Mafia, Pemba and Fanjove are the three islands I would look at as alternatives or add-ons to Zanzibar’s main island, Unguja. Mafia is the one for whale sharks (October to March) and an easy-going stay in a marine park. Pemba suits keen divers and anyone who wants a green, quiet island. Fanjove is a tiny exclusive, private island with one luxury lodge, best for barefoot days of doing very little. All three work well as the beach finish to a private Tanzania safari, for couples and for families who like being on and in the water.
Why go beyond Zanzibar?
Zanzibar’s main island, Unguja, is the most established, luxurious beach option, with the long white beaches and resort hotels most people picture. The islands in this post do a different job. They are smaller and quieter, and built around the sea itself: snorkelling, diving, turtles and whales, rather than lively beaches and a resort pool. If you like being in the water, or you want a few days that feel wonderfully remote, they are worth the extra flight.
One bit of geography first. Pemba is part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, so it is "Zanzibar" on a map, but it feels like a different place from the main island, Unguja. Mafia and Fanjove sit further south, off the coast of southern Tanzania, which makes them very easy to add after a Southern Tanzania safari.
📸 : Returning to Pole Pole by dhow
How do Mafia, Pemba and Fanjove compare?
| Island | Best for | Best months | Getting there | Where you stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mafia | Whale sharks, snorkelling, reef diving, village and ruins visits | Whale sharks October to March. Calm, clear water June to October. Humpbacks roughly July to October. | Short flight from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar (around 30 minutes) | Small lodges of 7 to 14 rooms, some with treehouses. Comfortable and relaxed rather than formal. |
| Pemba | Serious diving, forest, clove plantations, quiet beaches | July to October and December to March. April and May are the rainiest. | Daily flights from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania | Very few lodges, from adventurous and expensive to traditionally luxurious. |
| Fanjove | A private island stay, turtles, snorkelling, kayaking | July to October and January to March. | Fly to Songo Songo from Dar es Salaam (around 40 minutes), then a short boat transfer | One lodge on an island under a kilometre long. Wooden, open-sided bandas on the beach. Barefoot and solar powered. |
When is the best time for whale sharks and humpbacks on Mafia?
Whale sharks are in the waters off Mafia from October to March, and November and December are usually the busiest months. You swim with them by snorkelling from a boat. Scuba diving with the whale sharks is not allowed. The Swahili name is papa shillingi, "shark covered in silver coins", after the spots on their backs.
Here is how the year breaks down by what you want to do:
| What | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Snorkelling with whale sharks | October to March, busiest November and December | Snorkelling only. Good swimming ability helps, as you slip in from a boat when the sharks are feeding at the surface. |
| Humpback whales | Roughly July to October | August and September are the months I would plan around. |
| Diving | June to October for the calmest, clearest water | Chole Bay is sheltered. Visibility drops in the wet months. |
| Reef snorkelling | Best in the dry months, June to October | The shallow reefs in Chole Bay suit beginners and families. |
| Turtle hatchings on Juani Island | Roughly June to September, tailing off towards the end of the year | Ask your lodge what is happening on the beach on your dates. |
The months to think more carefully about are the wet ones. The long rains fall between March and May, when the sea is rougher and visibility drops, and November & December bring the short rains. They do not always spoil a trip, and November and December are peak whale shark months, but I would build in a spare day or two in case the weather moves things around.
What is it like to stay on Mafia?
Mafia is slow and low-key. Most lodges sit around Chole Bay inside Mafia Island Marine Park, which was created in 1995. Pole Pole has 12 bungalows, Kinasi has 14 rooms with a pool and spa, and Chole Mjini has treehouses on Chole Island, where you can also see village life and old ruins. Butiama Beach Lodge, with 13 simple rooms, is nearer the main town of Kilindoni and the whale shark launch points, but further from the diving. I stayed at Pole Pole, and loved it’s proximity to the main snorkelling sites in Chole Bay. I also stayed at Butiama Beach Lodge which is great for access to the whale sharks, and while simple, is beautifully maintained and has a lovely vibe.
Two practical points. You pay a daily marine park fee per person on arrival, currently around US$23.60, and it is not always included in lodge rates. And like Zanzibar’s main island, the tide goes out a long way at some lodges, so the sea in front is not always swimmable. The pool and the boat trips are what you use. For a post-safari stay I would suggest 3 to 5 nights or possibly longer if you’re specifically there for the whale sharks to give yourself the best chance!
Should I choose Mafia or Pemba for diving?
It depends on how experienced you are. Pemba is the one for confident divers. The Pemba Channel between the island and the mainland drops away steeply, which gives wall dives and deeper water, and it is not the best place to learn. Mafia is easier, with sheltered reefs in Chole Bay that suit snorkellers, beginners and families.
Pemba is known as "the Green Island", with hills, forest and clove plantations, including the Ngezi Forest Reserve. The beaches are not all as good as Zanzibar's, though there are some powder-white offshore islands. There are very few lodges. Fundu Lagoon is the adventurous (and expensive) one, Constance Aiyana is traditionally luxurious, and Manta Resort has an underwater room. Full disclosure - I haven’t yet visited Pemba - it’s on the list - but my contemporaries speak very highly of Fundu.
📸 : Sunset from Butiama’s beach, Mafia
What is Fanjove, and who is it best for?
Fanjove is a tiny private island in the Songo Songo archipelago, about 140km south of Dar es Salaam and under a kilometre long. It has one lodge and nothing else, and it is one of only two private-island stays in Tanzania, the other being Mnemba off Zanzibar. Until the lodge opened, the island was only used by local fishermen as an occasional base. You fly from Dar es Salaam to Songo Songo (around 40 minutes), then take a short boat transfer across. I have not stayed on Fanjove yet, so this is based on the lodge's own information.
The lodge is built around bandas, which are wooden, open-sided rooms spread along the main beach, so each has its own privacy and an ocean view. Inside you get a double or twin bed, a couple of armchairs, and a simple en suite bathroom open to the sky, with hot showers under the stars. The day bed on the balcony is reached by a ladder, which is worth knowing if you are travelling with young children or anyone with limited mobility. Everything runs on solar power and the design keeps the impact on the island low.
There is no resort programme. You can have a picnic on a sandbank, kayak around the island, snorkel, fish, or take a dhow out. Divers have a long stretch of reef, around 11km, that is little dived. The wildlife is seabirds, nesting turtles (hatchings roughly April to July) and coconut crabs. It suits couples after seclusion, honeymooners, and families who are happy with a castaway few days. Children are welcome.
The lodge is open seasonally, roughly June to March. July to October is dry, but it is also the windier time, with stronger currents for swimming, so ask about conditions for your dates. January to March is the other good window.
How do I fit the islands into a private Tanzania safari?
The usual order is a safari first and the sea second. After your safari, you fly back through Dar es Salaam, which is the gateway to both Mafia and Fanjove. Pemba is reached through Zanzibar or from the mainland.
As a rough shape, I would plan 7 to 10 nights on safari and 3 to 7 on an island. Everything is private: your own schedule on safari, and arranged flights and boat transfers to the islands. My Tanzania destination page has the full picture of how the pieces fit together.
Frequently asked questions
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Whale sharks are in the waters off Mafia from October to March, and November and December are usually the busiest months. You swim with them by snorkelling from a boat.
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No. Encounters off Mafia are snorkelling only, and scuba diving with the whale sharks is not allowed. You can still dive the reefs in Chole Bay on other days.
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Mafia. The shallow, sheltered reefs in Chole Bay suit snorkellers and people learning to dive. Pemba has deeper walls and a steep drop into the Pemba Channel, so it suits experienced divers better.
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You fly from Dar es Salaam to the Songo Songo airstrip, which takes around 40 minutes, then take a short boat transfer to the island. On a private trip I arrange both legs for you.
Thinking about adding an island to a Tanzania trip?
Tell me when you are travelling and what you would like to do on the water, and I will suggest which island fits.