Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s largest
city and one of East Africa’s most important ports. It
is referred to affectionately as Dar. In 1974 Dodoma in the
middle of the country was (somewhat absurdly) appointed
the new capital of Tanzania, but most government functions
remain in Dar, and it’s still Tanzania's premier city.
Dar es Salaam is an Arabic name meaning Haven of Peace. It’s
hardly peaceful but rather a hustling, bustling, hot and humid seaport
that you will undoubtedly pass through en route to Zanzibar,
only 35 kms off the coast.
Dar was founded in 1866 by the
Sultan of Zanzibar who wanted to establish a port on the mainland.
The German East Africa Company challenged the Arabs in 1889
and took over Dar making it the administrative capital of
the German colony. The Germans laid out a grid street system,
built the railway to Morogoro, connected the town to South
Africa by overland telegraph, and laid underwater electricity
cables to Zanzibar. Dar passed to British control in 1916,
and by the 1950s it had grown into a modern city. Today it’s
a busy city of around two million people. There’s
an eclectic mix of Swahili, German, Asian and British culture
and architecture, reflecting its colonial past and more recent
history. Like most African cities, there are substantial contrasts
between various sections of the city, from the busy central
streets around the colourful Kariakoo Market, alive with the
rhythm of African street life, to the tree-lined boulevards
of the government and diplomatic quarters to the north.
There aren’t too many sights as such but there’s
a lot of atmosphere to soak up. Life revolves around
the huge harbour, where traditionally-rigged dhows slip
under the bows of huge cargo ships as they skilfully navigate
the waters of the port. Worth a look on the northern arm
of the harbour is the bustling fish market. Every
morning the dhows sail in to offload the night’s catch,
and yelling vendors sell an assortment of seafood from giant crabs, lobster and red snapper, to more
unusual items such as bluefish and sea urchins. Wandering
the streets of Dar is nowhere more rewarding than in the
Asian business district, along India Street and the intersecting
Indira Ghandi Street, just two blocks back from the port.
The business district fans out in a series of fascinating
side and main streets. Here the flavours and smells are
of a little Bombay rather than Africa. You’ll
find everything imaginable for sale from plastic buckets
to three piece suites, though you won’t find many
curios in the centre of the city. The Kariakoo Market
has a colourful atmosphere and the stalls are adorned with
piles of fresh fruit, flowers and Zanzibar spices.
Sights in the city centre include some reasonably interesting
architecture like the German Hospital, the Lutheran Church
and St Joseph’s Cathedral. You can also visit the botanical gardens
and the National Museum, where archaeology buffs can see the
skull of ‘Nutcracker Man’. Outside the city,
there are some fabulous beaches at Oyster Bay, but if you
want to do a bit of sun worshiping, pay a day entrance fee
at one of the large hotels whose beaches are guarded. Sit on a public beach and you will be mugged. Oyster Bay
is also the location of the upmarket shopping centres and
restaurants. If you’re after souvenirs then the Makonde
craft market north of Dar is the best place to go for wood
carvings and Tanzanian art. Lastly, a not to be missed highlight
of Dar is the Sno-Cream Ice Cream Parlour just up from the
port. It has the best ice-cream in East Africa and is a veritable
institute on the African overland trail. The excellent ice-cream
and its air-conditioned confines are the perfect escape from
the balmy heat of Dar.
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The Tanzanian coastal climate
is tropical, with high temperatures and humidity almost all
year round, and at least 7-8 hours of daily sunshine.
The average daytime temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, but
it can be as high as 39 degrees - though high temperatures
are cooled by ocean breezes so it’s rarely overpoweringly
hot.
The hottest season is from January to February and the coolest
month is August. There are two rainfall seasons, the short
rains are from October to November when it is sunny in the
morning and then a pounding of rain falls from the heavens
most afternoons. The long rains are from March to May, but
be warned, these lashing rains take on monsoon proportions
and this is not the best time to visit. |
The National Museum is located
in some attractive botanical gardens between the golf course
and the harbour. It houses some interesting displays of
antique tribal artefacts including some witchcraft paraphernalia,
and traditional dancing equipment. Archaeology buffs can
see the skull of ‘Nutcracker Man’ unearthed
in the Olduvai Gorge near the Serengeti, and there are exhibits
on the Zanzibar slave trade and some World War I memorabilia.
North of Dar in Mwenge off the Bagamoya road is the Makonde
craft market, known for its ebony carvings that are chiselled
by the carvers in front of their stalls. There are some
fine carvings of Masai figures, bowls, animals, and masks
and prices are cheap if you’re prepared to bargain
hard. Don’t spend your money in the first shop though;
there are thousands of carvings to choose from in over 50
stalls so take your time and compare the pieces well. It’s
a pleasant place to walk around and as there are so many
of them, the carvers don’t hassle you too much with
hard-sell tactics.
Worth a look on the northern arm of the harbour is the bustling
New Ferry Fish Market, where every morning dhows sail in
to offload the night’s catch, and yelling vendors
sell an assortment of fish and seafood from giant crabs,
lobster, red snapper, to more unusual items such as blue
fish and sea urchins. The tiny beach here is crammed full
of women washing fish in the sea, scaling and filleting
them, and throwing the debris out to the waiting sea birds
– you can imagine how it smells, so be warned!
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There are a considerable number
of international and local flights to and from Dar es Salaam
International Airport. Air Tanzania and a number of charter
companies fly the short hop to Zanzibar. The airport is 13km
or half an hour’s drive southwest of the city centre,
and airport facilities include a 24-hour currency exchange
bureau.
Airport taxis don’t come cheap – around US$20-25
so see if there’s anyone at the airport that’s
willing to share a lift with you, then do so. If you are going
straight to Zanzibar than it may be worth looking into the
price of a charter flight which may cost less than a ferry
ticket and the taxi fare to and from the port.
Alternatively there’s a cheaper shuttle bus that runs
between the airport and the major hotels that tends to show
up around the times of incoming flights. Just ask someone
reliable at the airport to point you in the right direction
and ignore the persistent taxi drivers who will tell you there’s
no such thing.
Most cross-border buses to and from Kenya, Zambia and Malawi
arrive and depart from Dar’s Ubungo Bus Station but
these buses are not for the feint-hearted. Tanzanian long
distance ‘sideways’ buses are famous for their
horrific speeds, sleepy drivers, poor maintenance and the
fact that they tear recklessly along at a slightly sideways
angle thanks to wrecked shock absorbers. |
There are plenty of rickety
old taxis in front of the port and at the major hotels that
charge flat fares and will take you out to the beaches to
the north of the city or the shops around Oyster Bay for a
couple of US$.
Other than that everything in central Dar is within walking
distance and you are unlikely to need a taxi in the middle
of town. Frequent ferries and the faster hydrofoils link Dar
with Zanzibar and the neighbouring islands of Pemba and Mafia.
The big old ferries are the cheapest but take the longest,
and the most convenient option is the modern hydrofoils, some
of which used to work in Sydney harbour, with their comfortable
seats, videos, and snack bars. All the ferry companies have
their offices at the port on Sokoine Drive opposite the Roman
Catholic Cathedral. The port is a hive of activity and impossible
to miss. |
Dar es Salaam is a busy city
and it has its dangers. You are strongly advised not to wander
around the city or port area after dark and be aware of pickpockets
at all times. There has been the odd incident of mugging in
Dar when tourists have been targeted, so don’t carry
valuables with you and keep an eye on who is around you, particularly
at the port and on the beaches north of the city around Kunduchi
and Bagamoyo.
At the resorts, there are signs on the beaches saying that
‘If you go beyond this sign, you will get mugged’.
Take heed! Never exchange money on the streets with the touts
- they will either be rip-off artists who cleverly pad a wad
of Shillings with blank paper, or undercover policemen who
will give you a warning and keep your US$ dollars!
If you haven’t prearranged your ferry ticket to Zanzibar,
expect to be pounced on at the port by the hustlers working
for the ferry companies. They can be quite persistent and
to get rid of them just tell them you have already made arrangements
and thank them for their interest. All the same, it helps
if you have some idea on what boat and price you want to pay
before you get to the port. |
On arrival in Dar es Salaam
you will be able to convert money into Tanzanian shillings
at any of the many bureau de changes in the back streets directly
opposite the port. Remember you’ll find the best exchange
rates in Dar rather than Zanzibar or Arusha. US$, GB£
and Euros are all accepted in both cash and traveller’s
cheques. Cash is changed with no commission, and again the
rate received varies depending on the denominations changed.
Traveller’s cheques are more difficult to change and
require proof of purchase and often have restrictions of about
US$100 maximum per day.
Credit cards are not generally accepted in restaurants, shops
etc. but ATMs are available at Barclays and Standard Chartered
banks and Dar is one of the most consistent areas in Tanzania
for successful transactions. This is a great opportunity to
use your ATM to withdraw Tanzanian Shillings and buy US$ cash
from the bureaus at good rates. The ferry companies will accept
both US$ cash and traveller’s cheques for payment for
the ferry to Zanzibar. |
The ultimate refreshment can
be found at the Sno-Cream Ice Cream Parlour one block up from
the port. At least two visits are mandatory here; preferably
as you get on to the ferry to Zanzibar, and when you get off.
There’s every kind of ice cream imaginable in cones,
platters or squished into shakes - the whoosh of air-conditioning
alone is worth a visit to the shop. Avoid Sundays when it’s
crammed to the gills with Indian families on an ice-cream
binge.
Around the city centre are cheap canteens serving up Indian
snacks such as samosas and bahjis, and the staple African
meal of nyama choma (fried meat and maize meal). Many of the
large hotels offer gut-busting and good value buffet lunches
and dinners or a Mongolian stir-fry where food is cooked to
your liking in front of you.
There are numerous South African fast food joints that are
rapidly sprouting up throughout East Africa such as Nandos
and Chicken Inn (fried chicken), Steers (burgers), Pizza Inn
and Debonairs (pizzas).
Out of town in the upmarket suburb of Oyster Bay are a number
of international restaurants, often in garden settings with
tables outside. Here the best Indian restaurant in Dar, the
Garden Bistro, is not surprisingly right across the street
from the Indian Embassy.
Other menus include Chinese, Japanese, Turkish, and Ethiopian.
There’s even a Croatian restaurant, so you won’t
be stuck for choice on what to eat. Be warned though: steak
in Tanzania is not up to much and you’ll pay over US$30
for an imported piece of fillet. Rather stick to the seafood
in Dar, and the best thing to do is go to one of the beachside
hotels north of town on a weekend afternoon to drink a cold
Kilimanjaro beer and to eat a prawn curry next to the Indian
Ocean.
For more drinking head for the Europub at Mbezi Beach 7km
north of the city. You’ll need a taxi driver to help
you find it in the back streets but it’s worth the effort
for some of the best (and perhaps the only) Mexican food found
in Tanzania and a lively pub that stays open late. |
The TTCL telephone office is
a couple of blocks back from the port and provides a whoosh
of welcoming air-conditioning. You can send faxes or make
an international call from here and it’s reasonably
reliable and not too expensive, though you may have to stand
in a queue and the method of payment is a bit complicated
with countless slips of paper being shuffled from one counter
to the next. Internet cafes are everywhere so you won’t
have a problem picking up and sending emails.
Note, the Tanzanian postal system is extremely unreliable
– the chance of ever seeing anything you posted out
of Tanzania is highly unlikely , and if you do, the packages
are often opened and things taken out. |
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