About Maisara

My name is Hassan, I am the founder and owner of Maisara, where I still work daily so it is likely we will meet during your stay with us!

I was born and raised on Mafia Island.

My adventures in the tourism industry all started one day, when I was a teenager, I overheard a group of tourists arguing. One lady was very upset because the hotel they were staying in had failed to provide shampoo. I offered to help them, by running an errand to fetch some for her. They were so thankful for the shampoo that they offered to pay my tuition fees enabling me to go and study on the mainland in Dar Es Salaam.

In 2007, after completing my studies, I began working as an interpreter for groups of English-speaking tourists from Norway and other countries. Following this I also worked in several foreign-owned luxury hotels on the island, and I progressively became aware of the potential tourism can offer the inhabitants of our island.

Then, in 2019 I was in an airplane accident, in which I was badly injured.

https://atcnews.org/nine-escape-cessna-grand-caravan-crash-on-mafia-island/

https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/national/the-tale-of-a-mafia-plane-crash-survivor-2688880

But sometimes the worst thing that can happen is the best thing that can happen.

Eventually, I received financial compensation for the accident, which enabled me to purchase and develop a piece of beach-front property in Kilindoni, known today as Maisara Mafia Beach Lodge.

I named the hotel Maisara after my mother, in gratitude to her for caring for me, both growing up and during the 6 months I spent in hospital recovering from the plane crash.

What makes Maisara unique is the way it was designed and built. Before founding Maisara, I co-owned and operated another hotel on the beach in Mafia for several years, which gave me a good in-depth understanding of what tourists appreciate and need.