Stylishly simple, Italian-run beach hotel with great diving
Pole Pole is a little slice of Italy on the edge of Chole Bay on the eastern coast of Mafia island. Just seven thatch bungalow suites are dotted around the tropical gardens of this often overlooked eco-lodge. Its simple but stylish, very well run and gets fabulous reviews from those who 'discover it'.
Most of the rooms are built up on stilts, all are very comfortable, well decorated with lots of floaty muslin drapes and local mahogany furniture, each with decent sized bathrooms and their own verandah overlooking the bay. All have ceiling fans and generally they strike a perfect balance between functionality, style and being very low impact, which is a major consideration for this lodge. Two of the suites are family bungalows with two bedrooms separated by a bathroom and small corridor for privacy.
The communal areas are lovely, with a bar and library and verandah overlooking the beach. The food is exceptional, with a definite Italian bias using lots of locally sourced, organic ingredients and the whole feel of the place is wonderfully relaxed. There is a low key massage centre overlooking the beach itself.
Chole Bay itself is the core of the Mafia Marine Park so the diving and snorkelling is second to none with over 400 species of fish and 40 genera of coral having been recorded. There is a boat for sailing trips and picnics to quiet islands or sandbanks that emerge in the middle of the bay at low tide. The lodge itself has no swimming pool but you're right on the beach and, although the patches of mangrove out front might be an occasional annoyance, Kinasi lodge is close by with its own swimming pool to which you can normally arrange access if you're that desperate, which you are very unlikely to be.
7 bungalows overlooking the creek
Stylishly simple, Italian-run beach hotel with great diving
Mafia island lies off the Rufiji delta, 30 minutes flying - and a century in attitude - south east of Dar es Salaam. Still reassuringly sleepy with few roads and some good beaches, the big draw is undoubtedly the excellent diving. Established as the first of Tanzania's Marine Parks, the Mafia island Marine Park presides over more than 800 square kilometres of some of the richest coral reefs and most diverse marine ecosystems in the world. With over 400 species of fish, and having escaped the worst of the bleaching that has afflicted other reefs in this part of the world, the diving alone is reason enough to visit. Normally being the epicentre of the action, Chole Bay has several good places to stay of which our current favourites include {Pole Pole} {Kinasi} and {Chole Mjini}, all of which are very different character in character. Read more?
Tanzania safaris rival a safari any other country in Africa in terms of sheer wilderness, formidable landscapes and volume of wildlife. At Natural High, we have travelled all over the country, worked in some of its best Tanzania safari camps and lodges and flown all over as bush pilots so we feel qualified to venture such opinions. Read more?
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Vanessa's 16 years in travel has seen her knowledge develop from sub-Saharan Africa into North Africa, Central and Southern America and the Galapagos. Consequently, she’s a veritable encyclopaedia of travel information and exceptionally cool, calm and collected in the face of the greatest planning demands.
At Natural High, we've had long experience putting together trips in Africa that really work. Whether it's intimate bushcamps in out of the way places, or a private lodge in one of Africa's top-billing wildlife areas, light mobile camping or remote island escapes, we know there is a lot to choose from. We're absolutely confident that we can recommend the right places for you.
