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Kinasi Lodge, Mafia Island
Kinasi is a small private lodge situated in a coconut and cashew plantation facing Chole Bay on Mafia Island. The intention behind the design and existence of Kinasi was to create a resort that was relaxing and stylish, and with a very personal feel; this vision was achieved. Kinasi Lodge is beautifully furnished with antiques and handcrafted furniture, made especially for the lodge to their own specifications.
Mafia Island is approximately 30 miles off the Tanzanian coast, about 45 minutes by air from Dar es Salaam and one hour from the Selous Game Reserve and Zanzibar Island. The island was a regular stop for two thousand years for Arab and Persian dhows plying the coastal waters from the Gulf to Madagascar and Mozambique. Chole Bay, Mafia's protected deep-water anchorage and the original harbor, is studded with islands, sandbanks and beaches. The clear, protected waters offer wonderful snorkeling, sailing and swimming.
Tell Me More About Kinasi Lodge Located On Mafia Island, as an Indian Ocean Island Beach Accommodation in Tanzania
• Kinasi Lodge provides a high standard of accommodation in only twelve bungalows (one is a family unit with two bedrooms), each with a large verandah and ensuite bathroom.
• The bungalows have been constructed in rendered concrete block, with palm-leaf (makuti) roofs, and concrete foundations and floors.
• Mains electricity and hot/cold water supply from three permanent wells on the property is available all day.
Culinary and Dining Experience At Kinasi Lodge Located On Mafia Island
• The dining room is appointed with crockery and hand-blown glassware made especially for Kinasi Lodge along with original works of art by East African artisans.
• Kinasi's catering is based upon locally caught seafood: fresh fish, prawns, crab, lobster, octopus and calamari, with fresh vegetables and fruit flown from the mainland. The breads, rolls, pizzas and variety of yogurts, preserves and sauces are all home made from traditional recipes. Seafood barbecues and Swahili cuisine are established Kinasi customs.
• Friendly staff will do their best to look after you with service to your rooms: morning tea and coffee with fresh biscuits and cakes, sundowners and cocktails.
Relaxation Experience and Activities At Kinasi Lodge Located On Mafia Island
• Sailing with lasers, wind surfers, ngalawas (traditional boats) and paddling canoes
• Snorkeling and swimming in the Indian Ocean or in the swimming pool.
• Relaxing on the sun beds.
• Scuba Diving. Mafia Island and its reefs are renown as an excellent, world-class diving destination. Scientists have confirmed that Mafia has some of the richest reefs in the world, with an unparalleled variety of hard and soft corals and diversity of tropical fish. Kinasi Lodge has identified fabulou
s dive sites from Mafia to Kilwa offering shallow reefs, bommies, channels, walls and caves of immense beauty and richness. Kinasi offers great diving for advanced and novice divers in safety under professional instruction.
• Game fishing. Professional sport fishing is now available in Mafia with the arrival of "ALFAJIRI", which is based at Kinasi Lodge. The boat is fully equipped with deep sea and inshore fishing tackle, electronics and safety equipment for up to four fishermen, and is powered by twin Yamaha engines. The boat is kitted with outriggers and tower, and is designed for trolling along the shelfs and islands, and offshore in Mafia's very deep waters. The fishing grounds include Mafia Island, Songo Songo islands, the deep-sea crescent east of Mafia, Nyuni and Njovi Islands, and in the channels from the Rufiji Delta south to Lindi. These are thought to be the best game fishing grounds in East Africa, with catches of sailfish, blue, black and striped marlin, barracuda, wahoo, kingfish, giant trevalley, yellowfin and dog-tooth tuna, dorado, five-fingered jack and rainbow runner, red snapper, rock cod. Light and heavy tackle and fly-fishing are offered. The deep sea crescent off Mafia and the Songo Songo Archipelago is potentially one of the most exciting game fishing areas in the world, with expanses of virtually unfished waters that offer a keen challenge to sport fishermen. In 1950, the author Conan Doyle set an all-Africa record for Dorado of 34.2 kilograms that still stands.
• Visit Chole Island with an interesting history that is well described in documents in the Kinasi library. Chole did not reach prominence until after the sacking and destruction of Kua, believed to be 1829. For the next century, it was the main administration center in Mafia and Chole Bay the port. Mafia became a German territory in 1890 and the largest ruin on Chole was the home of the German administrator. The island is very attractive for the traditional village life which visitors are welcome to see, its boat-building, sail-making, hand-manufacture of coconut coir rope, the roosts of the giant fruit bat (Pteropus), the lush vegetation with baobabs, native Albizia and fruit trees. Chole has been formed from clay deposits when the Rufiji Delta was much greater in extent and the oceans were lower.
• Island and beach picnics by boat e.g. to Kitutia Reef or Miewe Island, including snorkeling and diving, picnic lunch and beverages.
• Boat excursions to villages to see traditional living and boat building at Chole and Jibondo Islands.
• Camping excursions by boat to north Mafia and Okuza and Nyuni islands (south of Mafia) for scuba divers, snorkels, fishermen and adventurers.
• Chole Bay sunset cruises during late afternoons-evenings.
• Bird watching by boat or on foot especially along the nature trail.
• Bat roosts of the giant fruit bat on Chole Island.
• Nature walks from Kinasi and in coastal forests (Mlola Forest) with a picnic on Chuvia Bay.
• Road safaris to tour the island a
nd visit beaches, villages and commercial coconut plantations.
• Mountain bikes for seeing some of the island in an energetic manner.
• Relax and read at the swimming pool, beach and gardens in Kinasi's unique hammock bandas.
• Games include badminton, table tennis, football (with the local teams), volleyball, boule (bocce), croquet, kite flying, frizbees, keram, bao, backgammon, chess, drafts, scrabble, trivial pursuit, plays and cards.
• Video, satellite television and sound systems, with an extensive music collection is available.
• Make use of Kinasi's excellent library of technical books on marine life, birds, butterflies, animals, plants, references on all aspects of Mafia Island, as well as novels and a range of sports and fashion magazines.
• Visit Zanzibar and Pemba Island.
• Safaris in Tanzania visiting Selous, Ruaha, Serengeti, Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro Reserves and Parks.
• Fly to Mombasa and Lamu Island, Kenya to experience culture and history.
• Safaris in Kenya visiting Samburu, Shaba, Mount Kenya, Masai Mara, Amboseli, and Nairobi Parks and Reserves.
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