Tanzania: Mafia island

Sunday 13th August

Our night in Dar was uneventful. We just hung out, the kids loved playing on their PS5, a dual fighter game. We all enjoyed it! Tokyo still comes up as one of our fave Airbnbs cos of the Nintendo with Super Mario Smash bros!

We headed out to grab a coffee. It was a good half hour walk in the heat of Dar. We have definitely found the heat! It was a Western style place where we finished up our final (ever!) home school! Kids were thrilled with that. To be fair we’ve slacked massively in the last month, which is fine, kids need a break!

Went to the airport – Dar to Mafia island. Teeny tiny airport. Delayed flight. It wasnt a tiny plane as I had predicted but a 40 seater one. Great!

We decided to stay in a luxe tree house for 3 nights. T negotiated a crazy discount for cash. We thought hell, why not. Last chance!

We got there and this place is cool. They pick you up by boat, you wade into the boat.

And it is like Robinson Crusoe. Our home is built in a huge baoab tree. Looking out over the sea. Its very eco here, so the shower you use a special candle with a metal tube to heat it. The toilet is a long drop (but doesnt seem to smell) and there is no electricity. So there are solar powered torches instead.

The view from our tree house

There’s something magical about sleeping in the trees, listening to the birds sing.

Meals are included and each night you sit at a beautiful setting. The first night was under a beautiful tree, under the stars. Lovely meal. It seems it is just us on the island tonight.

Its run by a SA couple with a young French couple who are taking it over next year. The guy who currently owns it has maybe been here too long! He seems to drink (a lot) every night. And he was really sarcky with the kids which got up our nose. He obviously thinks kids should be seen and not heard, and made his feelings clear to H. Ugh. He does it again and he’ll have hell to pay!

The night was not so great for me. I got a really dodgy tummy with pain all night. When your toilet is some steep steps away, its not ideal!

Monday 14th August
I was in pieces so T held the fort today. We went snorkelling though (Immodium is my friend!). A gorgeous site with some rocks popping out of the sea. They say this is some of the best snorkelling in the world, and I can see why. They’ve managed to preserve the coral so well. Such diversity. With none of it damaged. The Indian Ocean is pretty cold it seems too. After half an hour you are shivering! Their boat is a motor boat and sail boat so we sailed all the way home. Gorgeous!

As usual, H and I came out a bit early.

Then we sailed home – magical!

Back to the hotel for lunch. I passed out asleep for 3 hours while T played with the kids by the water. There’s no beach here so we are staying here first then moving to our beach hotel afterwards.

After lunch we went to watch turtles being hatched. You can’t make this up, our last week, and we are still doing amazing things!

You walk across the island for about 45 mins to get to the hatching beach.

There were some other massive groups so around 25 people in total, which was ridiculous. We were following the turtle guy, who was going at quite the pace but we could keep up.

Got to the beach and were waiting for ages and ages. Turns out, they were lost. Their guide didn’t know the way, the people were faffing etc. They also had some young kids. Eek! So some guides had to go and look for them. Luckily all were found but it must have been pretty scary for them cos it is an uninhabited island where you would not want to get lost!

Anyway, the turtle hatching was just amazing. They kept on popping out of the sand. Like about 100 of them. It took about an hour for them all to come out. Then they flap-walk their way down to the sea.

The sad thing is, like all beaches where we travel, it is covered in plastic.

Got back, had our hippie shower then lovely dinner underneath the stars by their jetty. So beautiful. I even saw a shooting star! God it’s going to be hard to go home!

When we went to sleep, there was a little firefly in our room gently flashing away. Amazing.

Tuesday 15th August
We all got a good night’s sleep. We left the curtains open so we had the breeze of the sea all night. We all got a bit bitten in the night but nothing too bad. Their mossie nets are obviously bespoke ones. They are huge.

Went snorkelling this morning. Coral garden was first. So beautiful. Then another spot. Cold, as usual. And sailed home. Lovely!

Kids loved playing pirates on the boat!

Still feeling a bit meh so had a nap at lunchtime.

For lunch, we ate with the other family who have just arrived. They have older kids. Turns out the guy knows T from his Webcredible days. He was one of their clients. Small world!

In the afternoon, we went to the Blue Lagoon. The boat ride there took us through mangroves with turquoise waters and lush green trees.

The Blue Lagoon looks a bit like a cenote, but it is sea water in a carved out natural rock pool. When you get in, its warm and then on the bottom are lots of upside down jellyfish (that don’t sting). It was one of the most strange but amazing places I’ve ever been. So calm and quiet.

Got back, sat and watched the gorgeous sunset. Obvs.

Then dinner tonight was in the ruins and a baoab tree. All by candle light. Just gorgeous! H was falling asleep in his food! Usually you all eat together, all the guests, at 8pm but we asked for 7pm. They just wouldn’t make it that late cos we wake up with the sun!

Wednesday 16th August
Back to the snorkelling to the place we went to on the first day. It is such a lovely spot. The coral is beautiful, the fish in abundance.
H sat out again, but that’s cool. He hates the cold. He’s done a lot of snorkelling to be fair, goodness we’ve been so many fabulous snorkelling places I’m not sure how we’ll ever top it!

Then we went to the most beautiful sand spit for a fresh fish lunch – it was stunning.

The sandspit water coming in…

Then we said our goodbyes to this part of paradise!

Got the boat to Mafia island for our next hotel which has a pool. Lovely!

Thursday 17th August
Today we went to the sister beach hotel where we could hang out in their pool and beach. Lovely day, so beautiful.

We went straight from the beach into town. Via “fish village”, which is where they dry the small fish. And gut them. The tide was coming in, so we were basically wading through the fish guts, haha!

We are dinner at a lovely local place our can driver recommended. Gorgeous squid and seafood curry. It had a swarm of mossies though!

Friday 18th August
We were of two minds about what trip to do today. So we plumped on the trip to Mange sand bank with whale watching on the way there/ back.

It was an amazing day. We really saved the best until last! We went for a snorkel on the way to the sandbank. The sandbank spit was simply amazing. Literally in the middle of the ocean.

We had a delicious fish lunch then started a footie match. There was a lovely Italian couple on the boat so we did UK vs Italy.

At the end, our guide spotted some humpback whales so we hot footed it over there. It was a small pod of three whales. Such a magical experience to end our trip on.

Saturday 19th August
Got our flight back to Dar es Salaam. It was a teeny tiny aeroplane. C managed to nab the seat next to the pilot! She looked excited and terrified in equal measure.