End Your Tropical Honeymoon Vacation In The Mafia Archipelago Off Tanzania

M any young couples have a        and Anne de Villiers and the       tropical honeymoon             people of Chole Village. In fact   vacation, and some take an     $10 per night per guest goes to    African Safari Honeymoon to           resource community development     Tanzania or Kenya, and then           projects, and this is working      urgently seek a peaceful quiet        extremely well.                    escape for the last few days, and                                        this is where an Indian Ocean         This has so far resulted in the    Island in the Mafia Archipelago       Community having, and more         off Tanzania called Chole comes       importantly being able to afford   in.                                   to run a primary school, a                                               kindergarten, an adult learning    There are few better places to        centre with computers and English  finally end up in than Chole          classes, and a clinic and a        Mijini Lodge which is the epitome     market.                            of a romantic honeymoon getaway.                                         This is never more true if you        Chole Mijini Lodge is very close   are very conscious of the damage      to the village, and is unfenced,   that new holiday developments can     being situated amidst the ruins    do to the local environment or        of an old town that was heavily    population, because Chole Mijini      involved in the slave trade two    Lodge has developed with the best     centuries ago.                     principles of echo tourism and                                           benefiting local communities.         There are six tree houses high up                                        on stilts, and a large suite on    Chole Mijini Lodge is on a tiny       the ground. The tree houses are    fertile island called Chole, some     quite superbly designed and        twenty minutes sail from Mafia.       extremely unusual, with the whole  It has been set up as a               effect being one of a tropical     partnership with the owners Jean      garden amidst the ruins, and it    is spectacularly effective.           Mijini Lodge has no electricity                                          supply, and it is full board,      The tree houses all have a view       with dining at a large family      over the mangroves to the sea,        style dining table, and only       and contain a bathroom at ground      water is included in the full      level with a long drop composting     board rate, although alcoholic     loo, which although it sounds         drinks can be purchased. You will  pretty basic, does work very          find the the food simple           well. If Chole is to be part of       imaginative and superb, with       your honeymoon, and you don’t         different dishes to tempt even     like the sound of this, then book     the most jaded palate!             the ground level suite which                                             boasts the only flush toilet on       The service is excellent           the island!                           throughout the lodge, always                                             there, and very discreet. If you   There are hot showers for all the     are worried about security, there  accommodations, and there is a        are guards around all the time     dhow where you can spend a night      especially at night so so feel     away from the lodge.                  safe at all times.                                                                                          Mijini Lodge has a very               In terms of what you do at Mijini  comfortable main lounge with lots     Lodge, there are sailing trips,    of large colorful cushions to lie     forest walks, and general          about on, with loads of books and     exploration of the historical      games.                                ruins, and general history of the                                        area, snorkeling, and diving.      This really is an escape and a        There is everything from shallow   romantic getaway destination.         lagoons to deep dives, and a                                             fully set up PADI center.          It is also fair to point out that                                        Tanzania, and the Mafia               present malaria mosquitoes means   Archipelago makes everyone think      that the bed enclosed by nets      of white sand beaches, and they       becomes an oven. Now this is also  are easily accessible by dhow, if     the case at many safari camps in   not quite on the doorstep. Some       Africa, but is something to be     of the beaches you will be taken      aware of here.                     to are so remote, utterly                                                untouched and beautiful.              Notwithstanding Chole Mijini                                             Lodge is a completely unique spot  What you absolutely must do is to     to end an African safari           take the unique opportunity to        honeymoon, but not for people who  see how the local village lives,      need all the luxuries of the 21st  and to experience it. Majini          century. If it is for you, then    gives you a unique opportunity to     the experience you will have will  do this, and gives you an insight     make this a romantic honeymoon     into everyday African life.           getaway you will never forget.                                                                              Without wishing to be negative,       It isn’t really a base for a       the biggest drawback to Chole         complete Tanzania vacation, but a  Mijini Lodge is the heat normally     great place for two or three       an advantage during the day, but      days, hidden so to speak, amongst  at night when the breeze drops,       the islands in the Mafia           the lack of a fan, and the ever       Archipelago.                       About the Author: Peter Stewart writes about in Kenya Safaris as well as Worldwide Vacation Spots He also recommends Travel Tennis a great Game to play on Holiday. Published At: www.Isnare.com