FAQ

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03f8e8e3.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="04095810.png" border=0 width="149" height="129" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FF9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04500c82dwnjbj.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>BIG BLU</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3366FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>   |     <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIG BLU"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> FAQ</div> <div>                                                    <B>ALL ABOUT MAFIA Is.</B></div> <bR> <div>      The below informations aim to help the travellers or the divers that are choosing Mafia</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>How?</B></div> <bR> <div> First step, make sure your travel agent, does really knows Mafia island , so ask them or any body among of the agency, has ever been to Mafia.</div> <div> Only the 10% of the travel agencies that are selling Mafia, have been to inspect the Island and can be of a great help</div> <div> The rest of the agencies, are just selling becasue of on client's request or on catalogue</div> <div> The time to come to Mafia, is between end of october up to middle of March the following year.</div> <div> Within this period, whale sharks can also be seen, however, being the whale sharks territorial, also on the others months might be seen.</div> <div> Temperature wise, the months of  August, September and October, are the most pleasant. Nevertheless, some days might be a bit cloudy.</div> <div> Between end of November, beginning of December, we have the “short rainy season”, which means short showers but mainly sunny.</div> <div> June and July, due to the “kuzi” (strong wind blowing from the South), it can be difficult to do activities</div> <div> Because of the mentioned strong wind, getting out of the barrier it will be quite impossible, so it is for boat trips to the unique sand banks</div> <div>  for which the island of Mafia is quite famous.But it is best season for sailing and windsurfer activities.</div> <div> However, it is possible to dive inside the Chole Bay</div> <div> Starting from the month of August, the weather improves and the wind drops down a bit so you might enjoy a pleasant holiday and average</div> <div>  temperature is about 25 to 27 degrees, however, till November it will still be hard to get our side of the barrier.</div> <div> From the month of April up to the beginning of June, due to the Southern monsoon, Mafia usually meet the “long rainy season”</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>How much does it costs to come to Mafia?</B></div> <bR> <div> In the last year, because of  the fuel increase, it becomes difficult to establish a fix figure due to many issue involved such as; international flight, </div> <div> internal flight (wether is from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar), transfer from/to Mafia airport, Marine park fees, accommodations.</div> <div> All the above, will by the way make Mafia NOT a cheap destination, especially if made through a Tour Operator that will assit you for what ever</div> <div>  it might happen along with.</div> <div> Air lines such Qatar, Ethiopian, time to time can offer interesting rates although, with some not very easy connections and stop over along the</div> <div>  route though, are very reliables.</div> <div> Trying to figure out how much the entire journey will come to cost, one week on the low season between 1600 to 1700 euros included of international </div> <div> and local flights, transfers, Marine park fee, and accommodation F/B based on Mafia Lodge rates) </div> <div> The same package, it can rise up to 2000/2200 euros on the hig season.</div> <div> Lowest prices than the earlier mentioned, it might hide unpleasant surprise for the traveller....</div> <div> It can happen that the Tour Operator will include a dive package in the final amount, if so, please do ask him to keep separate dives from the rest</div> <div>  and you will see that the cost of you journey will be a bit cheaper!!!</div> <div> Yet, if the package includes the dives, do ask to the Tour Operator how much you will be charged as supplement to get the more far away reefs and <B>IF</B> </div> <div> the diving center <B>does really go</B> to the far away reefs and islettes.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Do I really need to book through a Tour operator?</B></div> <bR> <div> As for the majority of the journeys, being assited by Tour Operator will avoid you to have inconvenients and because we are travelling through out Africa, </div> <div> nothing is automatically guarantee!!! Not necessarily<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calibri" > </FONT>it will cost you more and you will have spent few mintues of your time but, at least you will be in a</div> <div>  safe side and, for whatever happen, there will be someone assisting you</div> <div> If you are a proved traveller rather than a classic tourist,  if you speak a bit of English and if you have a bit of more time for your self, you can organise </div> <div> the journey to Mafia by your self.</div> <div> In order to get the same Tour Operator rates on the air lines, you must book your tickets some month before departure and so you can save quite allot.</div> <div> Big Blu can help by giving all the necessary information for you to book flights, boats, transfers together with clean and cheap local guesthouses</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>How to book the dives with Big Blu?</B></div> <bR> <div> It is not necessesary to book and pre pay your dives with Big Blu</div> <div> We only request you to send us an email with your arrival and departure details so that we can get organise ourselves in order to provide you </div> <div> the best service.</div> <div> Upon your arrival at Big Blu diving center, we will decide together according to your need and expectation</div> <div> There are by the way some Tour Operator that might force you to buy precast dive package although <U>you are NOT diver...</U></div> <div> .Such behavior among of some Tour Operator, can give to the diver the feeling not to be free to choose what is best for him/her.</div> <div> You just ask to your agent to let you have a quotation excluding the dives.</div> <div> Once in Mafia, the diver can judge by himself according to his own criteria what diving center better fit him/her</div> <div> A quick reminder: in case you will be travelling in groups of divers, you will benefit of attractive discount. Afterwords, Big Blu is the only </div> <div> diving center able to accommodate 20 divers at a time in one boat only.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Whale whatching?</B></div> <bR> <div> The best time for whale watching is between August and end of october. You will easily see the humpback whale</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>When you can have the best underwater visibility?</B></div> <bR> <div> I must be said that, underwater visibility in Mafia is not its goal, however, you wont see such amount of fishes for each dive anywhere else in the world.</div> <div> Mafia is tide depending and this the main reason of the poor visibility underwater. Visibility it can change allot if you dive with the high or the low tide,.</div> <div> From October to March on <B><U>high tide dive</U></B> you will easily get between 10 to 20mt, while diving on <B><U>low tide</U></B> visibility is sensibly reduced up to 5mt.</div> <div> Of course the above is regarding the dives in side Chole Bay.</div> <div> Out side the barrier, visibility is more stable and does not matter if you dive on high or low tide.</div> <div> Big Blu is by the way capable to let you know with 12 motnth in advance the exactely timing of the tides and so to allow you to choose the best time </div> <div> for your dives.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Type of dives?</B></div> <bR> <div> When ever the weather is unstable, we usually dive within Chole Bay where all dives are with no current and From end of October up to March, </div> <div> the wind changes direction and this is the time we can take you diving out side the barriers.</div> <div> Max depth is about 27mt.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Timing for diving?</B></div> <bR> <div> As said earlier, diving in Mafia is according to the tides, and every tide there are between 30 to 45 minutes that have to be added so that the time </div> <div> basically change every day.</div> <div> We follow the same concept it is for boat trip to the sand banks.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Insurance and medic certification</B></div> <bR> <div> It is obbligatory to have a diving insurance like DAN or equivalent.</div> <div> For scuba course we need medic certification.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Can we snorkel from the beach?</B></div> <bR> <div> From every hotel's shore, there is no chance to go snorkelling as the sea bottom is mainly sandy. </div> <div> Snorkelling sites can be reached in 25 to 30 minutes max from the shore, by boat.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Equipment required?</B></div> <bR> <div> Big Blu diving center due to its full equippement can rent wether is for diving or snorkelling.</div> <div> By the way, during the busiest months (August, December and January) if equippment is needed,  we recomand you to inform the diving </div> <div> center prior your arrival .</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>What kind of diving sute is required?</B></div> <bR> <div> Water temperature never goes below 24 degrees, during the equatorial summer (January, February and March) water temperature rise up </div> <div> to 29 degrees wether is sruface or in depth</div> <div> Between June to November we suggest a 5mm wet sute, afterwords, 3mm we rekon is ok.</div> <div> Otherwise 5mm through out the year.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Diving Tanks</B></div> <bR> <div> We only have <B>INT</B> tanks, therefore, if you have din<B> </B>regulator you need an adaptor.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Malaria?</B></div> <bR> <div> There is malaria on the island as for the rest of Tanzania, Zanzibar and Pemba</div> <div> We reccomend you outlined agains malaria. Malarone is actually far better than Lariam with <B>no side</B> effect especially for divers .</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Who will fit in Mafia Island?</B></div> <bR> <div> Mafia is the real Africa, still a bit wilde, friendly and charming polupation sorrunded by palm and cashew nut trees.</div> <div> Tranquillity is its strenght, no beaches at walk distance and the most pritty is right in front our diving center and the Mafia Lodge. There are </div> <div> by the way amazing sand banks right in the middle of the indian ocean that are appearing on the low tide. Blue cristall water, coral reef and </div> <div> sound of wawes are the only companions.</div> <div> All the hotel on the Island do not offer entertainment.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Are there local taxes per the Marine Park that have to be paid?</B></div> <bR> <div> Contrary form others marine parks, in Mafia even the inland is considered among of the park so that indipendenly by the fact that you going</div> <div>  to benefit or not by the sea wonders, you have to pay...</div> <div> You will be requesed to pay 20usd per person per day right at the entrace of the gate of the Marine Park.</div> <div> Travellers  cheques, credit card are <B>NOT</B> accepted; only cash usd, euros, or local currency.</div> <div> All the lodges and resorts are within the Marine Park Area</div> <div> .</div> <bR> <div> <B>How do you pay the diving center?</B></div> <bR> <div> Cash Usd, Euros, Pounds, and Tanzanian Shillings are most welcome.</div> <div> <B><U>Tanzanian banks don't accept dollars before 2004.</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Big Blu closure time?</B></div> <bR> <div> From 30 March, May, up to 15th of June (on request, June can be open) </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>