Stories from the island - Chole Mjini Tree House Lodge

Is Chole Mjini Comfortable?

The Chole Mjini Family — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0200

What Comfort Actually Looks Like at Chole Mjini

Let’s begin with the basics.

Yes, there is electricity.
Yes, you have ensuite bathrooms.
Yes, there are flushing toilets.

And three of our treehouses have private plunge pools suspended in the forest canopy. But comfort here isn’t built on insulation from nature. It’s built on intelligent design with it.

Chole Mjini was never meant to be a traditional hotel. And it isn't. It is a regenerative luxury lodge in Tanzania, built gently around ancient baobab trees on Chole Island, in the Mafia Island Marine Park. Architecture bends around trunks instead of clearing them. The forest is not landscaping. It is structure.

Comfort here is not excess. It is space. Silence. Intention.

Why We Don’t Have Air-Conditioning (And Why Most Guests Don’t Miss It)

Our treehouses are elevated to catch the ocean breeze. Open design allows natural airflow to move continuously. Ceiling fans enhance the experience.

The wind is our climate control.
The trees are our walls.
The sky is often your ceiling.

Guests sometimes arrive wondering if they’ll sleep well without AC. They almost always leave saying they slept deeper than they have in months. There is something about wind through baobab branches and the rhythm of the tide that no machine can replicate.

Is It Too Wild? What About Bugs and Safety?

This is nature. So yes, you are close to it. But you are not unprotected. All beds are fully netted. Treehouses are elevated above ground level. The houses are not inhabited by anything except you, ensured by the daily housekeepers. The open design of the houses is such that you will not be competing in an enclosed space with any critter.

Chole Island is peaceful, safe, and far removed from high-volume tourism.

Our team lives on the island and has deep local knowledge of tides, terrain, and nature's rhythms. The surrounding community is part of the fabric of the lodge.

It feels remote, but not isolated. Wild, but not unmanaged. There is a difference.

Is It Actually Luxury?

If luxury means marble floors, sealed windows, and predictable uniformity. Then no.

If luxury means space, privacy, immersion, personal hospitality, and a sense of rare experience. Then very much yes.

At Chole Mjini, luxury is:

Coffee rising to your balcony in a woven basket at sunrise
Outdoor showers surrounded by birdsong
Dinner locations that change nightly: the jetty, under the tamarind tree, amongst ancient ruins
Fish on your plate that was caught that day
Swimming gently, respectfully, alongside the largest fish in the sea: the whale shark
Watching turtle hatchlings find the ocean by instinct alone
Running barefoot across a sandbank, water in every direction, just you and someone you love
Gliding silently through the mangroves on a paddleboard, where the water mirrors the sky
Wind in your hair as a traditional dhow carries you into the sunset
Hosting only a handful of guests at a time

This is regenerative tourism in practice. The island gives to us. We give back to it. Conservation and community are not add-ons; they are foundational. For many of our guests, especially honeymooners, safari travellers seeking a soft landing, and couples wanting intimacy, it becomes one of the most memorable experiences of their lives.

Is Chole Mjini Worth the Price?

Chole is not priced for mass tourism. We intentionally host fewer guests so the experience remains personal and intact.

Value here comes from:

Architectural uniqueness you will not find anywhere else
Privacy and intimacy
Deep local employment and community integration
Regenerative environmental practices
The chance to connect: with yourself, with the people, with the place, and with the purpose behind our projects: Ropes of Hope, Kitu Kiblu and the Chole Mjini Trust Fund
A feeling that stays with you long after departure

For the right traveller, it's an experience you will crave to revisit, again, and again, and again.

For the wrong traveller, it may not be.

And that is exactly as it should be.

A honeymoon for the truly wild at heart

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Wake up to the sounds of thousands of birds, soothing waves, and coffee. Yes, coffee.

Soft, squeaking sounds from a pulley system mark the alarm for another day, as your freshly brewed coffee gets hoisted up to your treehouse in a traditional Swahili basket. Its Saturday, and you get to have Saturday every day. The difference is your usual coffee-and-cuddles morning routine now takes place high up in a baobab tree – in your open-air sitting area, your second-floor teahouse, your luxurious hammock or your large comfy bed.

Feeling the gentle ocean breeze, listening to the orchestra of birds in stereo around you and the azure water lapping at the bottom of your treehouse and knowing that, at any time, you can just reach your arms out and touch the mother of all baobabs growing through your living room… That becomes your day-to-day reality at Chole Mjini, and it sets the scene for a very rare nature experience – one that is intended to be shared. The question is, are you willing to let go of the everyday comforts that dictate your modern lifestyle – at least for a while?

Being close to nature means being far away from everything else

A private forest shower, an loo with a view, limited electricity, and monitor lizards as downstairs neighbours – these are some of the living arrangements you need to get used to, to truly reconnect with nature, yourself and your significant other. But these small sacrifices are duly made up for in other types of luxuries unique to this special environment.

The word ‘fresh’ gets a new meaning at Chole Mjini

Your fruit salad this morning was hanging in various trees around you last night, and it’s very likely that your fish at lunch came fresh off a local fishing boat a couple of minutes earlier. Everything on your plate is freshly caught, harvested, and baked so you can experience the best local cuisine our tropical island has to offer.

Your romantic dinner table – a different setting every night

Good quality food is of course only a part of what makes the meal. The atmosphere is very important, especially on your honeymoon. That’s why every dinner at Chole Mjini is set in a different location and for honeymooners, we go the extra mile.

Soft, oil lamps guide the way to your romantic candle-lit table for two. One night you’ll be dining in the harbour with calming waves as background music, the next, you’ll be dazzled with beautiful flower decorations and warm, glowing oil lamps colouring the walls of your private room in the ancient ruins. Every night is different and special.

Swimming with whale sharks, baby turtles and Jean

This is one of the few non-touristy places in the world where you are just about guaranteed to swim with whale sharks during whale shark season. Swimming in close proximity to these gentle giants is a bucket list item for so many people and for the nature-loving couple, it is guaranteed to make your honeymoon unforgettable.

This largest fish in the world shares its home with a multitude of incredible marine creatures of all shapes and sizes, including newly hatched baby turtles on the other side of the scale spectrum. Watch these tiny turtle hatchlings pop their heads out of the sand and start making their way to the sea for the very first time. Get in the warm, azure waters with them to experience the start of their life’s journey – a perfect moment to reflect on your own.

And if swimming with these wonderful creatures has piqued your curiosity about the sea life in the incredible Mafia Island Marine Park, you might want to consider taking the plunge into deeper waters. Jean, one of our owners, is a certified PADI Master Scuba Diver with over 20 years of experience. What better way to spend an adventure-filled honeymoon than exploring the pristine coral reefs of the biggest marine park in East Africa with a dedicated dive instructor and getting your PADI Open Water Diving certification together? Get in touch with us here to find out more about our bespoke diving offering.

So, if you are the type of couple that loves going on adventures together, discovering new things, pushing your boundaries a bit and ultimately growing together… If you’re the type of couple willing to go out of your comfort zone and off the beaten track to experience something truly unique – and probably even fall in love with it, together – then Chole Mjini is for you and we hope to welcome you to the wild side of paradise for a very special honeymoon.

Chole Mjini owner gives insight into diving and snorkeling in the Mafia Island Marine Park

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Chole Bay corals and marine life

The marine park surrounding Chole Bay is home to 273 species of coral (Obura,2004), including giant table corals, delicate sea fans, whip corals and huge stands of blue- and pink-tipped stag horn coral. As well as the spectacular variety of reef fish there are turtles and large predatory fish such as Trevally, Grouper and Barracuda. Eagle rays, Giant reef ribbon-tailed rays and occasionally shark are encountered in Kinasi Pass. Mange dive site is best for black-tip and white-tip reef sharks. The corals of Chole Bay, in the heart of the marine park, are remarkably unaffected by the El Niño bleaching events (of 1997–98 and subsequent years) and destructive fishing practices that have blighted much of the East African coastline, Madagascar, the Seychelles and Maldives.

Chole & Mafia Bay - seasonal guide and diving advice

Almost all Mafia’s best diving is in depths of less than 20m. Between June and September, you can dive only within Chole Bay, albeit in almost any weather. For the more challenging dives outside the bay, you have to wait until the calmer conditions which begin around mid-September. Outside the bay and in the entrance to the bay the average size of the fish is bigger, and you have a good chance of seeing a 2–3m grouper; these are friendly and let you come quite close. Visibility from June to September tends to be 10–15m, whereas in October to February it can be 25m.

Mafia is good for beginner divers, as it’s very safe inside the bay. Diving outside the bay is slightly more challenging with deeper dives that require Advanced certification. We always dive outside the bay on incoming tides ONLY! When diving in the open ocean, divers are advised to carry two means of signaling: one audible (a whistle or air horn) and one visible (an inflatable surface marker, a flare, strobe light or mirror). In addition, always wear a full wetsuit as protection against exposure, and drink water before commencing a dive. Don’t take any risks or push the safety boundary while diving here; it’s a long way to the nearest decompression chamber in Zanzibar. Note that you can buy diving insurance in Tanzania.

Diving excursions and PADI courses

A few of the lodges on Mafia offer diving excursions as well as full PADI courses. Chole Mjini offers PADI courses up to Assistant Instructor and diving on many different dive sites – reefs and bommies, channels, walls, drift, ocean and night dives. All these are accessible in a day, while diving safaris can be arranged to destinations further afield such as Forbes Bay on the East coast of Mafia and off the Northern tip of Mafia.

Diving in Mafia Island Marine Park vs Zanzibar

Fri, 03 May 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Here are just a few key things to consider when choosing between Zanzibar and Mafia Island for your next diving trip:

Diving group sizes

Zanzibar is the most popular and the most easily accessible of the Tanzania Islands. This popularity is sometimes a reason not to go to the island. With divers all wanting to experience the coral reefs and marine life in this area, the diving experiences on Zanzibar island can be oversubscribed and overbooked.

During peak season in Zanzibar, several boats may carry up to 20 divers at a time. This is opposed to the experience of diving at Mafia Island, where the groups are as small as three to five people at most, plus a guide. In Mafia, the smaller groups mean you can have a bespoke, far more relaxed and unique diving experience away from the hordes of other divers.

Marine life

Mafia Island and Archipelago is widely acknowledged as one of the best diving spots in Africa. With over 50 types of corals and 400 species of fish, the diversity of animal and plant life is hard to match. Diving in Zanzibar pales in comparison to diving at Mafia Island.

At Mafia, you can expect many species of fish, a high diversity of other sea life as well as unbleached coral reefs in excellent condition. Schools of barracuda, rays, turtles and large predatory fish can often be seen on the dive. These include sharks like white tip sharks, guitar sharks and whale sharks.

However, when diving at Zanzibar, the larger schools of fish and sharks are not seen and the coral reefs are not as vibrant as those found in the Mafia Island Marine Park. All in all, a much paler experience at Zanzibar.

Diving Conditions

Mafia truly is a diver’s dream; the marine park offers everything from challenging dive walls to secluded reef in Chole bay - all at the depth of less than 30m. Chole Bay, which is located in the Marine Park, has numerous excellent dive sites within the Bay. This ensures easy access to dive spots and guaranteed diving in almost any weather.

On the other hand, divers at Zanzibar need to travel north of the island towards Leven Banks, a dive site recommended only for master divers who can cope with the strong currents, to experience diving similar to that associated with Mafia Island Marine Park. The East Coast of Zanzibar provides calmer waters for less experienced divers, but less diversity and marine life and a far less satisfying experience!

Mafia Island Marine Park vs Zanzibar – the ruling is out

Whether you’re an advanced diver or you’re entirely new to the idea, the abundant and protected reefs of Mafia Island Marine Park and Chole Bay will not disappoint. Mafia is a clear winner over Zanzibar for a diving holiday.

Now that we have that settled, we invite you to come and spend balmy island nights in our semi open-air treehouses! We are in the heart of the Marine Park and on the way to all of the dive sites. You can look forward to excellent diving days in the warm tropical waters of the largest marine park in East Africa and spend your nights high up in a treehouse looking out at the star spangled sky over Chole Bay.

Book your diving holiday accommodation now!

Yoga in Paradise – an Indian Ocean Retreat

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0200

"To retreat: to withdraw to a quiet or secluded place

In November I was lucky enough to lead my first yoga retreat outside the U.K. I am so grateful that I had intrepid students who were willing to join me on a yoga adventure in Tanzania. We went to Chole, a small island set within a Marine Park in the Indian Ocean where some friends, Anne and Jean de Villers, have created an ecotourism venture which helps to bring sustainable development to the local village. The rest of the world feels a million miles away and it is the perfect secluded place to withdraw to for a while from the bustle of life. The island is off-grid and relies on solar power and accommodation is in stunning baobab tree houses.

Sailing towards Chole. The building, known as the Boma is the location of the yoga sessions.

The door to our yoga studio.

Looking out to sea from the yoga space.

The plan was for yoga to frame the day – beginning with an early morning yoga practice and then a more meditative practice leading up to sunset after a day spent snorkelling, swimming with whale sharks or simply relaxing in a tree house watching the tropical birds flit through the canopy. It’s hard to pick my highlights as there were so many: watching fireflies (Kivulivuli in Swahili) twinkle overhead as we ate dinner under the stars; seeing dhows sail by during the stillness of a dawn practice; swimming alongside whale sharks and watching newly hatched turtles heading out to sea. The yoga participants didn’t know each other before arriving on the island and getting to know the group better was a real pleasure. I am already looking forward to next year’s retreat in January 2020.

Here are some reflections from the students who came on the latest trip:

“To arrive at Chole Island can only fill your heart with pleasure. The atmosphere is one of warmth and charm. ‘Paradise’ is a word that you could happily associate with your surroundings. Palm trees, tree lodges, old ruins, stunning vegetation and the honour of living alongside local people whose laughter floats on the evening air as I write this. Walking through the village you are mindful of local religion and culture and how having less ‘things’ does not bring less happiness. In Chole Mjini the simplicity of no electricity and outdoor living are underpinned by the luxurious care that all the staff bring.

This is however not just a holiday but a time to enjoy yoga and the peace and focus that this brings. Having two sessions wrapping around each day has brought a wonderful discipline. I have loved the dynamics of holidaying with strangers with a shared love of this amazing activity. Beth has been flexible and I have appreciated being part of the decision-making. I would recommend this yoga retreat to anybody who wants an improved balance in their life”. (M.L)

“Being able to practice yoga twice a day in such a beautiful, peaceful place and be warm was divine. I enjoyed every yoga session but I especially loved the early morning practice with the sounds of the place waking up. I prefer morning anyway but this also allowed for space to do whatever we wanted or nothing, during the day.

Walking into our yoga space, which had been decorated with such kindness and care with beautiful flowers, lifted my spirits every day. The sight of all our shoes lined up outside the entrance made me smile every day too.

The whole place is very special and calming. The simplicity and slow speed of daily life allows the mind and body to be still.

There were so many special moments: the special morning coffee arrival, the boats coming and going, the sound of the sea, the colourful birds dipping and diving while we had breakfast. Lovely food and smiley people. Our boat trips to the sandbank. Arriving there to be fed fabulous food cooked right there on the beach for us. I felt very well looked after on the island and on the trips we went on. The environment was enchanting!” (J.T.)

“This is the first yoga retreat I have been on and in fact, it is the first time that I have practised Viniyoga. I thought the choice of place was perfect for a yoga retreat. To be on a small tropical island with a warm and gentle breeze blowing, without electricity or cars and with little or no access to social media was life-restoring. Perfect for yoga.

The mornings were my favourite time surrounded by amazing birdlife, drinking my freshly delivered cup of tea and contemplating the day ahead. The morning yoga sessions were pitched just right. I especially liked the session on the last morning that was an hour earlier, as that time of the morning is so special because of the light and the extra peacefulness.

I also found the meditation sessions really helpful at maintaining a calmness and balance and the evening when we meditated by lantern light was magical. I think the concept of bookending the days with yoga is right as this gives the participants the rest of the day to take part in the activities or just relax.

The accommodation in treehouses was also very special, they are simple but well equipped. And for me being out in the open added to the experience and certainly meant you could really hear the dawn chorus in all its glory.

I liked the combination of yoga and activities particularly the whale sharking and snorkelling.

I was inspired by how the group of yogis, who didn’t know each other, just gelled and found a rhythm very quickly, and it was lovely to get together again in the UK over a meal and a glass of wine.

I would definitely like to go again. The effect of the retreat emotionally, physically and spiritually carried me through a rather difficult time when I returned to the UK for which I am very grateful.” (J.B.)

On the last morning, we practised an hour earlier. There was a special quality of stillness and beautiful light looking out from the yoga room.

"Yoga – perfect.
Length – 1-1.5 hour sessions; right level for me.
Gentle, supportive direction & guidance.
So much to learn for the future.
Sense of humour makes it even better.
Island – Unique.
Wonderful setting.
Wonderful climate.
Wonderful hosts.
Wonderful staff.
Wonderful humanity.
i.e. – Wonderful.
Will never be forgotten.” (R.A.)

“I enjoyed every yoga session. Surprised always by how fast each one passed. My shoulder feels better. My spirit feels rested. Even what I thought might feel like ‘silly’ chanting became a restful way to slow down. The class felt like becoming part of something greater.

Lovely accommodation, well designed and comfortable. Big bed was lovely. Took me three nights to adapt to the sounds of the African night (which is never quiet). Staff all wonderful, kind and gracious and very professional. Just perfect. Food- really excellent. Truly appreciated their subtle gluten-free variations.

Snorkelling, walks and whale sharks – great. Thank you.” (J.M.)

“SO MUCH STIMULATION! … interspersed with calming, centering, grounding, focused work. Yoga nidra and lamp-lit meditation especially appreciated after busy active days. So much to do here that yoga became part of the blend of so many things that were on offer.

Everything about Chole and our stay here was fantastic. Staff – everyone FANTASTIC!

Loved christening the Boma. The birds were amazing!” (W.H)

Listen to The Dawn Chorus

“Flexible yoga to suit the needs of the group. Fantastic location for yoga and accommodation. Great activities, well organized by staff and flexible. Excellent food and plenty of it. Tree houses were fabulous along with the facilities. All the staff were excellent. Swimming with whale sharks was fantastic and very well organized and safe. Exceeded my expectations”. (V.F.)

“Fab venues – atmospheric. Warmth good for the body and general movement and well being. The staff are fantastic. Boat guys are brilliant. Coral reefs super. Yoga great – best one for me was the Yoga nidra because it helped my body shut up for once so enabling the psyche to do so also!” (P.B.)

“The yoga…was lovely and the area was quite special…. The accommodation was simple but ‘unique’. The bed was very comfortable, I loved the shower and the setting – how lovely to watch a monitor lizard wander through the undergrowth underneath the tree house, and those very amusing land crabs and to wake up in the morning to an amazing bird chorus. The staff were wonderful and everyone was so friendly, welcoming and accommodating. The island was beautiful….” I.W.

As we were preparing to leave the island one of the group was chatting to Anne, our host. She said that the trip had exceeded all her expectations.

“What were you expecting?” Anne asked.

“Paradise” she replied.

If you would like information about the next trip to Chole in January 2020, then please get in touch"

How Anne and Jean De Villiers fell in love with Chole Island and its people

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Back in 1992, very few people had heard of Chole Island, let alone visited its shores. As such the island had a lot of untapped potential for those who could look past the severe poverty in the region. Besides the natural beauty on the island, the local people living on Chole Island are its greatest treasure. Friendly, warm and welcoming, they immediately make you feel part of their family.

After several visits to Chole to check on the progress of his dhow, Jean was offered a piece of land on the island by Tanzanian authorities, in order to build a hotel The irony of this offer was that Jean and Anne had no hotel experience between them and loathed the effect hotel development had had on other remote paradises around the world. Despite all this, Jean accepted the offer. He knew this was one way he could preserve the island’s beauty and prevent it from being exploited.

Anne and Jean during this period had also become well acquainted with the challenges faced by the locals on the island. Some of these challenges included the lack of health care, especially for women and children, the lack of educational opportunities and the dependence on natural resource exploitation.

The combination of wanting to preserve Chole’s natural beauty and to help provide a better quality of life for the local people is what led to the creation of Chole Minji Treehouse Lodge. Anne and Jean, together with the help of boat builders, a carpenter and a stone-mason, then started building the treehouses that today make up the lodge. The tree houses were built slowly using local skills, labour and resources. Remarkably, no power tools were used in this process!

The couple continued to invest in the local people through the Chole Mjini Conservation and Development Company Ltd. The island now has a functioning clinic and primary school, furthermore, thirty-two children on the island have been afforded the opportunity to attend university through the couple’s work! In addition to these children, the couple also sponsors the education of over 150 children annually.

Chole Mjini truly is a place in touch with nature. Anne and Jean have stayed true to themselves throughout their lives, and in doing so helped preserve this natural beauty for the past 30 years. In recognition of their work, Chole Mjini Treehouses has received several awards associated with responsible tourism.

Join Anne and Jean in their worthy effort by visiting Chole Mjini Treehouses for yourself!

“Hatching” out of my old ways and back to myself….

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0200

It was late afternoon, just as the sun went hiding behind the clouds on the horizon, getting ready to turn in for a well-deserved evening’s rest. Our guides expertly lead us to the nest where the long-awaited hatching will soon start. We waited in anticipation for this marvel to unravel - the first entry into the world for a remarkable and threatened specie's offspring.

As I was sitting there, a small heap of sand that seemed to be moving caught my eye. I must admit, I felt suspicious for a moment and wasn’t, entirely sure what would emerge from under the sand. I bent down to observe the moving lump of sand and saw two small claw-like objects manoeuvring its way through.

I immediately reached out for my phone to film this fantastic moment of life - a turtle hatching – finding its way through heaps of sand to embark on this journey called life. As I looked at the turtle hatching through my phone's screen, I was hit by the absurdity of it all. How silly - me grabbing my phone time and again to help me live or capture or remember, while this little creature shamelessly struggled its way into life without any help at all.

It occurred to me that the only device this little turtle depends on is himself, his surroundings and his pure intuition. Simple and basic.

When the little turtle finally made his way to the top of the heap of sand, he started making his way to the ocean - no navigation, no GPS - once again just him and his unobstructed willingness for survival. While staring at this brave little creature, I realised how much I rely on assistance from technological devices on a daily basis. From using my GPS to find my way in life, to asking Siri what I should have for dinner, my thought process was almost entirely unnecessary. As long as I could Google, I did not need to think.

The turtle plunged into the clear water, disappeared into the ocean, free and excited about the journey ahead. Once again, I picked up my phone to document the moment, but as the last ray of sun hit my face, I decided to switch off my phone and rely on my own memory to capture the moment.

My visit to Chole Mjini Treehouses was more than just a relaxing breakaway. It was a time to recharge, to switch off from society and to reconnect with my own inner GPS - just like that little turtle.

On your next family holiday, why not reconnect the old-fashioned way?

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0200

Watch baby turtles hatch

Seeing something as rare as baby turtles hatching and making their way to the ocean for the first time, is a real treat for kids and adults alike! Not only is it absolutely adorable, but it’s also a great opportunity for your kids to learn about endangered species and how communities can work together to protect them.

If you think this is something your kids will enjoy, why not book an excursion to Juani Island and let our friends at SeaSense show you how the community pulls together to ensure the survival of the turtles and many more endangered animals.

Swim with Whale sharks

Another animal on the endangered list is the majestic whale shark. This is one of the very few places in the world where you can swim with whale sharks almost all year round and seeing that whale sharks are placid, harmless creatures, this is a great activity to do as a family. Kids can decide if they want to swim or snorkel with these giants or if they just want to stay in the boat and admire their immensity as they come to feed on the surface. Read more about the Mafia Island whale sharks here.

Have a digital detox holiday

A study done in Morocco showed that digital detoxing (taking a break from your digital devices) had profound effects on people’s health. It took all of three days of digital detoxing for people to start walking more upright and sleeping better. This is something we’ve seen countless times at Chole Mjini. After a couple of days, your body clock resets. You wake up soon after sunrise and you start feeling sleepy shortly after dinner. You rediscover what it means to get 'good' rest.

According to the study, digital detoxing also brings people closer together. It turns out that without digital devices, people were living more in the moment. They were making more eye contact, having more meaningful conversations and they were even laughing more – mostly because they were trying to figure out things they would usually just google.

At Chole Mjini it is very easy to put your digital devices away (you have a lockable safe just for that) and to live in the moment with your family.

The island offers many opportunities to reconnect with your family – whether it be during a candle-lit dinner, a sandbank picnic or a swim alongside the largest fish on the planet. Here you can switch off your phone and connect the old-fashioned way.

If you’re ready to take your family to experience the sights and sounds of a truly wild jungle, with fireflies, crabs and mudskippers as neighbours and adventure waiting around every corner, why not get in touch or book your favourite treehouse now.

Swimming with Whale Sharks at Chole Mjini and Kitu Kiblu

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0200

At Chole Mjini and Kitu Kiblu, responsible whale shark encounters are a core part of what we do – and with the longest whale shark season in the world – it’s usually quite easy for us to share this special experience with others. Every now and then we even give away an entire 5-day whale shark getaway for two! This year Emma Sjøvik was lucky enough to win this prize.

Emma entered our Facebook competition and she won a 5-night stay for two at Chole Mjini and Kitu Kiblu. This prize will give her the opportunity to not only have up-close and personal encounters with the planet’s largest fish species but it will also give her and her partner the chance to discover why Kitu Kiblu and Chole Mjini are some of the most unique places in the world to do this.

Here’s what Emma is in for and what you could experience if you book a stay with us.

Kitu Kiblu – Mafia Island

On the West coast of Mafia Island (a small island off the coast of Tanzania), you will find a small cluster of tented stilt houses amongst cashew and coconut trees. This is the island-style accommodation for those who want to get away from it all to experience raw, unfiltered nature – and of course – to swim with whale sharks.

A pristine beach with beautiful mangrove trees becomes your front yard and your departure point for your half-day whale shark excursions. On these excursions, you decide how close you want to get to the placid whale sharks – whether you want to swim or snorkel with them, or just admire them from the boat. Our skilled local staff members happily share their knowledge about these gentle creatures while always making sure you’re comfortable and looked after – not just on the boat – but back at your humble abode too.

Chole Mjini – Chole Island

Our sister lodge, Chole Mjini is situated on an even smaller island, Chole Island, just a short boat ride from Mafia Island. Chole Mjini is a place for complete relaxation amongst the baobab trees. And we really do mean ‘amongst’ the trees. At Chole Mjini you get to choose between 7 uniquely designed treehouses – each with their own special characteristics. Whether you want to have a view over the sea, to be nestled in ancient ruins or you want to hug a baobab every night before you climb into bed – there’s a treehouse for you.

With an off-the-grid, back to basics setup right in the middle of the jungle, the Chole Mjini Treehouse experience is the perfect way to get some serious R&R in during your whale shark adventure holiday. Fall asleep to the sound of the abundant jungle life, take a stroll through the ancient ruins, dive with a divemaster and enjoy fresh seafood and delicious island-grown food every day. Now, doesn’t that sound like a way to end-off a whale shark trip?

Get in touch if you want to find out more. We’re always running specials and competitions, so keep an eye out on our website and social media. Maybe you will be our next lucky winner!

Scuba Diving at Chole Mjini and Mafia Island

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0200

Whether you’re an advanced diver looking for a new challenge or you’re completely new to the idea, the abundant, protected reefs of Mafia Island Marine Park and Chole Bay will not disappoint. We invite you to come and spend your nights high up in our semi open-air treehouses, and your days immersed in the warm tropical waters of the largest marine park in East Africa.

Mafia Island Diving

Our friends at Mafia Island Diving run a very popular dive centre on the neighbouring island of Mafia. The dive instructors here are young and always eager to recruit scuba fanatics, so you’re sure to get welcomed with a lot of enthusiasm here. If you’re interested in joining some of their dive adventures, just let us know and we’ll organise for their boat to come and pick you up on the next trip.

Bespoke Diving with Jean

If you’d prefer a more personalised experience with one-on-one guidance, you’ll be happy to know that one of our owners, Jean, is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, a biologist and he has impeccable knowledge of the marine life and diving spots in the area.

A unique perspective

With his multidisciplinary background, Jean can give you a unique perspective into the weird and wonderful species that can be found in the protected waters of Mafia Island Marine Park.

Faster progress

Bespoke diving with Jean means that you get his (mostly) undivided attention, and you’re able to progress a lot faster in your training. Jean adjusts his pace and style according to yours, and he works around the other activities you have planned at Chole Mjini.

Tailored to your interests

Whether it’s exploring the 400 species of coral and the myriad colourful underwater creatures or diving with the current to find barracuda, giant rays and the 2,5 m groupers – whatever your interests are, your diving experience can be tailor-made to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

PADI Courses

Open Water Diving Course

If you’d like to get certified as a diver, you might want to consider the PADI Open Water Diving Course. This is an in-depth course that will teach you the ins and outs of diving through course material (and quizzes) and practical step-by-step diving experience. To find out more about the PADI Open Water Diving Course, click here.

Discover Scuba – Get our special offer

If you don’t need in-depth knowledge of diving and you’d rather go for a high-level introduction to diving, to see what it’s all about, you’ll probably enjoy the Discover Scuba Course. Check out our Discover Scuba Speical Offer here and click here to find out more about the PADI Discover Scuba Course.

And for those who are already certified and just want the chance to see this protected area’s extraordinary reefs and dive sites, get in touch with us and we’ll start making the arrangements.

We hope to welcome you to the crystal clear waters of Chole Bay soon.

Top 5 Places To Swim With Whale Sharks

Sat, 06 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0200

There are many places to swim with whale sharks – each with its own unique characteristics – so your choice depends on what you want to get out of the experience. There are places that are home to the largest whale sharks on earth and places with the highest density of whale sharks – but there’s only one place where the whale sharks display very peculiar behaviour… Unlike their migrating cousins, they never leave. Go through our list of the Top 5 Places to Swim With Whale Sharks to see which place is right for you.

South Ari Atoll, the Maldives – For Beautiful Surroundings

South Ari Atoll in the Maldives is one of the most beautiful places to swim with whale sharks. The tropical islands with their white, sandy beaches leading into warm azure waters are still largely unspoilt and uncrowded by tourists, so this is a great place for a peaceful encounter with whale sharks – especially in peak time (from August to November).

Yucatan Penninsula, Mexico – For The Numbers

Once a year hundreds of whale sharks from all over the Atlantic Ocean come together around a little island called Isla Mujeres to feed on fish eggs. This is a spectacular sight and probably one of the highest densities of whale sharks occurring in the world.

Unfortunately, Isla Mujeres is just a quick ferry ride away from the mega-resorts of Cancun and so the whale sharks are not the only animals that come here by the hundreds. Although you are basically guaranteed to see lots of whale sharks here during whale shark season, you’ll have to decide if it’s worth having your encounter – and your photos – spoiled by dozens of sunburnt grins in full-face snorkel masks.

Photo: Oscar Reyes

Saint Helena Island – If you seek Isolation

If you would prefer to have your whale shark experience somewhere far away from the tourist hordes, you probably can’t get further away than St. Helena Island. This remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean is more than 2000 km away from the closest major land mass, so when the large adult whale sharks arrive, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll have them all to yourself.

St. Helena Island only recently (in October 2017) started to welcome commercial airlines to its airport, which means this tropical gem remains largely hidden from the public… for now. So, if you’re willing to endure potentially long and expensive flights and plan your trip to catch the whale sharks in the relatively short peak season (January and February), this might be a good option for you.

The Galapagos Islands – If Size Matters

For some people, whale shark encounters are all about coming face-to-face with the largest fish on the planet. If size is what you’re interested in, you’ll see some of the largest of the large around the crystal clear waters of the Galapagos Islands. Most of the whale sharks in this area are pregnant females and they can get up to 12 metres in size and weigh about 21 tonnes!

Around the Galapagos Islands, the whale sharks are usually more dispersed and they tend to stick to the deeper waters, so they can be difficult to find. Swimming with these giants is more suited for scuba divers who want to see these massive creatures in the deep – so if you’re a snorkeler, you probably won’t have much luck.

Tagging whale sharks in the Galapagos Islands. Photo: Simon Pierce

Mafia Island, Tanzania – For The Longest Season

Mafia Island Marine Park is the largest marine park in East Africa and the whale sharks in and around its protected waters are flourishing. Unlike other places in the world, the whale sharks of Mafia Island stay around the island all year long and for 5 months of the year, they feed on the surface of the water. This is the longest whale shark season in the world, which means you have a large window of time to organise your trip in and you can leave the FOMO behind.

Not only are you virtually guaranteed to swim with whale sharks here, you probably won’t even have to go far to see them. The placid whale sharks of Mafia Island can sometimes be found only three minutes offshore. And while the whale sharks aren’t difficult to find – Mafia Island is (luckily). This stunning conservation area remains largely undiscovered by the tourist masses. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can still have a truly wild and authentic whale shark experience.

If this sounds like your type of whale shark encounter, you’ll be happy to know that Chole Mjini and its sister company, Kitu Kiblu, are always running special offers for people like you. Whether you want to relax in a treehouse at Chole Mjini or get into the action with a Kitu Kiblu Whale Shark Internship, we’ve got a spot in paradise for you.