The next afternoon and night, we spent in Toamasina (historically Tamatave). It is Madagascar’s primary seaport and the nation’s second-largest city, serving as its commercial gateway. Founded in the 18th century, it became a major trading hub in 1817 under King Radama I and...
Our original plan was to drive from Manambato to Mahambo to catch the next-morning boat to St Marie Island with El Condor, but unfortunately, the weather turned bad. We were informed that the first boats might go again after Easter. We got that bad news in the middle of nowhere, some...
We used this destination to relax a bit after rough off-roading in the last few days. To our surprise, this popular beach area, located just an hour’s drive from Dar es Salaam, was pretty developed, but still charming and relaxing. It is known for its pristine white-sand beaches...
After our full day sightseeing of the island, we ended up in Utende, a village on the southeast coast of Mafia Island, situated within the boundaries of the Marine Park (🎟️59,372 TZS). It is East Africa’s premier diving and marine life destination, offering diverse habitats and...
The Ras Mkumbi Lighthouse, built around 1894, is a functioning landmark (🎟️10,000 TZS) at the northern tip of Mafia Island, offering panoramic views of the island and ocean. It’s located in a historically significant area of the island, which has been a crucial stop for traders and...
We hired a local tuk-tuk for 80,000 TZS for the whole day to go around the island (166 km). Our first stop was Kabanga Beach in a northern section of the island known for its pristine, white sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters, and a tranquil atmosphere, offering a secluded and simple...
The ferry to Mafia Island should depart daily around 9 AM from Nyamisati, the mainland port, offering a comfortable, modern vessel with air-conditioning and seating. The journey takes approximately five hours and costs 16,000 TZS. It has been chaotic and time-consuming to reserve the...
We sailed to the tiny island of Songo Mnara, about 8km south of Kilwa Kisiwani, for about one and a half hours. It contains ruins at its northern end – including a palace, several mosques and numerous houses built from coral and mortar – that are believed to date from the 14th and 15th...
Today, ‘Kilwa on the Island’ is a quiet fishing village. Still, in its heyday, it was the centre of a vast trading network linking the old Shona kingdoms and the goldfields of Zimbabwe with Persia, India and China. While these days are now well in the past, the ruins of the...
We got unexpected heavy rain for the whole day, when we were trying to reach Kilwa Masoko through terrible roads full of potholes, with missing bridges and long muddy stretches, especially around the Rufiji River Delta and the Marandu River Delta. Kilwa Masoko is the gateway to the...