Pristine marine park famous for whale shark encounters, untouched reefs and sleepy Swahili villages.
Country
🇹🇿 Tanzania
Region
Pwani Region
Best time
October–March (whale sharks peak Oct–Feb)
Coordinates
-7.830, 39.830Mafia lies 160 km south of Zanzibar and 20 km off the Tanzanian mainland. Its marine park is one of the Indian Ocean's best-kept secrets — giant whale sharks gather seasonally in the shallows off Kilindoni between October and March. Add pristine reefs (less damaged than Zanzibar's), historic Swahili ruins at Kua on Juani Island, and no mass tourism.
Real observations published to GBIF by researchers, lodges, and citizen scientists — refreshed daily.
Best time to visit
October–March (whale sharks peak Oct–Feb)
Choose a curated departure or use any of these as a starting point — we'll tailor the itinerary, dates and pace to you.
Snorkel with gentle 12-metre whale sharks in Chole Bay — October to February only.