While its safaris are superb, Tanzania has a whole world waiting beyond its shores. From the palm-lined Zanzibar to the mini Mnemba, islands in Tanzania promise beachside bliss and some of the best diving in the Indian Ocean (swimming with whale sharks, anyone?). If you can't decide where to go first, fear not - we've picked some of our favourites to fuel your inspiration. Read on to discover your next island escape...
Mafia Island
Best for: swimming with whale sharks.
We'll let you in on the best-kept diving secret: Mafia Island. Despite its thriving coral reefs housing over 400 species of marine life and more than 50 species of coral, its shores have remained peacefully untouched by tourists. Don your flippers and spot humpback whales, turtles and whale sharks (the world's largest fish) in the island's 30-mile-long marine park.
Above water, Mafia Island is cloaked in fruit trees, baobabs and mangroves, with fruit bats, monkeys, bushbabies and even hippos running wild (gulp). Venture into Kilindoni, Mafia's main town, to taste fresh produce at the market and watch the locals go about their daily lives.
Zanzibar Island
Best for: culture, cuisine and beach bliss.
Perhaps the most well-known island in Tanzania, Zanzibar lives up to all expectations. This slice of paradise offers something for everyone, from the culture-rich Stone Town to Paje's silky sands and the family-run, fragrant spice farms. Naturally, the diving is excellent too - over 500 marine species await, including cutesy nudibranchs and elegant manta rays.
Feeling peckish? You're in luck. Zanzibar's cuisine is a mouth-watering mix of Swahili, Indian, Arab and Portuguese influences, with mishkaki (grilled, marinated meat), Zanzibar pizza (nothing like its Italian counterpart) and pilau (a meaty rice mix) gracing menus.
Pemba Island
Best for: off-the-radar adventure.
There's a reason early Omani sailors dubbed Pemba Island 'Green Island' - its lush landscape stands out in the sea like a dazzling emerald. Together, its tropical trees make up the Ngezi Forest Reserve and the Pemba Flying Fox Forest, two hubs of biodiversity teeming with vervet monkeys, Pemba scops owls, chameleons and myriad bird species.
The surrounding coral-rich waters make Pemba one of the best islands in Tanzania for spotting marine life. Swim alongside flittering fish, sharks, dolphins and whales before unwinding on the sugar-white beaches. Craving an adrenaline rush? There are plenty of water sports to enjoy, from kitesurfing to kayaking.
Mnemba Island
Best for: a secluded escape.
Mnemba Island is the definition of barefoot luxury. Sitting on its exclusive sands are just 12 palm-frond Bandas, each veiled in vegetation and treated to a private stretch of beach. These secluded shores are surrounded by the Mnemba Atoll, a protected marine conservation area that boasts some of the Indian Ocean's most pristine reefs. Dive in and meet clownfish, napoleon wrasse, green marine turtles, humpback whales and dolphins.
