Thanda Island started with a dream to find a small, remote, uninhabited Tropical Island off the coast of East Africa. Today, it is one of the world’s most exclusive island getaways, a paradise for you to enjoy in complete privacy with family and friends. A secluded island with a single luxurious villa and two traditional Bandas (beach chalets) in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Tanzania.
Situated in your own marine reserve, you can swim with the gentlest giant of the ocean, the whale shark, and watch sea turtles nesting. Here, you can rest, rejuvenate and enjoy adventuresports in a world where shades of turquoise infuseyour days and tropical spices your nights.
Nestled within Tanzania’s Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve, opposite the Rufiji River Delta and the Selous National Park, Thanda Island is 5.5 hectares in size, 1,100 metres in circumference and 350 metres wide. It is 16 nautical miles or 30 kilometres east of the mainland of Tanzania, opposite the Rufiji River Delta, and located between the mainland and Mafia Island.
(The name ‘Mafia’ is derived from the Arabic morfiyeh, meaning group or archipelago, and from the Swahili mahali pa afya, meaning a healthy dwelling-place.) Thanda Island is 7 degrees south of the equator and in the East African Time Zone, one to two hours ahead of the Central European Time Zone. It is surrounded by coral reefs, which protect the Island from massive waves and heavy seas.
