Best hotels in Mafia Island

In Swahili Pole Pole means 'slowly, slowly' a very apt description for this picturesque quaint lodge built up on the hillside set amidst palm trees sloping down to a small sandy shore lined with mangroves. The lodge has a distinct unpretentious and laid back atmosphere that has garnered it a lot of accolades as one of the best luxury eco resorts in the world. Let your phone battery die and disconnect from the outside world. The service is discreet and thoughtful with heavily Italian-influenced cuisine with a Tanzanian flair. Relax with the tides—the perfect compliment to any bush safari.

Mafia Island Lodge is a rustic beach resort on the jewel-like Mafia Island, off the north coast of Tanzania. The island falls within a protected marine reserve, with the Rufiji River Delta to the west, in a spectacular Indian Ocean setting renowned for fantastic scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. Accommodation is comfortable and charmingly simple, with a number of thatched bungalow-style rooms beneath coconut palms, overlooking a wide stretch of golden beach. It has a friendly feel and much slower pace of life than many of the larger tourist destinations; a great choice for a carefree beach getaway.