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Zanzibar and Mafia

The advantage of any safari in East Africa is that you are within easy reach of a wide variety of excellent beach locations for a few nights relaxation pre or post game viewing. You can find beautiful white sandy beaches, excellent snorkelling and dive sites, or wild beaches with great waves where you can enjoy a bit of body boarding.

Zanzibar

This exotic spice island simply oozes character.  It has a distinct Arabic influence and as I type these words I am reminded of my time in the capital, Stone Town, where I can still recall the battle of the mosques calling the faithful to prayer.  In the past it was a vibrant trading post for spices as well as, infamously, a main centre for the buying and selling of slaves to the Middle East.  A more recent claim to fame is as the birth place of the legendary Freddie Mercury. 

Why visit Zanzibar and what to do:

Excellent beaches with crystal clear waters
Cool (it just doesn’t absorb the heat) white, powdery soft sand
Excellent diving and snorkelling
Traditional dhow sailing trips
Dolphin spotting of the north-eastern part of the island
Shopping in the narrow and windy streets of Stone Town
Dine in the 236 Hurumzi’s roof top terrace
Visit a local village
Explore the different spice fields of inland Zanzibar

Mafia

The Mafia archipelago comprises five islands, with the largest being Mafia Island, and is Tanzania’s only marine national park. Although you don’t get the same white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters that you find around Zanzibar, you get lovely intimate beach properties which have a safari feel about them.  It really does seem to be an undiscovered paradise.

Why visit Mafia and what to do:

A quieter island without the hustle and bustle of Zanzibar
Great diving and snorkelling
Picnics on the sand bars
The chance to see whale sharks between November and March
A little bit of bird watching

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