Exploring Maziwe and Toten Islands at Tanga Regions : A trip to Tanzania will let you develop unforgettable memories about this country with replete Mother Nature. You don’t have to be a mountain climber or wildlife viewer to visit this peaceful country. Everyone’s safari interests can be fulfilled in this fabulous. You will find other iconic destinations that are not frequented by large crowds. You will explore through this untouched places with small number of people. Some of such less crowded places include the isolated Maziwe and Toten islands.
Maziwe and Toten islands are some sensational destinations situated in the Northern Coast of Tanzania in Tanga region for beach holidays and water-related activities. These islands have a lot to offer to their guests.
Maziwe Island
This is a smallest island with no vegetation that is surrounded by coral reefs. It is about 8 kilometres in the southwest of Pangani town. Historically, Maziwe island was inhabited by people since 1854 who moved to Tanga city. It was also a forested island in 1910s. The trees were cut down in the mid-1970s and the last tree was seen in 1983. Tanzanian authorities recognized the significance of this thrilling island and it established it as a National Reserve in 1975 in order to protect breeding sites for sea turtles. It is monitored under Mwera ward of Pangani District.
Maziwe island is accessible by a boat safari from Pangani. You should be aware that, this island is easily accessed during low tide which happens frequently in the dry season starting from June to October.
Maziwe is an open treeless island where neither nor grass grow on its land. Its sandy nature is wonderful to spend a holiday on. It hosts some fascinating attractions including the following;
Fishes; Maziwe is home to over 400 species of fish. It is a spectacular destination for fishing. This island of the top fishing spots in Pangani. Some of iconic fish species found in Maziwe include leaf fish, Gombessa, Marlin, Tuna, and Sailfish.
Corals; Maziwe hosts about 35 genera of coral reefs. The coral reefs observed here stretches from Saadani to Tanga. There are long reef slopes and beautiful coral gardens around the island which best breeding sites for sea turtles. Visiting these gardens will make you witness about 200 nests of green and olive ridley turtles.
Birdlife; Colourful birds decorates this sandy island. Shoreline birds are always wonderful to watch.
What to do in Maziwe?
If you are thinking on what you will be doing at Maziwe island. There are plenty of things to do on your stay at Maziwe island. Here are some of such activities;
Swimming and Sunbathing; Experience a sensational swimming feeling different from that from a swimming pool. You will enjoy sunbathing on dazzling sandy beaches on the outskirts of Maziwe island.
Watching dazzling fishes; On a canoe or kayak, you will enjoy the scenic views of beautiful fishes moving randomly in the warm water. This is awesome. A pair of binoculars can help you see clearer images of these amazing fishes.
Fishing; Deep sea fishing is wonderful in the Maziwe island. As I said earlier, this tremendous island is home to over 400 species of fish making it a perfect destination for fishing. You can go fishing by a boat or a “mashua”. Sport fishing is also conducted to give you an incredible experience of catch-and-release while on a speedboat. Whether you are an amateur or experienced fisher, the excitement of landing of an energetic fish which may escape when not handled is an unforgettable experience, Exploring Maziwe and Toten Islands at Tanga Regions.
Snorkelling; A dense population of coral reefs will make you interested in snorkelling at Maziwe island. These stunning creatures are glorious to be staring at in your snorkel equipment. Corals of Maziwe island have colourful scenes in the underwater worth taking a picture. You can grab a water proof camera for capturing photos of such pretty creatures.
Scuba diving; Maziwe island is a perfect destination for scuba divers. Pangani is untouched coastline hosting various marine fishes like crocodile fish, leaf fish, spotted rays and Napoleon fish. These species are frequently encountered by underwater adventurers. Your dive will enable to view Napoleon fish and marine green turtles on a closer distance. You can dive into 5-35 metres beach water is warm and has a temperature of 26-29 degrees. Other places where you can enjoy diving include reefs like Fungu Datcha, Fungu Ushongo, Masera and Kipumbwe Reef.
Visiting nearby attractions; Ushongo Beach is one of the fascinating places for your beach holiday. Most visitors usually combine the experience of this awesome beach with a trip to Maziwe Marine Reserve. At Ushongo Beach you can enjoy doing the following activities;
Kayaking; You may have been used to long boat trips and you are looking to go for a short adventure. Grab a sea kayak and paddle it to distance and enjoying viewing the beach from afar. On this small adventure, you carry with you snorkelling gears so that when spot a wonderful underwater creature you can snorkel.
Kite and windsurfing; Whether you are an expert of kite and windsurfing or you are an amateur, you will learn more about this activity at Ushongo Beach. This activity is enjoyable during the afternoon hours when the winds are strong enough. For beginners, kite is trained by various experts from various tour operators, Exploring Maziwe and Toten Islands at Tanga Regions.
Historical tour in Pangani; Pangani is historical town built by a mixture of Arabs, Shirazi, German and British rulers. The BOMA building, situated in the west was built by Arabs in 1810. It was later used by German rulers who added some European architecture in the roof. You can also visit numerous graves of the Germans.
Toten Island
This is another small marvellous uninhabited and protected island situated in the north of Tanga habrbour. The name “toten” originates from the German word “toteninsel” which means “Island of the Dead”. Like Maziwe island, you can do other water sports at this historical island.
It contains ruins of two Medieval Swahili mosques and tombs worth a visit. You will also witness pottery fragments dating back into 15th century during the Shirazi era. It was inhabited until 1854 when the residents moved into the current day, Tanga city and never came back.
Pangani is wonderful destination for water sports like snorkelling, swimming, kite-surfing, diving, fishing and sunbathing. This northern coastline of Tanzania has warm water making it a hotspot for swimmers and snorkelers. Your trip to this fabulous destination will be unforgettable.
