Tanzania's south coast is an ideal Africa holiday destination, more so for travelers seeking to avoid the often crowded national parks and game reserves in the country's north. The idyllic beaches around the Swahili town of Mtwara, plus the Mnazi Bay Marine Park are just some of the beach destinations that rival similar vacation spots in northern Tanzania.

The south is also well suited for adventure travel, giving you the traveler a chance to explore Tanzania on your own without feeling crowded by other tourists. Some of the sites to see include Swahili ruins, the vast Indian ocean coast, and many beautiful yet unexplored beaches. Adventure lovers get a satisfying exploration experience.

Mtwara is the gateway into Southern Tanzania for tourism and business alike. Access to and from Dar es Salaam is easy with frequent and regular flights and sailings. Mtwara is a laid back town and is spread out over a large area. The town is close to the Mnazi Bay Marine Park where it is possible to experience some of the most isolated dive sites on the coast. The town makes an excellent stop-over for trips to the Marine Park.

Mnazi Bay was previously most renowned as a port for traveling to Mozambique by dhow. However, the coral reefs and the beautiful white sand beaches are the main attractions today. The coral reefs provide ideal conditions for snorkeling even during low tide.

The marine park abounds in bird life with several water birds species present. Waders are the most abundant including the mangrove kingfisher, the greater sand plover, crab clover, the Zanzibar black-bellied glossy-starling, and brown-headed parrot.

Mnazi bay and the surrounding area has an international reputation for its biodiversity. The abundant sea grass beds, the coral reefs, and a variety of mangroves are a source of livelihood for the local community. The bay lies north of Ruvuma river and is generally shallow.

Mnazi bay is protected on the seaward side by the Rawira peninsula to the south and by a series of small islands to the north. The government of Tanzania is looking to the future and plan to develop the area for tourism " it is an ideal location to unwind after a game safari in the Southern Circuit of Tanzania. The local communities are extensively involved in the running of the park which will ensure that the local communities benefit from tourism.

For international travel to Southern Tanzania, Dar es Salaam is the main entry point. This city, also known as a Haven of Peace, is accessible by flights from Johannesburg, Nairobi, Addis Ababa. A number of airlines also operate flights to Dar es Salaam airport from other airports in Tanzania including Dodoma airport and Kilimanjaro international airport, which are also points of entry for several international flights to Tanzania. Dar es Salaam can also be reached by sea from Mombasa, Kenya through the daily ferry service between the two cities.