Set up into the hills of the south east side of Mafia island and surrounded by coconut groves, the beautiful Kinasi Lodge offers a rather unusual setup: It’s intimate yet not overly pretentious, with wide open spaces and easy-living communal areas.

Kinasi is one of the larger lodges on the island, but because the 14 en suite cottages are scattered over the hillside, privacy is still very easily obtained.  The rooms are all uniquely decorated in the traditional Shirazi style of Tanzania, with bright Kangas, rich textured Arabic fabrics and thatch roofing.

There is a distinct Italian and Swahili influence in the cuisine, but the standard is quite high for the island and the commanding views that Kinasi has over the mangroves out into Chole Bay are well worth lingering over. There is even an on-site wine cellar that offers up wine and food paring menus.

Don’t come expecting a large sprawling beach, as the little that is here does have a tendency to disappear at high tide. Instead, fishing, diving, snorkeling and sailing are the order of the day, and the onsite dive center caters in a very professional way for all these requirements. Mafia island has some of the best diving along the Tanzania coastline with spectacular reefs teeming with an abundance of fish life, and if you time your visit for the right season, you will be able to view whale sharks as they glide past the coastline. Another must-do is the sunset cruise around Chole Island to see the giant flying foxes as they make their way across the bay each evening.

When it comes to value for money on the island, you cannot beat a place where your days will be fully occupied and your privacy respected and catered for. (Be warned though; don’t forget your mosquito repellent in the evenings, as they can be ferocious as the sun goes down.)