Big Blu Mafia Island Diving Center - Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
The team at Big Blu Mafia Island Diving Center are the real deal, operating right out of the Mafia Island Marine Park. We love that they’re smack on the beach in Utende, giving you those uninterrupted views over Chole Bay as you sip your morning coffee. This isn’t just a dive shop; it’s more of a complete dive camp. You roll out of bed, grab your gear, and walk to the boat. It’s that easy. They've got a solid setup for PADI courses, and we especially appreciate their commitment to Project AWARE specialties – a good sign they care about the reefs you’ll be exploring. What makes Big Blu special is the sheer ease of it all. You're living, eating, and diving within metres of each other. Our favourite tip? Head out for the early morning dives. The light filtering through the water as the sun comes up over Chole Bay is just something else, and you often catch the reef sharks still hunting before the day warms up properly. It’s perfect for divers who want to immerse themselves fully, without worrying about transfers or logistics.
- Location
- Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands, Tanzania, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -7.970974, 39.748800
- [email protected]
- Website
- https://www.bigblumafia.com/
- Certification Agencies
- PADI
- Courses
- PADI courses, Project AWARE specialty courses
Dive Sites Near Big Blu Mafia Island Diving Center
Big Blu Mafia Island Diving Center provides access to 15 dive sites in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands.
- Aquarium (reef)
- Big Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- Big Wall (wall)
- Captain Muddy - 10-30m (wreck)
- Club 54 - 10-25m (reef)
- Diving spot - 5-20m (reef)
- End of the world
- Fundo Gap
- Fungu Yasini Island (reef)
- HMS Pegasus (wreck)
- KRONBERG - 2m (wreck)
- Lighthouse
- Little Wall (wall)
- Little Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- Mandela Wall (wall)
Other Dive Centres in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
Best Time to Dive in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands occur in April, averaging 29.3°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 25.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C
- February: 28.6°C
- March: 29.2°C
- April: 29.3°C
- May: 28.1°C
- June: 27.1°C
- July: 25.9°C
- August: 25.5°C
- September: 25.8°C
- October: 26.7°C
- November: 27.6°C
- December: 28.7°C
Marine Life in Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
Home to 55 recorded species including 33 reef fish, 14 seagrass & algae, 2 other, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 clams & mussels, 1 starfish.
Notable Marine Life
- Marbled Parrotfish (Leptoscarus vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
- Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) - Reef Fish
- Hooded oyster (Saccostrea cuccullata) - Clams & Mussels
- Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) - Reef Fish
- Silver-streaked rainbowfish (Stethojulis strigiventer) - Reef Fish
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Crested Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes mitratus) - Reef Fish
- Alligator pipefish (Syngnathoides biaculeatus) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Recommended Packing List for Dar es Salaam & Offshore Islands
Based on average water temperature of 27.6°C, currents 33 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins (stiff blade recommended for strong currents)
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories