Utende Seacliff Resort

How To Get There

Guests traveling to Utende Seacliff Resort can first fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, followed by a short domestic flight to Mafia Island Airport (MFA). From there, the resort is just a 15-minute transfer, which is free and can be arranged directly through the property.

Dive Overview

Diving in Tanzania offers a rich underwater experience characterized by healthy coral reefs, warm tropical waters, and an abundance of marine life. The country’s coastline and offshore islands, including Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar, are home to protected marine parks that host a variety of dive sites suitable for all experience levels. Divers can encounter everything from colorful reef fish and macro critters to turtles, rays, reef sharks, and, seasonally, whale sharks and humpback whales.

[See: Zanzibar, Tanzania & Kenya Dive Travel Guide]

Accommodation Overview

Utende Seacliff Resort offers a serene escape with 18 thoughtfully designed rooms surrounded by tropical gardens and ocean views. Guests can choose between Ocean View Rooms and Garden View Rooms, each featuring queen beds, en suite bathrooms with hot water showers, air conditioning or fans, and private balconies or terraces. All rooms include daily housekeeping, laundry service, and in-room amenities such as tea and coffee-making facilities, mini bars, and Wi-Fi.

Dive Information

Mafia Island offers world-class diving within the protected waters of the Mafia Island Marine Park, renowned for its vibrant coral reefs, sheltered lagoons, and thriving biodiversity. With over 400 species of fish and more than 50 genera of coral, the area provides exceptional diving for both beginners and experienced enthusiasts. Chole Bay’s calm conditions are ideal for relaxed coral reef dives and macro photography, while nearby sites like Kinasi Pass and Milimani Reef offer exhilarating drift dives and encounters with larger marine life.

Dive Center Information

Utende Seacliff Resort partners closely with a professional, PADI-certified dive center located just steps from your beach bungalow in the heart of Mafia Island Marine Park. The dive team—comprised of experienced local instructors—runs small-group excursions by boat and shore, offering guided dives to nearby reefs, wall sites, and drift channels, as well as snorkeling trips and conservation-focused activities like Project AWARE cleanups. Whether you're discovering macro life in Chole Bay, drifting along Kinasi Pass, or chasing seasonal giants like whale sharks, the Utende Seacliff Resort Dive Center ensures a safe, personal, and eco-conscious diving adventure.

Practical Information

• Time Zone: East Africa Time (EAT) 
• Local Currency: TZS 
• Languages Spoken at the Resort: English, Arabic, Swahili, French, Italian 
• Electricity (Voltage): 220V 
• Credit Cards Accepted: Yes