“This sheltered bay is one of the few places on Earth where you can reliably swim alongside whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean.”
About Chole Bay
Chole Bay lies within the Mafia Island Marine Park, established in the 1990s as Tanzania's first marine protected area to safeguard its rich reefs and the island's traditional fishing communities. The bay's islands hold ruins from the Swahili and Shirazi past, and its waters became famous as a dependable whale-shark feeding ground and a world-class, low-key diving destination.
Chole Bay is a sheltered, reef-protected lagoon at the heart of Mafia Island, off the southern Tanzanian coast, and the focus of the Mafia Island Marine Park. Ringed by mangroves and small islands dotted with old Swahili ruins, its clear, calm waters are a renowned destination for diving, snorkelling and, most famously, swimming with whale sharks.
Chole Bay is a sheltered, reef-protected lagoon at the heart of Mafia Island, off the southern Tanzanian coast, and the focus of the Mafia Island Marine Park.
Swimming With Whale Sharks
Mafia is one of the best places in the world to see whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean, which gather to feed in the plankton-rich waters off the island, often within Chole Bay's reach. Unlike at many sites, they are present for much of the year and can be encountered relatively reliably. The bay's protected reefs, part of Tanzania's first marine park, also teem with coral and fish, drawing divers seeking a quieter alternative to Zanzibar.
The Experience
Wandering the calm, coral-rich bay by boat, dive or snorkel its protected reefs, and, in season, slip into the water alongside gentle whale sharks gliding through the plankton. The pace on Mafia is slow and the crowds thin compared with Zanzibar. Old Swahili ruins on Chole and other islands add a layer of history to the marine wildlife.
Why It Matters
Chole Bay is the centrepiece of Tanzania's pioneering marine conservation and one of the planet's premier whale-shark destinations. It represents a quieter, more sustainable model of coastal tourism, combining outstanding underwater wildlife with the heritage of the Swahili coast.
Chole Bay is the centrepiece of Tanzania's pioneering marine conservation and one of the planet's premier whale-shark destinations.
Why Visit
Reliable whale-shark swimming, protected coral reefs and a peaceful, uncrowded island escape with Swahili ruins, in Tanzania's first marine park.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Whale sharks are most reliable from around October to March.
- 2
Mafia is far quieter than Zanzibar, with a slow island pace.
- 3
Look for Swahili ruins on Chole and the other bay islands.
