When the invitation for Thanda Island in Tanzania arrived in my inbox, I immediately sent my RSVP. I was excited to visit an island that I’d heard so much about!

Not only had Thanda Island been named the World’s Leading Exclusive Private Island by the World Travel Awards in 2016; they were also featured on the recent Condé Nast Traveller’s Hot List.

So, I was thrilled to go see it for myself.

How to get to Thanda Island

After an early flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg, we connected to Dar Es Salaam, and were met by a team member from Thanda Island; a welcome sight in the chaos of Dar Es Salaam’s airport arrivals. We were led through immigration and the domestic terminal to our private jet.

The jet took us to Mafia Island in Tanzania. Mark, our friendly and professional pilot, welcomed us and we set off on a quick 20-minute flight to Mafia Island. We had plenty of snacks and soft drinks on board.

We landed at the small, rustic airport that fits right into the island surrounding. Reuben and Julie of the Thanda Island team drove us a quick 5 minutes down to the beach.

The tide was low. We took off our shoes, rolled up our trousers and waded ankle-deep into the warm waters right onto a fishing boat. From there we boarded the sleek motorboat, Island Princess. Surrounded by the ocean’s salty scent, 25 minutes later we reached our new home for the next two nights. And, what a home it was!

The island itself is breath-taking; crystal-clear water glistens in the sun.

As we hopped off the boat, we followed the sound of singing to the arrival area. The staff, dressed in turquoise sarongs and white shirts, were singing us a welcome song and welcomes us with coconut cocktails and smiles.

Thanda Island Accommodation

Thanda Island’s main villa has 5 bedrooms (king-size beds) each with an en-suite bathroom, outdoor bath and shower and a state-of-the-art kitchen. It was always alive with exciting gourmet delights! A large and elegant lounge, decorated with an exquisite fish tank, overlooks the serene deck.

For those looking for a rustic option, two bandas are set down the beach for a more authentic experience. There’s always a fresh breeze flowing through the bedrooms as there are no fixed windows. Designed in a traditional way, the bandas have exquisite details; wooden doors and basket weave throughout.

The glass-walled pool is perfectly located with wide views of the beach; we enjoyed cooling off and floating away the minutes. With a Cape Cod style, white-clad exterior and contemporary yet homely “beachy” interior, it’s perfect for a group of friends celebrating a milestone birthday or for a large family travelling together.

The well-equipped gym and library that contains a selection of movies, and there are plenty of well-designed spaces to explore.

Thanda Island Activities

Both the dining experiences and water activities available were world-class.

Alex, our experienced chef, cooked exotic seafood dishes from local lobster, crab and even created a Zanzibar-themed beach dinner. The beach was transformed; we ate chili-infused samosas and delicious spicy curries in a traditional Zanzibar tent with carpets.

Thanda Island also offers pizza-making evenings with a wood-burning pizza oven.

We worked off all the delicious food by taking part in the various water sports on offer. We were carefully guided along the small reef at the end of the island and saw some colourful species of fish. We also managed to kayak, wakeboard and had huge amounts of fun tubing in the open waters.

Our day was not finished as we still had time for a bit of beach volleyball and tennis on the floodlight astro tennis court.

We were treated to a relaxing spa session while listening to the waves crashing in the background. In my opinion, it’s the best way to embrace nature’s calming effect – perfect during a spa treatment.

Thanda Island Experience

What I loved most about Thanda Island was… the entire island was ours!

We could do as little or as lot as we wanted to with activities ranging from deep-sea fishing to scuba diving. Thanda literally thinks for you and nothing is too much to ask; whatever, wherever and what you want, it’s yours.

The privacy of being on your own island is seriously special; it’s there just for you and your guests. You can only book the island on an exclusive-use basis. For those wanting to celebrate in an incredibly unique and luxurious way… this is the place for you!

A huge and heartfelt thank you to the Thanda Island team, especially Briarley, Bronwyn, Jo, Alex, Reuben, Julie and of course “Anti” who runs this well-oiled operation.

You can be proud of what you have achieved, and we certainly have no hesitation in recommending Thanda Island to our guests!