Dar es Salaam

Capital cities in Africa are rarely magnets for tourism, although rarely can be avoided, since they usually house the country's gateway airport. In fact Dar es Salaam isn't actually Tanzania's official capital, which is Dodoma, but it remains the country's political and tourist hub.

Dar does contain a number of decent enough hotels of international standard, but, rather than crashing out in one of these, out of necessity, a much better option can be visit one of the delightful beach retreats that can be reached within an hour's drive from the city. Indeed, if you haven't the time or inclination to deliberately end up your visit to Tanzania with a stay on Zanzibar, then a few days of relaxation in such a mainland beach resort could be the ideal alternative.

In the town itself, the National Museum, the Village Museum, and a number of colourful markets can repay a visit. Then a number of historical landmarks, such as St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the White Father’s Mission House, the Botanical Gardens, and the old State House, provide an interesting walking tour around the waterfront and city centre.