Mafia Island

"Mafia Island" is the third largest island in the Tanzanian Indian Ocean territory. It is located around 20 Km from the coast and 200 km from the Zanzibar archipelago main island,  Unguja. Its name has nothing to do with organised crime but far from it "mafia" means "healthy dwelling place" in Swahili, the Tanzanian official language. The island is an idyllic destination, not yet touched by mass tourism, where observing the genuine local fisherman culture is still possible. From observing breathtaking sunsets on a horizon tinted with the shadows of mangrove trees in the Northern site of the island ,to snorkelling with whale sharks on the South site, Mafia island is without any doubt one of Tanzania's best kept secrets. As a peculiarity Mafia island is the only place in the world where whale sharks hang around for the whole year, as the research team based in Mafia island has recently discovered. There is a still a season for watching whale sharks in Mafia from October to February as it is in this period where they stay closer to the shore.