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.

Fanjove Island lies 140km south of Dar es Salaam, in the Indian Ocean's Songo Songo Archipelago. A tropical paradise with the kind of bleached sand you dream of burying your toes in, the island is half a mile long and just a couple of hundred meters wide, surrounded by coral reef and turquoise waters. There's lots to see and do, when you're not chilling to the max. Getting here is half the fun: take a 20 minute flight in a small plane to Songo Songo Island, then ride a dhow (traditional Tanzanian fishing boat) or a speedboat for 5 miles to Fanjove. The lodge itself is simple; it's luxury is in its tranquility and exclusivity as a remote, private island hideaway.

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.