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Major city · Tanzania

Mafia IslandMafia

Go for 4 nights minimum: fly Kilindoni (MFA) from Dar es Salaam in about 30 min, sleep in Utende or Kilindoni, dive Chole Bay, skip if you want shops or nightlife.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
TZS
Best months
Jun–Oct (dry, calm) and Dec–Feb (hot, clear water)
avoid Mar–May (long rains, rough seas, some lodges close)
Airport
MFA
Nights
4
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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Rules in force · 9Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a mult…
  • Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
  • Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
  • East Africa ↗Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a multi-country trip: Uganda and Burundi check it for all arrivals, and a stop in Kenya or Ethiopia makes the next border ask for it.
  • East Africa ↗Advice for Ethiopia, Somaliland, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and the Congo border areas can change within days; read your government's page the week you fly and before every regional flight.
  • East Africa ↗Price park, reserve and permit fees before comparing lodges: they are charged per person per day, often with VAT, and are fixed whatever bed you choose.
  • Tanzania ↗Apply for the Tanzania e-visa only on the official immigration portal; Zanzibar and, from 1 October 2026, mainland Tanzania each require their own US$44 inbound insurance bought from the state insurer's site.
  • Tanzania ↗Carry a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from or connect through a risk country such as Kenya or Ethiopia; see a travel clinic about malaria several weeks ahead.
  • Tanzania ↗Plastic carrier bags are banned; leave shop and duty-free plastic bags behind before you arrive.
  • Tanzania ↗Light aircraft between parks and to Zanzibar have strict baggage limits, usually soft-sided bags only and a low total weight (often around 15 kg); confirm the limit with your operator.

Mafia is a small island and marine park off the Tanzanian coast, reached by a 30-minute flight from Dar es Salaam. There is no tarmac road, no ATM and no mainstream resort strip: six lodges cluster around Chole Bay and a handful of guesthouses sit in Kilindoni, the port town. Diving, snorkelling, dhow sailing and whale sharks are the reasons to come. Three nights is the practical minimum; four to five lets you add a full-day boat trip and still rest.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Mafia Island, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Sit-down mealLodge lunch / dinnerabout US$20 (check)
  • BeerBeer at a local barTZS 3,000–6,000
  • Budget bedKilindoni guesthouse room, a night, per roomTZS 60,000
  • Mid-range bedKilindoni guesthouse room, a night, per roomTZS 90,000
  • High-end bedKilindoni guesthouse room, a night, per roomTZS 140,000

A day, not counting the bed: Budget TZS 120,000 · Mid TZS 250,000 · High TZS 500,000

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mafia Island Marine ParkChole Bay diving and snorkellingWhale sharks and humpback whalesDhow sailingSea turtle hatchings on Juani
Airports
MFA Kilindoni Airport (About 30 min from Dar es Salaam; small aircraft, strict baggage limits — check with the operator.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Mafia Island: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

31°C

24°C

6 rd

Feb

31°C

24°C

5 rd

Mar

30°C

23°C

12 rd

Apr

28°C

22°C

17 rd

May

27°C

21°C

14 rd

Jun

26°C

20°C

5 rd

Jul

25°C

19°C

4 rd

Aug

25°C

19°C

4 rd

Sep

26°C

20°C

4 rd

Oct

28°C

21°C

7 rd

Nov

29°C

22°C

13 rd

Dec

30°C

23°C

10 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

No tarmac roads. Lodges run 4x4 transfers; you can hire a Land Rover with driver in Kilindoni, or a bicycle from your lodge. Dhows work as the local bus between villages and are the usual way to reach dive sites and islands. Distances are short but slow: allow 30–60 min for cross-island runs.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Chole and Juani islands

go

Door to door: Half to full day

Dhow from Utende or Kilindoni with a lodge or dive centre

Ruins on Chole; turtle hatchlings on Juani in Jun–Aug — check the season with Sea Sense.

Jibondo village

go

Door to door: Half day

About 30 min by boat from the Chole Bay side

Boat-building village on coral rock; agree the boat price before you leave.

Ras Kisimani and Bwejuu

go

Door to door: Full day

Full-day boat from Kilindoni

Ruins of a drowned medieval town plus sand bars and reefs; weather-dependent.

Mange atoll

caution

Door to door: Full day

Full-day dhow with picnic lunch

Sand cay appears at low tide; only in calm seas, and only with a reputable operator.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Utende / Chole Bay

Dive lodges and the marine park gate; most stays are full board. Best for diving and snorkelling.

Kilindoni

Port town with the airstrip and simple guesthouses; cheapest beds, no beach resort feel.

Bweni (north)

Quiet beaches and sunsets over the Rufiji Delta; far from the dive sites, so you need boat transfers.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
TZS 120,000–200,000 excl. bed
Mid
TZS 200,000–400,000 excl. bed
High
TZS 400,000+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chole Bay lodge, full board2 × 4 nights × TZS 400,000TZS 3,200,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 4 days × TZS 250,000TZS 2,000,000
Two-tank dive with equipment2 × TZS 250,000TZS 500,000
Snorkelling trip by dhow2 × TZS 100,000TZS 200,000
Marine park entry fee2 × TZS 45,000TZS 90,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × TZS 30,000TZS 60,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeTZS 605,000
Trip total≈ TZS 832,000 per person per day, bed includedTZS 6,655,000

2026 estimate in Tanzanian shillings; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Beer at a local barTZS 3,000–6,000
Lodge lunch / dinnerabout US$20 (check)
Bicycle hire, per dayUS$8–15
Sea turtle hatchout walk, Juaniabout US$45 (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low-crime and relaxed, but the real risks are the sea, the sun and the lack of medical care: use reef-safe sunscreen, never snorkel alone, and keep cash for the whole stay.
  • No ATMs on the island: bring enough cash in TZS, and check whether your lodge takes cards.
  • Limited medical facilities; serious cases are flown to Dar es Salaam. Check your insurance covers light-aircraft evacuation.
  • Malaria is present: take prophylaxis and use nets and repellent.
  • Baggage on light aircraft is capped by weight, often 15 kg in soft bags — check before you fly.
  • Some lodges close in the long rains (Mar–May): confirm dates before booking.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
112
Fire
114

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Mafia IslandMafia

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Nipeleke kwenye anwani hii, tafadhaliTake me to this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance112
  • Fire114

Embassy

No embassies on the island; most are in Dar es Salaam. Check your country's embassy in Dar es Salaam before you fly.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Dar es Salaam → Kilindoni, light aircraft: about 30 min; fares vary by operator — check
  • Dhow, Utende → Chole: short hop; agree the price first
  • Kilindoni → Utende by road: about 45 min; lodge transfer or hired 4x4

Say or show

  • Jambo — Hello (JAM-bo)
  • Asante — Thank you (a-SAN-te)
  • Bei gani? — How much is it? (BEI GA-ni)
  • Mashua iko wapi? — Where is the boat? (ma-SHU-a EE-ko WA-pi)
  • Nahitaji msaada — I need help (na-hi-TA-ji m-SA-a-da)

Carry cash: there are no ATMs on Mafia.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Mafia Island. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Oct (dry, calm) and Dec–Feb (hot, clear water) · avoid Mar–May (long rains, rough seas, some lodges close) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to Tanzania

Sources