TANZANIA: Mafia Island A Hidden Gem In The Indian Ocean,Tanzania's Best Kept Secret With No Tarmac Roads, Shops, ATMs,Though Credit Cards Are Accepted.

Mafia Island off the coast of Tanzania must be one of the Indian Ocean's most hidden gem.

Mafia Island or Chole Shamba is part of the Tanzanian Zanzibar Archipelago, together with Unguja, Pemba and Latham Island.

As one of the six districts of the Pwani Region, Mafia Island is governed from the mainland, not from the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, of which it has never been considered to be a part politically.

According to the 2002 Tanzania census, the population of the Mafia District was 40,801.

The economy is based on fishing, subsistence agriculture and the market in Kilindoni.

The island attracts some tourists, mainly adventure scuba divers, game fishermen, and people wanting relaxation.

The Mafia archipelago consists of one large island (394 km²) and several smaller ones.

Some of the smaller ones are inhabited, such as Chole Island (2 km²), with a population of 1415.

Chole Bay, Mafia's protected deep-water anchorage and original harbour, is studded with islands, sandbanks and beaches.

The main town is Kilindoni. The stretch of water between the deltas of the Rufiji River and the island is called Mafia Channel.

The popular rumours of pygmy hippo on the island were confirmed by the Tanzania Tourist Board in 2013 because of the first documented sighting by two tourists.

Mafia island has a tropical climate. The average temperature in town of Kilindoni is 26.7°C (78°F). The average annual rainfall is 1,705 mm.

The monthly average temperatures are usually between 24.8 - 28.3°C (77°F - 83°F). There is one major rain season, with most rainfall coming between March and May. Dry season spans between July to October.

Mafia Island's history goes back to the 8th century. The island once played a major role in ancient trade between the people of the East Asia and East Africa.

It was a regular stop for Arab boats. On the tiny island of Chole Mjini, just offshore in Chole Bay, once stood a settlement that constituted one of the most important towns controlling trade from the silver mines of Eastern Zimbabwe, which reached the town via the old ports of Kilwa and Michangani.

In the mid-1820s, the town of Kua on Juani Island was attacked by Sakalava cannibals arriving from Madagascar with 80 canoes, who ate many of the locals and took the rest into slavery.

Under a treaty of 1890, Germany took control of Mafia and constructed the buildings still evident on Chole.

Germany paid Sultan Sayyid Ali bin Said al-Said of Zanzibar M 4 million for both the island and part of the mainland coast.

On January 12, 1915, Mafia was taken by British troops as a base for the air and sea assault on the light cruiser Konigsberg.

The name Mafia derives from the Arabic morfiyeh, meaning group or archipelago, or from the Swahili mahali pa afya, meaning a healthy dwelling-place.

In 1995 Mafia Island had financial help from the WWF to make a natural marine wildlife centre which led to establishment of the first Marine Park in Tanzania.

The organization continued to provide support to the Island under Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa,RUMAKI seascape project to improve socio-economic well-being of the communities through the sustainable, participatory and equitable utilization and protection of their natural resources.

Under the current EU-WWF Fisheries Co-management Project, the organization aims at building effective long-term fisheries co-management through establishment of 10 Beach Management Units.

To continue supporting Village Community Banks (VICOBA) in the Island to generate optimal, sustainable and equitable livelihood benefits, and which provide a source of lesson-learning for other coastal communities.

The WWF Mafia office is under three technical staff, Paul Kugopya - Mafia Fisheries Co-management Officer, Marko Gideon - EU-WWF Fisheries Co-management Project Communication/Awareness Officer and Renatus Rwamugira - Project Accountant for Mafia.

Tanzania's first multi-user marine park at Mafia Island was established in 1995 following management recommendations and data from surveys conducted by the Society for Environmental Exploration.

In August 2016, a diver, Alan Sutton, from Seaunseen, who had originally been looking for the remains of an old fort rumoured to have been washed away to sea, but instead he came across the remains of a wall stretching almost 4km off Mafia Island.

The discovery was detailed in a blog post by Sutton, with images showing remnants of the wall.

The island can be reached from Dar es Salaam by flights operated by Auric Air and Coastal Aviation.

The Mafia District is divided into seven administrative wards:

- Baleni

- Jibondo

- Kanga

- Kilindoni

- Kirongwe

- Kiegeani

- Mibulani

- Mafia Island

With white sandy beaches, dazzling aquamarine waters and refreshingly few tourists, Mafia is often described as Zanzibar 30 years ago.

A laid-back eco-alternative with no tarmac roads, few hotels, no shops, no ATMs though credit cards are accepted at the up-market lodges which is not geared for mainstream tourism.

Be aware, if you want fancy shops and a wild night-life, Mafia isn’t for you.

There are six lodges on Mafia, five - Chole Mjini , Kinasi Lodge , Mafia , Pole Pole and Shamba Kilole clustered closely together within Chole Bay and one, the Ras Mbisi Lodge, on the western side of the island.

Additionally there are a handful of backpacker friendly hotelis in Kilindoni, the main town, The port and airstrip are found here.

Hopefully Mafia Island will not become the next destination but remain an eco-friendly niche.

Currently there are about 3000 to 4000 over-night stays annually on the island. However an annual Mafia Dance Festival is planned and will take place each August on remote beaches bordered by coconut plantations.

Whale sharks and Humpback Whales can be found in the waters surrounding Mafia Island, as can turtles and so rumor has it so can dugongs.

There are two airlines with regular service from Dar es Salam to Mafia's Kilindoni airport and flights take about 30 minutes.

Coastal Aviation - operates two daily flights from Dar es Salaam and one on-demand from Kilwa, their largest plane is a 13-seated Cessna; flight costs starting from USD 71/person.

Tropical Air - based in Zanzibar, flights to Mafia originate in Dar es Salam.

Auric Air - operates flights to Mafia three times a week, flight costs starting from USD 69/person.

There are only a few jeeps owned by the resorts or lodge. You can hire a rickety Land Rover with driver near the market in the center of Kilindoni.

The street are all still murram, so it could be really fun to wonder about walking and get a bit lost along the main street where you will meet all the locals working, interacting, bicycling, playing, etc.

If you are more adventurous you can rent a bike from the place you are staying. The price should be anything from 8 to 15usd/day.

The most fun whatever is to take a typical sailing boat or dhow which do bus services. They have a wonderful structure all wood made and usually full of residents with dresses and pots of different bright colors.

Almost all diving centers and Lodges will offer you also excursions around the Island.

Ras Kisimani is the far western cape of the main island, facing the Rufiji Delta. Kisimani Mafia, just north-east of the Cape is KiSwahili for - the place of the well.

An old town dating to the 12th Century has been drowned by rising sea levels and a collapsing foreshore for over 100 years.

The Kinasi library contains a full account of the archaeology of these ruins, once the most important town on Mafia, especially from the 12th to 14th Centuries.

It was founded by Bashat, one of the sons of the first Sultan of Kilwa, and extended the control of the Sultan to Mafia.

The power and wealth of the Sultan of Kilwa was based upon gold, ivory and customs tariffs on all goods traded on the southern coast.

In its time it was far more important the Zanzibar but its economic influence waned upon the arrival of the Portuguese at the end of the 15th Century.

There is little left of the town now, but visitors can easily find many beautiful potsherds and coins in the ruins and on the beautiful palm-fringed beach.

The circular rock weights used to confine slaves at night can also be found here. Due to erosion the old well from which the town took its name now stands on the beach.

The whole area is now a protected core zone of the Mafia Island Marine Park.

Bwejuu Island sits between Ras Kisimani and the Rufiji Delta and is a sand-fringed, palm-covered island surrounded by sand bars and snorkelling reefs.

These are all-day excursions by boat from Kilindoni for beach-lovers and those looking for a castaway experience.

Beautiful beaches and fabulous swimming along the edge of the Ras Kisimani point and off the reefs and sand bars of Bwejuu.

The Lighthouse at Ras Mkumbi. A visit to the lighthouse will allow you to see far to the south over the Mlola Forest, protected for its vegetation and wildlife, including Sykes monkeys.

There are magnificent baobabs in the north of Mafia, especially at Ras Mkumbi the northern tip of the island, just beyond Bweni village.

Jibondo is Mafia best-known fishing village. The island is about 30 minutes away by boat. Over-fishing resulted in a decline in shark populations but the people still harvest a great deal of octopus.

Seaweed farming is becoming an important business. The Jibondo people are famous throughout the Swahili-speaking world as boat builders.

Unlike Chole, Jibondo island is almost entirely coral rock with ancient Porites coral, so no crops can grow in the shallow soil.

There is always a water shortage and many of the younger people spend a great deal of time carrying water from sources on the main island.

Mafia island is one of best beach holiday destinations in East Africa.

It has pristine white sand, diving, sport fishing and snorkelling. Beach holidays is extension of kilimanjaro climbing adventure and wildlife safari tours.

Swimming with whale sharks is a must do on Mafia. Diving, snorkeling in the Marine Park are also recommended. Some resorts and lodge have dive centers. The only independent one is The Big Blu.

Afro Whale Shark Safari, Kilindoni. Afro is a local guide who specializes in whale shark safari on Mafia Island. You can find him near the Kilindoni roundabout, opposite the market

Blue World Diving, Utende. Offers diving for advanced and novice divers in safety under professional instruction. The centre is managed by Kinasi resident Dive Instructors. They have been assisting marine research for over six years.

North Mafia Island, Bweni. Beautiful beaches (3km) and in contrast the Chole Bay side of Mafia is superb for diving and snorkelling. Completely different part that is quite another world of vegetation, beaches and activities.

Complete isolation from any other tourist facility or commercial activity of any kind.

Whale Shark Safari - Captain Libe, Kilindoni. Whale shark safari is the one of the well known tour company on mafia Island and Captain Libe or Liberatus Mokoki leading tour guide is one of the well experienced on Island.

You may buy the locally made coconut oil soap.

Kinasi Shop, Utende. Mafia Island here you can buy local handicraft decorative & clothes.

Almost all resort and lodge have their own restaurant and usually the price are Full Board, so tourists rarely go around to find different places.

Kinasi Lodge Restaurant, Utende. There is a cocktail bar offering a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and a wine cellar of specially selected wines.

Good cuisine and each year they send their local chefs abroad for training. Lunch U$D 20 / Dinner U$D 25

You can find whatever you want but if you look for something typical in Tanzania you can drink the coconut water or madafu from a real coconut, the soda called Stoney Tangawizi with ginger flavour and some Tanzanian good beers such as Kilimanjaro.

You will find wines from South Africa.

Top Life, Utende. Local Bar with cold beer, Gin and soft drinks. Features local djs during the weekends and Taarabu music during the week.

Sunset Bar, Bweni. The bar is limited to a few excellent reds and whites and the usual damaging toxins like gin, vodka, whisky, brandy, and anything special if you let us know in advance. All the soft drinks and mixers are available and lots of ice.

Kinasi Bar, Utende. 17-23. Open to public this bar features a incredible view from Chole Bay. A Wine Cellar full of African wines combined with sea food bites and a great variety of spirits.Beers around 2 U$D.

Mapenzi, Utende. Local bar with nice atmosphere. Price for the beer is around 1 U$D.

Kinasi Lodge, Utende. Kinasi Lodge is a boutique hotel. A short ride across the island from the airport and the main town of Kilindoni, the lodge overlooks Chole Bay in Mafia Island Marine Park.

This resort, situated in an old cashew and coconut plantation, provides a luxury stay. Only 14 rooms are available. Each room is in a private bungalow with large veranda and ensuite bathroom.

The rooms have ceiling fans and mosquito nets. Avg Rate U$D 140 Full Board. 120.

Lua Cheia, Bweni. Located at Bweni Village near the northern tip of Mafia is called Ras Bweni. Ras stands for peninsula, and from here one has fine views of the sweeping bay and palm-fringed beaches.

Superb sunsets over the Rufiji Delta and the moon rising over the Indian Ocean.This part of Mafia is where the beautiful beaches have been formed.

Ras Mbisi. Built from local sustainable coco-wood, by local artisans, the accommodation comprised nine spacious open tent bandas/rooms which are only metres from the white powder beach.

The design erased boundaries between the lodge and the natural splendour of Ras Mbisi. Sadly Ras Mbisi burnt down in November 2016

Shamba Kilole Lodge. Shamba Kilole Lodge is located just opposite the gate of the Marine Park of Mafia Island. It consists of five hectares plot with secular trees and the spectacular view of Kilole bay and the islands of Chole, Juani and Jibondo. This Lodge is also a PADI resort.

Meremeta Lodge, near Utende (1km). Individual Guest House with an owner who has an option for any wish his guest might have. Room rate is $ 50 per night, including breakfast. Dinner can be arranged for $ 10 and lunch for $ 7 per person.

Butiama Beach Lodge, Msufini, Kilindoni.

Didimiza Beach. Locally owned guest house situated on a mangrove beach in the grounds of an old cashew nut plantation provides a peacefull and nautural experience to mafia island.

Room rate is $40 per night, including breakfast. Dinner and lunch can be arranged. Each room has overhead fan, ensuite bathroom and large veranda to enjoy the wildlife.

Nyumbani Rest House, Kigamboni St., Kilindoni. Nyumbani Rest House offers budget accomodation in houses overseeing the sea in Kilindoni village, about 5 minute ride by tuk-tuk at 2000 TZS or 1 USD or 15 minute walk.

It is located north from the airport. To get there, you need to bypass the airport on the west and continue north.

About 300 m after the gas station is an intersection where you need to turn left. After about 300 m is a gate to hospital. Nyumbani Rest House is located behind the hospital.

There is a dirt road on the right side within the hospital plot. The area is very safe. There are 4 buildings with tourist accommodation with a total of 8 simple double rooms and a big covered terrace for eating, resting, meeting.

Each room has its own bathroom with shower, sink and western toilet. The rooms don't have ceiling fans but feature mosquito nets.

Accommodation cost 25 USD for a double room. Breakfast and Wi-Fi are included in the price, lunch and dinner can be arranged from 5-11 USD. 25 USD.

Chole Foxes Lodge Situated on the beaut full island of Mafia inside of small island that is Chole island was the main city before Kilindoni town, this is the historical island.

Lodge is run and owned by a local cholean who is ready to give you a good experience. Lodge does have Four rooms all rooms are self contained with shower and bath.

Mange is an atoll on the far western edge of the archipelago and lying in the Mafia Channel.

It is a stunning place with a sand island exposed at low tide and an excellent coral reef for snorkelling and good diving on the deeper channel side.

This is a full-day excursion on the dhow or Papara with picnic lunch and barbecued fish on the beach.

They will erect a sun shade canopy to protect you and of course carry the essential cold stores to make sure you don’t dry out, especially on the homeward journey when sundowners are mandatory.

When most people think of Tanzania and its tropical islands, they think of Zanzibar.

Zanzibar is made up of many small islands and two larger ones – Unguja the main island, referred to as Zanzibar and Pemba.

This Archipelago of postcard islands, with their white sandy beaches and turquoise coloured waters, offers many delights for those dreaming of an idyllic, tropical escape.

One of the lesser known islands of the Tanzania Zanzibar Archipelago is Mafia Island.

A mere 45 minutes by charter flight from Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam, is Mafia Island. The main land is just 50 km long and 15 km wide.

The calm on this peaceful island is broken only by the pulse of subsistence agriculture and local fishing, but even local farmers and fishermen don’t look like they’re going anywhere in a hurry.

Even though Mafia Island is home to 45,000 people, only a handful of tourists, 3,000 to 4,000 visit it each year.

For such a beautiful island escape, you would think that number should be higher, but maybe it’s not such a bad thing that Mafia Island remains, what seems like, a well-kept secret.

If you’re tired of sipping brightly coloured cocktails or lounging in hammocks here are some other ideas during your stay on Mafia Island:

Mafia Island Marine Park – This underwater paradise is home to 460 fish species who thrive amongst the colourful coral reefs in this marine protected area. With such an extensive area of coral reefs and mangrove forests, there is plenty of exploring to do.

Deep sea fishing – Move beyond the shoreline swell for a bit of deep sea fishing. Sustainability and conservation are part and parcel of Mafia Island, so catch and release is practiced here.

Lighthouse at Ras Mkumbi – When you ascend the steps of this lighthouse, you’re in for one great view overlooking Mlola Forest. Mlola Forest is a protected area, well known for its population of Sykes monkeys.

Ruins on Chloe Island – The overgrown vegetation and moss covered, crumbling ruins on Chloe Island tell the story of 8th century slave traders from the Middle East. There’s a certain eeriness about these ruins which makes for an interesting walk.

What comes to mind when you hear Tanzania is probably Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and the Serengeti.

Mafia Island is a remote beach escape, that’s a little less explored than some of the more popular destinations in Tanzania.

With only 3,000 to 4,000 visitors a year, Mafia Island seems to be a well kept secret in the Indian Ocean worth exploring.

On arrival by air, Mafia Island doesn’t appear to be much more than a crescent-shaped splash of green off the eastern coast of Africa.

The verdant island, 20 miles from mainland Tanzania, is densely covered in coconut trees, with nothing but green flora visible in the interior and just a few intermittent stretches of white sand breaking up the coast.

Just a half-hour after leaving Dar es Salaam, our shaky 12-seater approached a dirt-and-gravel runway.

As we made our descent, a few sparks of civilization flashed into view a lone wooden dhow patrolled the coastline, a trio of gleeful children pointed up at the plane from the edge of a marshy mangrove.

Two women wrapped in colorful kangas, traditional African dresses, and headscarves walked by with large clay pots balanced on their heads.

With just a few thousand annual visitors, Mafia Island is hardly a tourist hot spot, and has few of the high-end accouterments that draw hordes of honeymooners to other Indian Ocean isles like the Seychelles, Mauritius and Zanzibar.

Over the past decade, though, it has built a small but passionate following among travelers drawn by its simple charms and serene atmosphere.

Serene on land; underwater, a protected marine preserve offers some of the most magnificent diving and snorkeling in the region, perhaps the world: sea turtles, stingrays and the occasional white-tipped reef shark troll these waters nearly year-round.

While few modern travelers know its name, Mafia has drawn international visitors since at least the 11th century, when it served as an important trading base for Shirazi sailors who controlled the region.

Later, the island became a hub for the Middle East slave trade, then a military base for German, and eventually British, colonists.

While Italians number high among the expats running lodges on Mafia today, the island’s name has nothing to do with organized crime, the Mafia.

It likely derives from the ancient Arabic word for archipelago. For the past century, Mafia and its 40,000 residents have been mostly ignored by the outside world, reached only by slow ferries from Tanzania.

With fishing and other industry sharply curtailed inside the preserve, Mafia’s rich reefs soon began attracting the attention of divers.

After fishermen on the western side of the island discovered that friendly whale sharks liked the plankton-rich waters there, boats taking groups out to swim with the brightly spotted creatures became reason for water-bound visitors to stay longer.

Regular air service from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s main point of entry, was added in 2006.

The number of lodges and guesthouses on the island has mushroomed from just a handful a few years ago to roughly two dozen today.

In 2010 the number of international visitors was up 300 percent from four years earlier, according to local government statistics — although the total number was still a modest 4,100 people.


Enjoy Mafia Island!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Tourism Observer

TANZANIA :Pemba The Diving Jewel,Public Toilets And Toilet Paper Almost Non-existentist, Join Locals In Public Urination

Pemba Island part of Tanzania.

Pemba Island, known as "The Green Island" in Arabic and is an island forming part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, lying within the Swahili Coast in the Indian Ocean.

With a land area of 988 square kilometres (381 sq mi) it is situated about 50 kilometres (31 mi) to the north of Unguja, the largest island of the archipelago.

In 1964, Zanzibar was united with the former colony of Tanganyika to form Tanzania. I

It lies 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of mainland Tanzania, across the Pemba Channel. Together with Mafia Island (south of Unguja), these islands form the Spice Islands.Do not to confuse with the Maluku Islands of Indonesia.

Most of the island, which is hillier and more fertile than Unguja, is dominated by small scale farming.

There is also large scale farming of cash crops such as cloves.

In previous years, the island was seldom visited due to inaccessibility and a reputation for political violence, with the notable exception of those drawn by its reputation as a center for traditional medicine and witchcraft.

There is a quite large Arab community on the island, who immigrated from Oman.

The population is a mix of Arab and original Waswahili inhabitants of the island. A significant portion of the population also identifies as Shirazi people.

The most important towns in Pemba are Chake-Chake - the capital, Mkoani, and Wete, which is the largest city.

The centrally located Chake-Chake is perched on a mound with a view to the west on a bay and the tiny Misali Island, where the tides determine when a dhow can enter the local harbour.

Pemba is, with the exception of a strip of land along its eastern coast, a very fertile place: besides clove trees, the locals grow mainly rice, coconut, bananas, cassava and red beans called maharagwe in the Swahili language.

Pemba is home to several dive sites, with steep drop-offs, untouched coral and very abundant marine life.

- Chake Chake is the largest town on Pemba. It is located on the southern half of the island. It has a small airport from which bush planes run daily flights to Zanzibar (Unguja) and Dar es Salaam, and several small hotels and guest houses.

- Wete is a town located on the northern half of Pemba Island. It is smaller than Chake Chake by a considerable margin, but is still a reasonably large town by Pemban standards. It has a few hotels and guest houses, but they are harder to find than the ones in Chake Chake.

Pemba has a tropical climate, yet somewhat milder than Tanzania's mainland and milder than in Unguja island.

This climate is classified as "Aw" by the Köppen-Geiger system. The average temperature in Chake Chake is 25.5 °C (78 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,364 mm.

The monthly average temperatures are usually between 24 - 27.4°C (75°F - 81°F). There are two rain seasons, with most rainfall coming between April and May and smaller rain season coming between November and December.

Drier months are January - February, and a longer drier season between June to October.

Archaeological research on Pemba has shown its centrality to the Swahili coast trading system as early as 600 AD. Along the northern coast, urban settlements at Chwaka later developed and flourished from the eleventh century to ~1500 AD.

West of Pemba's capital Chake-Chake, on a long stretched peninsula called Ras Mkumbuu, one can find some of the oldest and best preserved series of early ruins on the islands Ndagoni ruins, probably of the 14th century.

East of Chake-Chake one can find the Mkama Ndume ruins at Pujini village which is south of the airport, within easy reach by road from Chake-Chake. This is the only known early fortification on the whole Swahili Coast; it is dated to the fifteenth century.

According to the Arab geographer Yakut, in the mid-13th century there were two independent sultans ruling over parts of Pemba Island.

On 24 June 2016, the Australian Transport Minister, Darren Chester, said that a piece of aircraft debris was found on Pemba Island, possibly being from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

Pemba Island is 99% Muslim and 1% Non-Muslim. Though not a safety concern, it is recommended that women travel with long skirts, covered shoulders and a head scarf out of respect for the local tradition.

Pemba is considerably poorer and less developed than its neighboring Zanzibar or Unguja.

Public toilets are essentially non-existent, and toilet paper is only found in the high-end hotels.

Bring your own if you're staying at a guest house, and always use the restroom before heading out for the day unless you're comfortable joining the locals in public urination.

Swahili. Asalam Waaleikum is an arabic greeting that is used here. The corresponding response is Waaleikum Salam.

There is an often-used airport just outside of Chake Chake that has daily flights both to and from Zanzibar (Unguja) and Dar es Salaam for about 100,000 shillingi one-way.

A cheaper alternative is a direct ferry from Dar es Salaam, although it leaves only twice a week and may not be suitable for strict schedules.

There is also a direct ferry from Tanga that runs very infrequently and often stops running completely for weeks at a time. Note that the ferries are poorly maintained and have sunk before, resulting in massive numbers of fatalities.

If you insist on taking a ferry, do not ride the night ferries.

You can purchase tickets for both the planes and the ferries at ticket offices in Chake Chake and Wete.

Pemba Airport is also known as Wawi Airport or Karume Airport and connects the island to Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

The other option, for more adventurous travelers, is to hitch a boat from one of many fishing harbors on the mainland coast.

If the ferry in Tanga is not going, you may try asking fishermen on the eastern coast - ocean side, 5.088°S 39.13°E. The fare depends on how you bargain and the travel time will be something between 6 and 18 hours, depending on tide and wind.

By dala dala,the local term for minibuses. There are small bus stations in both Wete and Chake Chake. Bus fare from Wete to Chake Chake costs 1500 shillingi, with shorter rides costing less and longer rides costing more.

Pemba is one of the diving jewels of of the east of Africa. There are at least two dive operators,Swahili Divers and Manta Reef operating under the PADI and BSAC codes that serve visitors.

Diver's highlights include: Extensive plate coral gardens on the west coast which make for a world class drift dive The marine reserve surrounding Misali Island that is threatened by proposed government development, hence now is the time to visit The annual whale migration in July and August when humpback whales have been reported on the east coast.

The food on Pemba is largely the same as the food on the mainland. For breakfast, a flat, dense pancake called chapati can be purchased from street vendors in the larger cities, as well as a thick porridge called uji and a sugared, donut-like bun called kisheti.

Fried cassava or potatoes are very common for lunch, though fancier restaurants will offer rice, beans, and other typical Tanzanian fare. Chipsi Mayai (Potatoes and Eggs) is an ubiquitous street food that many foreign travelers find more palatable than the other comparatively bland options, and almost all places with a grill will make it on request.

For dinner, you can find street vendors who sell arojo, a thin, tart soup into which potatoes, croutons, salt, and hot pepper is added. Deep-friend pueza (octopus) is also very common on the street at night, along with all the aforementioned Tanzanian fare.

Fresh fruit of one kind or another is almost always available. While all the fruit is seasonal, you will inevitably find something that is in season. Common fruits are jackfruit, breadfruit, mangoes, oranges, and bananas.

As with most developing countries, food particularly beans and rice may be inundated with sand or gravel, so eat carefully to avoid the dental misery that accompanies biting a pebble.

Pemba is also famous for its rich fishing grounds. Between the island and the mainland there is the deep 50 kilometre wide Pemba Channel, which is one of the most profitable fishing grounds for game fishing on the Swahili Coast.

A large proportion of the Zanzibar export earnings comes from cloves.

The greatest concentration of clove trees is found on Pemba (3.5 million trees) as growing conditions here are superior to those on Unguja island.

Clove trees grow to the height of around 10 to 15 metres and can produce crops for over 50 years.

More recently with the booming tourism industry in neighbouring Zanzibar, more adventurous travellers are seeking out the less-crowded Pemba, led by dive tourists seeking the uncrowded and un-spoiled reefs the island offers the experienced diver.

For the promotion of tourism the department of Surveys and Mapping at Chake-Chake has published a map with tourist guide since 1992.



Tourism Observer

TANZANIA: Tanga Airport To Be Expanded

Government is to expand Tanga Airport runway and other facilities to handle traffic in 24 hours.

The airport operates only during the daylight since there were no lights and its runaway has a length of 1.6 kilometres.

Tanga Region Assistant Administrative Secretary (Planning), Ms Anne Lyimo, said yesterday that to begin with, the airport will be installed with lights to enable 24 hours operations.

Tanga airport is going to be installed with traffic lights to enable airplanes to land and take off all the time,Ms Anne said.

According to Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA), the airport has been earmarked with 107bn/- fund for the extension of existing runway and other facilities.

TAA report showed that the airport runway will be expanded from the current 1.6km to 2.5km to enable huge aircraft - the like of Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus 350 - to land.

At the moment, due to shorter runway, bigger airplanes landing at the port are those with less than 50 passengers - the like of ATR 42 and Bombardier Dash 8.

Data from regional office showed that the airport, currently handles 11,000 passengers and some 6,000 kilogrommes of cargo per year.

The airport has scheduled flights to Arusha, Dar es Salaam and the Zanzibar Archipelago islands of Unguja and Pemba.

The three airlines are main frequenters of the airport like As Salaam Air, Auric Air and Coastal Aviation.

The As Salaam is a Zanzibar based airline that operates with a fleet of two aircraft, while Auric Air is Mwanza based airline with 14 equipment and Coastal Aviation flies a fleet of 30 aircraft and flights to 42 destinations spanning across Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda.

Meanwhile, Ms Anne said the region authorities assure investors of stable power to enable them invest in Tanga.

She said they have worked out power supply stability ahead of Hoima-Tanga oil pipeline project in a bid to satisfy the entire investment.

The region has welcomed investors to invest in agriculture, livestock, fishing, industries and infrastructure development - namely airport, harbour, railway, tourism and hospitality industry.



Tourism Observer

ZANZIBAR: French, German And Canadian Tourists Stabbed In A Restaurant At Unguja Island

Three foreign tourists were stabbed in a restaurant on Zanzibar’s main island of Unguja, by what local sources were quick to describe as an obviously deranged individual.

When fleeing the scene of the first attack the man then also stabbed a fourth foreign tourist but attacked two Zanzibaris too before disappearing into the crowds.

The victims in the restaurant were reportedly of German and French origin while the fourth foreign victim was said to be from Canada.

In the absence of an arrest, no motives can be named with any certainty but the rumour mill is already in full swing, given that the attack took place just after the start of Ramadhan, the holy month of fasting in the Islamic annual lunar calendar.

Suggestions have been made that the perpetrator may have been under the influence of drugs but that too is mere speculation at this time.

Radicals in Europe and other parts of the world have in recent months often carried out knife attacks with ISIS claiming ultimate responsibility and tourists visiting Zanzibar have therefore been cautioned already to be extra vigilant and in particular avoid offending locals by eating and drinking in public places during day hours as the local population observes their month long fast.

Police and other security organs are now hunting for the attacker who was reportedly identified but is still in hiding.

In 2013 An acid attack on the eve of the Eid holiday, which marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, against two young British tourists on the Zanzibari island of Unguja swiftly brought out condemnation from the Spice Island’s tourism community as well as from official government sources, as a manhunt was launched to find the criminals who sped away on a motorbike.

The two `18 year old young women, working as volunteers in one of the island’s schools, were flown to the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam to get better treatment as the acid splashed on their faces, arms and hands.

Radical Islamists have in recent years repeatedly tried to damage the generally good relationship between Christians and the majority Muslims on the island by storming, firebombing and destroying churches on the island before shooting a Catholic priest earlier this year.

This situation, which then also spread to the mainland, was eventually brought under control by a determined security apparatus leaving nothing to chance when hunting down the inciters and perpetrators of such attacks.

Unfortunate statements by a small section of politicians that foreign tourists were subject to their religious law when eating or drinking during the fasting daylight hours of Ramadan, did also not go down well with the tourism fraternity, especially after some bars and restaurants were targeted last year and prior to that by radicals.

Tourism sources, on condition of anonymity, expressed their anger and frustration over this latest incident, saying in unison that such acts, this in fact being the first known direct attack on tourists, were extremely rare but yet impacted heavily on the island’s tourism industry.

Tourism is a big source of employment on Unguja. It is also the largest source of foreign exchange earnings. We hope the police can find the perpetrators and bring them to justice quickly. Such incidents give any destination a bad reputation and it is no different here in Zanzibar.

The people here absolutely must be rated as a very friendly lot but a few rotten apples spoil the entire picture the world has of Zanzibar. It is time for community and religious leaders to come out in support of tourism after this incident and condemn such acts in no uncertain terms.

These radicals may well remember that Islam is a religion of peace and not one which condones violence against the innocent’ wrote one source in an overnight mail.

Another source in Arusha also confirmed that following the incident making it into the global news channels, emails started coming in asking if it was safe for booked clients to go and visit Zanzibar after their safaris or if the arrangements needed cancelling in favour of Kenyan or other Indian Ocean islands beaches.

Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery to the two young ladies, whose selfless engagement to volunteer in a Zanzibari school was repaid with aggression and violence.

In 2014, A total of three grenade attacks were reported from Zanzibar’s main island of Unguja, raising concern levels among the tourism and hospitality operators, which have been doing extraordinarily well in recent months.

One of the grenades was thrown on Sunday already towards an Anglican church, fueling suspicion that radical militants continue to inflict terror and inflame cross religious sentiments with their activities.

This was followed yesterday by two more incidents in the famous Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as such hugely popular with foreign tourists, when another church was targeted before the Mercury Restaurant too had a grenade thrown towards their premises.

Last year were churches and Christian priests repeatedly targeted and two British tourists attacked in the Stone Town with acid, leading to a series of raids by security forces aimed to arrest the perpetrators.

The December murder of a French couple, which had chosen to make Unguja their retirement home, while thought to be an ordinary crime and not related to radical militants, too had rattled the local expatriate and tourism communities, fueling their worries over the impact of negative publicity for the destination.

Tourism operators are said to be particularly unhappy with these latest incidents, one regular source claiming it will harm the image of the Spice Island and could result in tourists staying away from Zanzibar over fears of sectarian violence, which could cost hundreds of jobs if resorts would suffer from a sharp drop in occupancies.

God Forbid, let Ugunja an Zanzibar remain peaceful. The people of Zanzibar learn a lesson from Egypt, Turkey, Yemen, Tunisia.

TANZANIA: Zanzibar Boosts Tourism On The Beaches And Forest Reserves

Zanzibar archipelago marked its 53rd anniversary , the Indian Ocean Island intends to explore opportunities on its beautiful beaches and natural forest reserves to boost the tourism industry.

“We have pristine beaches, warm water, coral reefs, natural forests, antiquities, which can be used to lure more international visitors,” said Juma Ali Juma, Zanzibar permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Fisheries

He said: “We’re encouraging more visitors to come and enjoy the Zanzibar natural beauty including our beautiful beaches, coupled with prevailing peace.”

He named some of the beautiful beaches in Zanzibar as Nungwi, Kendwa, Matemwe, Kiwengwa and Pongwe, Kizimkazi, Bwejuu, and Dongwe.

The official further said the Isles’ government has been working to explore as many tourist destinations as possible and “recently we have launched the Zanzibar City Park. This is a new tourism center located in the Masingini Forest Reserve, which will lure more tourists.”

Situated at the highest peak of Zanzibar; about 120 metres above sea level, the official said: “Masingini Forest Reserve is a catchment forest and one of the major sources of water for the people of Zanzibar and the surrounding areas with estimates of about 27,400,000 litres of water pumped daily. This natural forest can be used as another tourist destination.”

January Makamba, Tanzania’s Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office, in-charge of Union and Environment also suggested the need for Zanzibar to capitalize on the nation’s natural beauty, and making this sector a success, is crucial if the country wants to retain the top spot in African human development rankings.

“Effective use of these attractions could be used to promote tourism in Zanzibar,” the minister said, noting that tourism alone could help to boost national coffers as well as create job opportunities for islanders and address poverty.

He said that Zanzibar is famous for its spices and the slave trade of the 19th century, to the extent that the Stone Town of Zanzibar is named as the UNESCO World heritage site; “hence use that opportunity to market the island outside the world.”

Zanzibar, which is made up of two large islands-Unguja and Pemba with many small islands, is expected to host 450,000 international tourists this year, and these visitors will contribute 27 percent of its gross domestic product and 83 percent of foreign exchange. The industry also has generated 22,000 jobs as well as benefiting farmers, fishermen and livestock keepers in the Indian Ocean Island. Enditem

ZANZIBAR: Precision Air Commences Pemba Flights

Precision Air has now launched the long expected flights from Dar es Salaam via the main Zanzibari island of Unguja to Pemba. The service will operate three times a week every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, using one of the airline's ATR aircraft.

Precision Air says subject to demand, more flights could be added in due course.

The new service will not only allow Tanzanians to travel to Pemba but also opens up the island for tourists, who can now conveniently connect from the main island of Unguja, commonly referred to as Zanzibar, to Pemba for a two island vacation.

In a related development has Precision last month launched their new improved booking system, now available online for their customers and introduced more payment options for tickets including Mastercard, Visa but notably also e-money through mobile phone operator accounts.

ZANZIBAR: Bwejuu

Bwejuu is a fairly typical Zanzibari coastal village where backpackers' hangouts and luxury establishments happily rub shoulders. Its beach has been included in Conde Nast Traveller's top 30 beaches in the world - no mean feat.

Its open, fresh feel is its charm, and the soft sands stretching either way as far as the eye can see. Nonetheless this is also a working beach, and you can expect some women gathering seaweed, kids on bikes and the general everyday life of a beach that is also a high street.

But don't get the wrong idea - you won't be sharing this beach with many other tourists. While Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar, is more developed than its neighbour Pemba and its southern cousin Mafia, it's still a far cry from the likes of Thailand. At many times of day you will get the beach to yourself - dusk is a lovely time as the light softens, everyone goes home for dinner and you can enjoy some solitary - or romantic - contemplation.

This area is good for all budgets, and you can live like a sultan or much more simply depending on your means and tastes. There are a smattering of fun Rasta-run places, small local establishments, boutique hotels and larger resorts. There are some good restaurants in the area, but distances are a little further than they are in Nungwi/Kendwa.

TANZANIA: Precision Air To Fly To Pemba May 2016

Precision Air, Tanzania's only publicly quoted airline, has confirmed that Pemba, the second largest island of the Zanzibar archipelago, will be added to their domestic network come 24th of May, using an ATR turboprop aircraft.

The island will initially be served three times a week, in conjunction with flights to Unguja, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The flights are expected to boost both tourism and trade between the Tanzanian mainland and Pemba and also makes it easy to fly from Unguja to the sister island.

Precision currently flies from its hub in Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Mwanza, Mtwara, Kigoma, Tabora, Musoma, Bukoba and Unguja / Zanzibar and Pemba will be the 11th destination across their domestic route network.

Precision Air is part owned by Kenya Airways and provides essential feeder services to flights then connecting passengers via Nairobi into the KQ network across Africa, Europe, the Gulf, India and the Far East.

Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony

The World Travel Awards 2016 have been announced last Saturday night at the Diamonds La Gemma dell' Est on the Spice Island of Zanzibar, defeating the opinion of those who had predicted a dire future for the island's tourism industry after the recent election re-run.

The tourism who is who from across the continent and as far as the African Indian Ocean islands had traveled to the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago, Unguja, and spent quality time there mind industry friends and acquaintances.

Notably, and not mentioned here before, did Kenya scoop additional awards such as having the famous Diani Beach once again named as Africa's best beach resort area, while closer to home did Auric Air take home their trophy after being named 'Leading Domestic Airline', taking the honours ahead of other contenders like Coastal Aviation.

For the 2017 award season, make sure your favourite hotels, resorts, safari lodges and camps, travel companies, airlines, safari operators and other service providers are first nominated and then voted for.

ZANZIBAR: More Than Just A Spice Island

A visit to Zanzibar, or in fact Unguja, the largest island of the Zanzibari archipelago – the other larger island is called Pemba – is never one dimensional, nor should it be. On this Indian Ocean island, just 20 minutes flight from Dar es Salaam and of course a bit longer by ferry – the advantage of the ferry is the shorter transit from the port into the CBD of Dar es Salaam and of course the scenic view on arrival in Zanzibar – are several tourism attractions wrapped in to a nice package, worth exploring each and every segment.

Here comes history, heritage, birdlife, wildlife and marine life together like in few other locations across the United Republic of Tanzania and then add the recent arrival of championship golf for extra measure.

An aerial view of the Stone Town and a collection of three towers, the middle one of modern age lined by a minaret and the twin spires of one of the island’s cathedrals, all in peaceful coexistence

Zanzibar, often referred to as the ‘Spice Island’ has always had a magic ring to its name and tourists from around the world in recent years, in part fueled by the challenges the Kenya coast faced, kept flocking in ever larger numbers to this island off the Tanzanian mainland.

The history of Zanzibar takes one back to the early days of civilization when coastal seafarers used the prevailing trade winds to sail their dhows from the Arabian peninsula along the African coast, establishing trade routes where the trade winds took them and beyond.

Much of this history and heritage on the island is centered in and round the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Stone Town’. It is here that museums are found, where buildings have been turned in to monuments and where in the heart of it once a thriving slave market traded captured Africans from the mainland for either the currency of the day or by barters for merchandize brought in by the Arab dhows.

Names of buildings like ‘House of Wonders’ this one sadly in decay due to a partial collapse of the building and in urgent need to be restored, the Palace Museum, the Malindi Mosque and the Aga Khan Mosque, The Old Fort, the two Christian cathedrals, St. Joseph for the Catholics and Christ Church for the Anglicans, both built in the last decade of the 19th Century are part of every organized tour.

So of course is the house where Livingstone stayed before his last expedition into the interior of Africa. The Forodhani Gardens are providing the background for many snapshots taken, selfies too of course these days and the Jafferi House’s rooftop is once again open after a recent refurbishment.

Stone Town is an architectural treasure chest for those interested who will find the influence of Persian, Arabic, Indian and European styles most intriguing. Streets are narrow, walls are thick and ventilation is ingenious to keep the buildings cool at the inside during the often oppressive heat of the day.

If there is one downside it is the rise in traffic levels seen since my last visit a couple of years ago. Tourists need to be nimble on their feet to jump out of the way of scooters, tuk-tuks and cars and are at times more likely to get hit by a car, even if only feeling a gentle touch, than catching one good picture when, lost in thought and trying to get the right angle, they step back into the road just by a foot or two.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the core area of Stone Town should be kept free of vehicles with restricted access for deliveries perhaps once or twice a day and no doubt would tourists be ready to pay a fee to enter the pedestrian area as long as that part of the old town is well maintained and shows itself as the ancient historical treasure it could and should be.

A range of hotels await visitors, some very small and others larger, and the Zanzibar Serena Hotel is on the waterfront offering spectacular sunsets from the wide terrace overlooking the ocean. This is arguably the best place to see classic artifacts and collectors’ items assembled while the rooms are furnished with the traditional Swahili beds and chests.

Opposite the Serena across the square has a Doubletree by Hilton sprung up, without however offering that priceless waterfront and sunset views while a Park Hyatt opened near the Serena in 2014 – as reported here at the time.

Views over the harbour and out across the Indian Ocean and rooftop vistas across the Stone Town are the hotel’s main plus points. Well-appointed rooms – TV’s in the bathroom above the free standing baths included – and still sparkling from bottom to top, will this modern hotel with an exterior blending into the water front, given some time, no doubt also add a venerable patina which provides the touristy flair and sought after ambience in the more established hotels.

Traveling to Zanzibar with Fastjet, the flight has a short stopover along the way in Kilimanjaro / Arusha and from there take Coastal Aviation which offers almost hourly services on their Cessna C208B Grand Caravans between Terminal 1 of Julius Nyerere International Airport and Zanzibar.

Fastjet will launch Zanzibar flights from the 11th of January from Terminal 2 but the very short processing time of the smaller airlines from Terminal 1 remain a strong incentive to fly with them. Of course, as mentioned, is there the ferry option and many visitors do take the trip out to the island across the ocean before then flying back to the mainland.

Transport on Zanzibar can and should be prebooked , for airport transfers as well as for excursions to the spice farms, the slave caves, the almost mandatory guided tour through the Stone Town and of course when visiting the Butterfly Centre and the forest national park in the middle of the island.

In fact, Zanzibaris came across as a happy and friendly people, inspite of a contentious election which was cancelled half way through at the end of October. It is to be re-staged at a time still to be announced by the Electoral Commission and while the tourism industry feels it should be after the Christmas and New Year holidays, no one is certain when it will take place.

TANZANIA: Fastjet Daily Flights To Harare And Lusaka From Zanzibar

The daily flights between Harare, Lusaka and Dar es Salaam will connect seamlessly on to the airline’s upcoming Zanzibar service which will be launched on the 11th of January 2016.

Schedule adjustments will permit passengers coming from Zimbabwe and Zambia to immediately transit on to the Zanzibar flight after their arrival in Dar es Salaam and with a dispatch reliability of over 90 percent of all flights leaving and arriving on time will travel to Zanzibar certainly be made much easier for travelers from South and Southern Africa.

Tourism stakeholders on Zanzibar have expressed broad support for the new connection as it will also allow visitors from the Tanzanian mainland to use the airline for the short flight to the main Zanzibari island of Unguja. Several hotelier spoken with over the past few days expressed their excitement to have another direct flight from Johannesburg to serve the South African market which has been growing fast since the launch of direct flights by other airlines but the addition of both Zimbabwe and Zambia has clearly widened the opportunities for the resorts on the Spice Island to sell holiday packages in Harare and Lusaka.

Additional information is also awaited on the additional routes Fastjet is expecting out of Harare as well as the operations start in Zambia, where local airlines are reportedly exploiting their monopoly with high fares, setting the scene for Fastjet to bring the cost of air travel down considerably and, as seen in other countries, attract an entirely new generation of passengers flying probably for the first time due to the affordable fare levels. For breaking and regular aviation news from across Eastern Africa look no further but this space.