

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Is it right for your level?

Skill level match

How well Mafia Island suits each stage of your dive journey.

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Our top suggested tailor-made tours

Dive, plus everything else you'd hate to miss

Combine your Mafia Island stay with everything else worth travelling for — every tour built around your dates, level and budget.

Suggested tour Mount Meru Climb + 3 night Safari

Mount Meru Climb + 3 night Safari

From £5,900 pp

Start with the drama of a Mount Meru climb, trekking through dense forest and open moorland to reach the summit at sunrise, with vast views stretching across northern Tanzania towards Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s a real adventure — wild, rewarding and far less crowded — offering a true sense of achievement at the start of your journey. From there, fly into the heart of the Serengeti National Park for a three-night luxury safari. Stay in an intimate tented camp or boutique lodge, where expert guides, beautifully prepared food and elegant surroundings combine with world-class wildlife viewing. Early morning and late afternoon game drives bring you close to lion, elephant and, depending on the season, the Great Migration, while afternoons are for relaxing with sweeping plains stretching endlessly before you.Then finish by the ocean, either in Zanzibar or along the Kenyan coast or islands, where the focus shifts entirely to your chosen ocean sport. Whether that’s kitesurfing, diving, snorkelling or wingfoiling, this final chapter is all about warm water, steady wind or clear reefs — pure, active beach living to round off an extraordinary summit-to-savannah-to-sea journey.

Discover this tour →
Suggested tour 7 nights Tanzania Safari + Zanzibar

7 nights Tanzania Safari + Zanzibar

From £6,900 pp

This privately guided Tanzania safari is a perfectly paced journey through the country’s most iconic wildlife regions, from the elephant-filled landscapes of Tarangire and the scenic Ngorongoro Highlands to the predator-rich heart of the Serengeti and the remote northern plains near the Mara River. Outstanding game viewing, dramatic scenery and an authentic safari feel, with intimate tented camps and expert guiding throughout. It combines seamlessly with a week in Zanzibar, creating the ideal bush-and-beach experience. After the excitement of daily game drives, Zanzibar offers a complete change of pace with white-sand beaches, warm Indian Ocean waters, excellent snorkelling, diving, Wingfoiling or Kitesurfing. The contrast between wild safari adventure and effortless beach downtime makes this a beautifully balanced and memorable holiday.

Discover this tour →
Suggested tour Tarangire and Serengeti Luxury Experience

Tarangire and Serengeti Luxury Experience

From £5,900 pp

A fusion of sublime safari lodges and explorer-style tented safari camps creating the ultimate circuit through northern Tanzania. Embark on a safari that's truly out of the ordinary — one where refined comfort meets a strong conservation ethos, and where unscripted adventure is complemented by an unhurried pace and completely bespoke service. It provides the very best that northern Tanzania has to offer. With access to large tracts of unspoiled wilderness, a dedicated vehicle and a private guide, you have complete freedom to follow where nature leads and curate your experience to your own preferences. Prepare for an inspired journey that's purely personal and utterly unequalled. True. Wild. Free.

Discover this tour →
Only the best, hand-picked

Recommended hotels in Mafia Island

We've stayed in them, walked the beaches and checked the dive logistics — these are the ones we'd book ourselves.

★★★★ 4* Pole Pole Bungalow, Mafia Island From £436/night · full board

Pole Pole Bungalow

  • A remote divers paradise away from mass tourism
  • Set in a marine park, with Whale Sharks from May to October
  • Brand-new Jua Sea View Suites for 2025, with private plunge pool & stunning views
Hidden Escape
Discover this hotel →
Beyond Mafia Island

Want to explore the rest of Tanzania?

Our top recommended hotels across Tanzania — on and off the water — perfect to weave into a tailor-made tour with your Mafia Island stay.

★★★★★ Marataba Private Luxury Safari Lodge, Marakele National Park Around £1,250/night

Marataba Private Luxury Safari Lodge

Marakele National Park Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ LION SANDS GAME RESERVE, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve Around £950/night

Lion Sands Game Reserve

Sabi Sand Nature Reserve Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Nyasi Migrational Camp, Northern Serengeti

Nyasi Migrational Camp

Northern Serengeti Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Stanley and Livingstone Boutique Hotel, Victoria Falls Around £450/night

Stanley And Livingstone Boutique Hotel

Victoria Falls Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Matetsi Luxury River Lodge, Victoria Falls Around £840/night

Matetsi Luxury River Lodge

Victoria Falls Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Lemala Ngorongoro, Ngorongoro Around £1,065/night

Lemala Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Zanzibar Serena Inn, Stone Town

Zanzibar Serena Inn

Stone Town Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Dhow Palace Hotel, Stone Town

Dhow Palace Hotel

Stone Town Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Singita Faru Faru Lodges, Tanzania Wildlife Reserve

Singita Faru Faru Lodges

Tanzania Wildlife Reserve Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Singita Sasakwa Lodges, Tanzania Wildlife Reserve

Singita Sasakwa Lodges

Tanzania Wildlife Reserve Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Angata Tarangire Camp -  Tarangire National Park, Tarangire Around £800/night

Angata Tarangire Camp - Tarangire National Park

Tarangire Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Lemala Ndutu Tented Camp, The Serengeti National Park Around £1,000/night

Lemala Ndutu Tented Camp

The Serengeti National Park Discover this hotel →
★★★ Mount Meru Climb, Mount Meru Around £1,400/night

Mount Meru Climb

Mount Meru Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Mnemba Island Lodges, Mnemba Island

Mnemba Island Lodges

Mnemba Island Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Gibb’s Farm, Karatu, Ngorongoro Around £1,000/night

Gibb’s Farm, Karatu

Ngorongoro Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Olakira Migration Camp, Northern Serengeti, Northern Serengeti Around £2,000/night

Olakira Migration Camp, Northern Serengeti

Northern Serengeti Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Park Hyatt Zanzibar, Stone Town Around £250/night

Park Hyatt Zanzibar

Stone Town Discover this hotel →
★★★★★ Oliver’s Camp, Tarangire Around £1,500/night

Oliver’s Camp

Tarangire Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Kisiwa House Stone Town, Stone Town

Kisiwa House Stone Town

Stone Town Discover this hotel →
★★★★ Azura Selous, Tanzania

Azura Selous

Tanzania Discover this hotel →
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