Thanda Island

Thanda Island is a new and exciting Indian Ocean private retreat, just off the coast of Tanzania, near Mafia Island, Thanda offers exclusive use and ideal for those seeking the ultimate beach escape with close family and friends.

Thanda Island will offer an environmentally sensitive, fun and restorative Indian Ocean experience in total seclusion. Comprising an expansive five-bedroom villa featuring an impressive glass rim-flow swimming pool and a huge indoor aquarium to rival its outdoor counterparts, it combines casual beach-house living with outdoor ocean adventures.

Highly trained and experienced staff will be on hand to help guests enjoy the very best of the island. Guests will unwind over long lunches under the veranda, have fun setting up beach BBQ’s and laugh late into the starry night around the outdoor cocktail bar. By day, they may choose to laze around the pool or prefer the feel of the squeaky white sand of their own beach between their toes. For the energetic and adventurer, there will be a wide selection of water sports: kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing and exploring the island’s spectacular coral reef with a snorkel and mask. The more adventurous may choose to try and catch sight of the Whale Sharks that pass through seasonally or spot the endangered Dugong while scuba diving with qualified instructors. Guests will also be able to watch sea turtles that have started to nest back on the Island after a long break or take cultural trips to one of the local islands.

Thanda Island seeks to mirror the success that Thanda Private Game Reserve has achieved in Zululand, South Africa, by working closely with the local Swahili community on Mafia Island through a series of education programmes. The team has also partnered with environmental conservation agencies that work with the preservation and protection of marine and aquatic biodiversity, which guests are also invited to learn more about during their stay.

Beach house romance, nostalgia and East African elegance personify the Villa on Thanda Island, designed for a perfect summer in coastal whites, greens and blues. The owners of Thanda Island, Christin and Dan Olofsson of Sweden, built the Villa as a discreet, sumptuous retreat for people who seek a private playground. It offers an expansive living area featuring everything you would want from an extravagant beach house, including an indoor aquarium, wine collection, cigar humidor, glass rim-flow swimming pool and wrap-around dining area with its 180-degree view of the ocean. The Villa has Wifi Internet access and mobile phone reception.

Five air-conditioned bedroom suites lead directly onto the beach with its silken white sands. Additional beds for up to nine children can be set up in the bedroom suites. For special occasions the house can accommodate up to 26 adults, with eight guests in two traditional ‘bandas’ (bungalows) and eight guests in two safari-style tents, set up on the lawn.

Looking after your every need on Thanda Island is a select team dedicated entirely to you, including your own Executive Chef, Hostess, Housekeeper and Boatman. It’s your Private Island, Coral Reef and Villa.

We are taking bookings and look forward to welcoming our first guests from April 2016. There is a flat rate being offered for the exclusive use of Thanda Island and the five-bed Villa of US$10,000 per night for a minimum of 3-7 nights depending on the season. This is an all-inclusive rate that includes the team of dedicated staff, transfers from Mafia Island and all the activities offered on the island, along with all meals and drinks including Thanda’s handpicked selection of wines and champagnes.