Bongoyo Island Reserve - Dar es Salaam

 BONGOYO ISLAND - DAR-ES-SALAAM TANZANIA

Bongoyo Island is an uninhabited Tanzania Island, located 2.5km north of the country's capital city, Dar es Salaam. It is the most frequently visited of the four islands.


The island lies close to the Msasani Peninsula is reachable by means of only a 30 minute boat ride from the mainland. The point of departure for most visitors to the island is 'The Slipway' mall complex on the western side of the Msasani Peninsula. The reef around the island is very shallow and access is difficult at low water except at the main sandy beach, which is used as mooring and landing site for both the Slipways boat charter and other visitors.

The underwater habitat range from shallow gently sloping coral reefs, sandy expanses and sea grass beds.
Coastal shores of this island support several clearly defined communities of plants and animals.

Their distribution is predominantly determined by physical conditions including the type of substrates (whether sedimentary or rock), slope of substrates, tidal and current regimes, exposure to wave action and the influence of fresh water. The main coastal habitats around Bongoyo Island include sand beaches (beach I and II), coral reefs, sea grass beds, rocky shores, lagoons (shark lagoon) and algal beds.

FAUNA AND FLORA AT BONGOYO
The Island has forest with vegetation described as bush land with emergent trees. Plant species are chiefly characteristic of the dry land coastal forest of East Africa.About 59 plant families are found in Bongoyo. Both island of Bongoyo and Mbudya have very similar vegetation type differing by few aspects. Sand dunes of these islands are colonized by pioneer species such as Cyperus crassipes, Crotolaria laburuodes, Tephrosia pumila var aldabresis, T. pumila var dumesis, Asytasia gangentica and Ipomoea pesi-caprae.

Fishes around the coral reef and the seagrass beds includes Butterfly fish Chaetodontidae, Sweet lips Haemulidae, Grouper, Serranidae and banded coral shrimps Stenopus hispidus. Other intertidal organisms includes Sea urchin (Diadema sp), Giant clamps (Tridacna sp), Octopus (Octopodidea), Tigger cowry, (Cyprea tigris), Starfish (Protoreaster linck), Cushion starts (Oreasteridae) Nudibranchia, Hermit crabs (Anomura), Edible sea cucumbers (Holothuridae) and Sea turtles are reported to be frequently seen by the divers over the reefs.

Two species of Hawksbill (Eretmochely imbricata) and Green turtles Chilonea mydas are reported to occur around Bongoyo and Mbudya islands.


Facilities Available:
Bongoyo island there are mooring sites where the visiting boats anchor. There are 2 mooring buoys at the landing site that are used by the visiting boats as anchors.

There are number of bandas on the sand beach for resting (roof only). Msasani Slipway has a mobile bar,

which serve cold drinks and can serve fish and chips for visitors. The staff ensures that the area is clean and tidy at the end of the day. There is one Honorary Ranger who is always at the is
 The Island is approximately 30 minutes ride from the mainland with motorized dhow from Msasani Slipway

and 10 min by speedboat from Msasani Bay.

Scheduled Boat / ferry service from Msasani Slipway or hired boats from Yatch Club or and Beach Hotel

northern coast of Dar Es Salaam. The Msasani Slipway has boats, which makes return visits to the island 4 times a day.A Number of visitors also arrives on the island by means of private own Yatch Boats or hired boats from beach hotels. Marine Parks’ entrant tickets to Bongoyo are available at Msasani Slipway and Dar Es Salaam Yatch club.