If you are looking for awesome, unique, and quirky then look no further. Chole Mjini is located on the northern tip of Chole Island, just off the coast of Mafia. It is a small and pretty island with an interesting interior and fascinating coastline – the Rufiji Mafia Marine Reserve is a short distance away with some of the best diving in the world in the area.

Diving here is offered on a bespoke, private diving, bases with one of the owners of the lodge who is a very experienced PADI Master diver trainer and biologist so, if diving is your thing, then you will be in very good hands here. While the beach surrounding Chole is pleasant it is not the picture-perfect sandy beaches of Zanzibar and Pemba but if you need your fill of a perfect sandy beach then you can take a day trip to a nearby perfect sandbank, exposed only at low tide, for some relaxing, swimming and snorkeling which comes very highly recommended.

The lodge itself is just outside of the ruins of old Chole town and on the approach you will hardly know the lodge is there, it blends in seamlessly with the surroundings of bush, mangroves and ruins. Made using local techniques the six treehouses are built on platforms high in the canopy around ancient baobab trees and all give fantastic canopy and sea views. These are simple but comfortable with a four-poster bed below a thatched roof with most having a hammock and chairs with a coffee table. Some of the treehouses even have an upper viewing deck with comfortable seating. Each of the treehouses have private en-suite facilities with hot showers provided by an ingenious kerosene water heater and dry composting toilets. Take note that the en-suite facilities are at ground level and not within the treehouses.