© Lonely Planet Publications 304 Southeastern Tanzania Time seems to have stood still in Tanzania’s remote and sparsely populated southeast. It lacks the development and bustle of the north, tourists numbers are a relative trickle and Arusha’s crush of Land Cruisers and safari companies is so far removed that it might as well be in another country. During the Mozambican war the southeast was considered to be a sensitive border zone and many areas were off limits to tourists. As a result – although travel restrictions have long since been lifted and the welcome here is as warm as it is elsewhere in the country – the region remains in many ways traditional and reserved. It makes an ideal destination for getting to know local life that has been relatively insulated from outside influences. Among the southeast’s major attractions are the untrammelled expanses of the Selous Game Reserve, with a clutch of intimate lodges, boat safaris and top-notch wildlife watching. Another draw is the long coastline. Here, deserted white-sand beaches shimmer under an unrelenting sun, shoals of colourful fish flit past amazing coral formations in Tanzania’s two marine parks at Mafia island and Mnazi Bay, and the ruins on Kilwa Kisiwani and in other old Swahili towns testify to days when this part of the continent was the centre of trading networks stretching to the Far East. Mafia and the Selous both offer a full range of accommodation and Western amenities. Elsewhere, while there are good air connections to major destinations, infrastructure is un- developed, and road journeys can be long and rugged. HIGHLIGHTS Taking a boat safari along the Rufiji River in Selous Game Reserve ( p311 ) Mafia Diving amidst colourful fish or relaxing on white sands in the Mafia archipelago ( p306 ) Selous Game Reserve Kilwa Kivinje Exploring traces of bygone days at the SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA Kilwa Kisiwani old Swahili trading towns of Mikindani ( p326 ) and Kilwa Kivinje ( p319 ) Visiting the ruins of the famed medieval Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma city-state of Kilwa Kisiwani ( p318 ) Estuary Marine Park Mikindani Relaxing on the beaches around Mtwara Mtwara ( p322 ) and the Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estu- ary Marine Park ( p327 ) lonelyplanet.com SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA 305 0 80 km SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA 0 50 miles B129 A7 Chalinze Mlandizi Mbudya Mikese Bongoyo Kibaha Morogoro DAR ES SALAAM Msumbisi River Kipera Kisarawe Latham ὈὈA7 Ruvu Mgeta Matombo Uluguru Mkuranga Mountains See Selous Game Kilengezi Reserve (Northern Section) Map (p312) Mikumi Mikumi Dutumi LEGEND NP Kisaki To Iringa Kisiju GR Game Reserve (150km) Fuga MP Marine Park NP National Park Bungu ὈὈὈὈὈὈKidatu Kibiti Stiegler's ὅὅNyamisati Bweni Gorge Rufiji Mloka Great Ruaha River River Mkongo ὅὅKilindoni Mafia Ikwiriri Utende Utete Ndundu ὅὅ Rufiji River Mafia Island Kilo m Delta MP b ὈὈὈὈὈὈe ro ὅὅ Rufiji River Mohoro River Selous GR Songo Songo River Luhombero Kipatimo Kilwa Kivinje ὈὈὈὈNangurukuru Kilwa Masoko Kilwa Kisiwani Luwegu River Matandu River Songo Mnara Pande I N D I A N ὈὈὈὈ O C E A N SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA Mbarangandu River Liwale B2 Njenje River Tendunguru Mbwemkuru River Lindi Lindi Bay Mnazi Bay- Ruvuma Mnazi Mmoja Sudi Estuary MP (Mingoyo) Bay ὈὈὈὈRondo Msangamkuu Plateau Peninsula B2 Mikindani Ruvula Mahiwa Nachingwea Mtama Mtwara Ziwani Msimbati Lumesule River Ndanda Kilambo Mahurunga u To Songea B5 a Msangesi e (170km) at Namiranga GR Masasi Pl Kitaya e Nanyamba nd ὈὈὈὈὈ ko Palma Chingulungulu Ma A19 A19 Nangomba Newala Lukwika- Tunduru Lumesule GR Mpombe Nangade vuma River Ru Moçimboa Masuguru do Rovuma r Niassa Negomane e Ὀ Moçimboa v Reserve i R da Praia River a vum Ru MOZAMBIQUE To Pemba (Mozambique) Lugenda Mueda (218km) 306 SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA •• Mafia lonelyplanet.com National Parks & Reserves 0 10 km MAFIA 0 6 miles Selous Game Reserve (p311 ) covers much of southeastern Tanzania, although only the northern sector is open for tourism. Along the Ruvuma River are Lukwika-Lumesule and Msangesi Game Reserves ( p330 ) – offbeat I N D I A N destinations outside of the hunting season O C E A N Nyororo for intrepid travellers with time – while along Ras Mkumbi the coast are Mafia Island ( p309 ) and Mnazi To Nyamisati Bay-Ruvuma Estuary ( p327 ) Marine Parks for (30km) Bweni diving and snorkelling. Shungumbili Mbarakuni Getting There & Around Kirongwe Mafia, Selous Game Reserve, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi and Mtwara are easily reached by sched- Ras Mbisi uled flights. Mafia and the Selous are also Mafia well-linked via air to Zanzibar, to the northern circuit parks, to other coastal destinations and Baleni to Ruaha National Park. Bwejuu Kilindoni Chole Bay Ras Mange Chole Kinasi The road from Dar es Salaam south is Kisimani Pass tarmac to the Rufiji (where there’s now a Kitoni Utende bridge), under rehabilitation from the Rufiji Kua Juani Mrima Reef River to Lindi, and mostly tarmac from Lindi Mange Reef to Mtwara. Buses run year-round, and – bar- Jibondo ring breakdowns – it’s possible to make the Kitutia Mafia Island Reef ὄMarine Parkὄ journey in a long day. Dhows ply the waters Boundary of Mafia Island between other coastal towns; see p357 . Inland, Marine Park apart from the tarmac road between Mtwara and Masasi, there are only dirt roads, and minibuses and old Land Rovers are the only eastern shores and on the nearby islands of public transport. Juani and Jibondo. To protect these and other The Tazara train passes along the Selous’ local ecosystems, the southeastern part of the northern border, and is a good option, espe- island, together with offshore islets and wa- cially for the northernmost camps. ters, has been gazetted as a national marine park. Whale sharks (potwe in Swahili) visit MAFIA Mafia between about November and February %023 and are best seen offshore near Kilindoni. Secluded and seductive Mafia – a green wedge of land surrounded by turquoise waters, pris- History tine islets and glinting white sandbanks – In addition to Mafia island, the Mafia remained off the beaten track for years, Archipelago includes Juani (southeast of undiscovered by all except deep-sea fishing Mafia), Chole (between Mafia and Juani), aficionados and a trickle of visitors. That’s Jibondo (south of Juani) and at least a dozen SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA changing fast – the island’s tourist accommo- other islets and sandbars. The archipelago dation has grown from one hotel to over half first rose to prominence between the 11th and a dozen in just a few years. For now, though, 13th centuries in the days when the Shirazis Mafia remains free of the mass tourism that controlled much of the East African shoreline. threatens to overwhelm Zanzibar. It makes an Thanks to its central buffer position between amenable post-safari respite and is a reward- the Rufiji River delta and the high seas of the ing destination in its own right. Indian Ocean, it made an amenable trading Among Mafia’s attractions are its tranquil base, and the local economy soon began to pace, stunning underwater life, upmarket thrive. One of the first settlements was built lodges, a strong traditional culture and a long during this era at Ras Kisimani, on Mafia’s and fascinating history. Green and hawksbill southwestern corner, followed by another at turtles have breeding sites along the island’s Kua on Juani. lonelyplanet.com SOUTHEASTERN TANZANIA •• Mafia 307 By the time the Portuguese arrived in the MONEY early 16th century, Mafia had lost much National Microfinance Bank Just off the airport road, of its significance and had come under the and near the main junction in Kilindoni; changes cash only sway of the Sultan of Kilwa. In the early (dollars, euros and pounds). There are no ATMs. 18th century, the island’s fortunes revived, and by the mid-19th century it had come TELEPHONE within the domain of the powerful Omani Calls can be made at New Lizu Hotel in sultanate, under which it flourished as a Kilindoni. Mobile networks now reach trade centre linking Kilwa to the south and Mafia. Zanzibar to the north. It was during this era that the coconut palm and cashew planta- Sights tions that now cover much of the island It doesn’t take too much imagination to step were established. back in time on Mafia’s coconut plantations, Following an attack by the Sakalava people with village life here going on much as it from Madagascar, Mafia’s capital was moved did during the island’s Shirazi-era heyday. from Kua to the nearby tiny island of Chole. Chole island (day visitors per person US$5) is a good Chole’s star ascended to the point where it place to start exploring, especially around its became known as Chole Mjini (Chole City), crumbling but atmospheric ruins, which date while the now main island of Mafia was re- from the 19th century. Also on Chole, thanks ferred to as Chole Shamba (the Chole hinter- to the efforts of a local women’s group who lands). Mafia’s administrative seat continued bought the area where an important nesting on Chole throughout the German colonial era tree is located, is what is probably East Africa’s until it was moved to Kilindoni on the main only fruit bat sanctuary (Comoros lesser fruit island by the British, who used Mafia as a bat). Chole Mjini (see boxed text on p310) naval and air base. has recently opened a restaurant at the ruins Today, farming and fishing are the main for day visitors. sources of livelihood for Mafia’s approxi- The much larger and heavily vegetated Juani mately 45,000 residents, most of whom live island, just southeast of Chole, has overgrown on the main island. As a result, while shop- but evocative ruins at Kua, including the ping in the markets, you’ll find cassavas, remains of several mosques dating from a cashews and coconuts in abundance.