Bongoyo Island

Bongoyo Island (Kisiwa cha Bongoyo, in Swahili) is a protected, uninhabited island under the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve with the IUCN category II located within Kinondoni District of Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania. The island situated 2.5 km north of the country's largest city, Dar es Salaam in the Sea of Zanj. It is the most frequently visited of the four islands of the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve System (DMRS) and a popular daytrip for both tourists and Tanzanian residents alike for snorkelling and sunbathing. North of the island is Mbudya Island and to the west is Pangavini Island. [1] [2] The island is home to some of Tanzania's largest specimens of endangered coconut crabs. [3]

Bongoyo Island
Bongoyo Island beach
Map showing the location of Bongoyo Island
Map showing the location of Bongoyo Island
location in Tanzania
Location Tanzania,
Dar es Salaam Region,
Kinondoni District
Nearest cityDar es Salaam
Coordinates6.69°S 39.26°E / -6.69; 39.26
Area19.1km²
Established1975
Governing bodyMarine Parks & Reserves Authority (Tanzania)
WebsiteDMRS

Geography

The island has a very rocky shore and only two beaches. All visitors visit the beach at the northwestern tip of the island, where the boats moor and where there are some huts, drinks and food. The much longer but narrower beach along the northeastern side has no facilities and is mostly deserted. The entire island (apart from the beaches) is covered in dense forest and has a few walking trails, so only a few people venture there. The terrain is somewhat treacherous with sharp rocks. In the middle of the island one finds the remains of a German colonial building at 6°42′8.48″S 39°16′11.49″E, clearly visible on Google Maps. The Indian Ocean has penetrated the northern shore of the island, creating a tidal lagoon along whose shores there are some mangroves. [4]

Access

The island lies close to the Msasani Peninsula (in the Kinondoni district of the city) and is reachable by means of a 30-minute boat ride from the mainland. The point of departure for most visitors to the island is 'The Slipways' hotel complex on the western side of the Msasani Peninsula.

Bongoyo Island, 1979


See also

References
  1. Levine, Arielle. (2010). Local Responses to Marine Conservation in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy. July–December 2004. 183-202. 10.1080/13880290490883241
  2. "Dar Es Salaam Marine Reserves System". Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  3. Caro, Tim, et al. "A case study of the coconut crab Birgus latro on Zanzibar highlights global threats and conservation solutions." Oryx 55.4 (2021): 556-563.
  4. "Things you need to know about Bongoyo Island". Retrieved 19 May 2023.
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