Pole Pole's affiliated dive center, Mafia Island Diving, offers diving courses in English, German, Italian, Spanish, French and Swahili. With a highly experienced team of both local and expatriate instructors and dive masters, it is a PADI 5 star dive centre, the only PADI dive centre on the island who has this rating.
The snorkeling on the shallow reefs surrounding the many islands in and around Chole Bay is a great attraction for non-divers and divers alike.
Almost all Mafia's best diving is at depths of less than 30m so it is a sport diver's paradise.
The reefs of the archipelago offer a staggeringly beautiful and varied display of marine life.
The excellent condition and high diversity of the reefs stimulated the creation of Mafia Island Marine Park, Tanzania's first marine park.
Examples of most kinds of tropical marine habitat occur here, including exposed fringing reefs, rock walls, soft coral and algae-dominated reefs.
The diversity of animal and plant life is hard to match, with over 48 genera of coral and 400 species of fish so far identified.
There are excellent examples of giant table coral, delicate seafans, whip coral, and huge stands of blue-tipped staghorn coral.
Last but not least, it is possible to swim with whale sharks, one of the most exciting encounters sea lovers can dream of. See the excursions section for detailed info.
