The Mafia Archipelago  forms part of the coral reef protecting the coast of Tanzania.  The Mafia Marine Park was created with the support of the WWF to protect this unique ecology.

The huge Rufiji river delta influences this ecosystem by supplying nutritional substances at the base of a complex food-chain.  The island is the meeting place of large oceanic fish and the the vast variety of fish common to the Indian Ocean coral reefs. There are over 400 species of fish in the park. 

Chole Bay, Mafia's protected deep-water anchorage, is  part of the  marine park. Its horseshoe  shape is studded with lovely beaches. A reef outside the bay runs the length of Mafia Island. The diving here is amongst the most spectacular in the world and includes colourful coral gardens, walls at  various levels and many shelves and coral heads.

Pole pole Bungalow Resort consists of ten bungalows  set in a shady, breezy spot facing a sea of the deepest blue and looking over at the islands of Chole, Juani and Jibondo.

Owned and operated by a young Italian couple, Massimo and Katia who have spent the last several years designing and building the resort. The ten roomy bungalows with wide verandas looking onto the sea are built entirely out of wood and raised on stilts to ensure the maximum comfort  for the guests. 

Each bungalow covers 60 sq m with personalized fixtures and furnishings. The floors are made out of afrormosia, one of the rarest and valued tropical woods, the furniture from mahogany and the door and window frames from doussi.