Below is our Top 5 Things To Do in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, part of the Just Carrying On – Top 5 Things To Do series. These lists are favorite activities, eats, and drinks from our travels around the world—in no particular order. If you’re looking for eats and drinks, check out our Top 5 Restaurants in Dar post.
We lived in Dar es Salaam from September 2016-July 2017 in the neighborhood of Mikocheni B. We spent our weekdays teaching at a local hospital and our weekends exploring Dar and other parts of Tanzania. This post focuses on our favorite things to do in Dar on those weekends and evenings.
1. Visit Mbudya Island
We visited both of the popular island beach spots of Dar (the other being Bongoyo), but it was Mbudya that we returned to many times. It is hard to find a beautiful and clean beach off the coast of Dar but it’s possible. All it takes is a 20 minute boat ride to the island of Mbudya to take a tip in the kind of crystal turquoise water that dreams are made of. We frequently made the trip on Saturdays, taking a bajaj (tuk tuk) up to Belinda Serene Beach Resort, then negotiating with the Captain Mr. Pepe for a ride out to the island (cost: ~20,000 shillingi each)
The island is uninhabited and the activities that are offered include relaxing on the beach and eating a meal of either fish (15,000 TZS) or lobster (35,000 TZS). Both come with ‘chipsi’ (french fries). You can also get a somewhat cold beer or soda to wash down your meal. The fish is freshly caught, grilled, and finger-licking good (which you will need to do because there are no napkins). Or just take a dip in the ocean afterwards before returning to your spot under one of the cabanas (15,000 TZS total for the day). This was hands down our favorite weekend activity. You can also bring your own food and drinks.
Google Maps / Trip Advisor (finally, a #1 on Trip Advisor we agree with!)
2. Happy Hour at Cape Town Fish Market
Everyone will tell you to check out the beautiful restaurant of Cape Town Fish Market, but the real secret lies in their Happy Hour, which is Monday through Saturday from 5-7pm and includes half-off drinks (which you can sit on the veranda to enjoy) and half-off sushi (which you have to sit inside at the conveyor belt to enjoy). The passion fruit mojito was a favorite as was the spicy tuna roll. Sometimes if they don’t have what you are looking for floating around the sushi belt the chefs will kindly make you your own half-off platter. Can’t be beat, especially when you’re living abroad for a year and someone offers you sushi in Tanzania!
3. Nafasi Art Space
Nafasi Art Space is a cultural center in the Mikocheni B neighborhood. It includes a gallery and space for artists to work. It is most accessible and enjoyable for the public once a month when they host Weekendi Live events. These include live music, dancing, and an opportunity to explore the different areas of the center. The photo above is from one of these events. It mixes expats and locals in an open, engaging atmosphere and if you happen to be in Dar during one of these events, it is highly recommended.
4. Azura Health and Fitness
It is really hot in Dar, of course, and having different places around town to ride out the heat waves proved very important for us. Azura was a local gym/pool/tennis court club not too far from where we were living and the day fee allowed us access to all the facilities. We often went to play tennis and then take a dip in the clean pool, which was nicely framed in the background by the not so clean ocean. Entrance is around $7 or $8 USD, well worth it for a day trip.
Google maps / Not on Trip Advisor (because mostly locals visit)
5. Mukti Yoga Studio
Practicing yoga in Dar was one of our favorite weekend activities and my favorite place to do so was at Mukti Yoga, located on the peninsula. It is a beautiful space that also offers a full-moon rooftop class each month, multiple different styles of yoga, various workshops, and a non-profit branch called Yoga for Wellness Africa that does really good work in the world. Read here for more of my thoughts on Yoga in Dar.
Google Maps / Not on Trip Advisor either!
Honorable mentions
Fútbol at the National Stadium: I made it to two soccer games during our year in Dar (this is Jason writing now). The first was a Young Africans game—they’re the most popular team in Tanzania (Simba fans might disagree). The second was the first time an EPL team ever played in Africa, which was pretty amazing. Attending a local match can be quite challenging, so I’ve written a separate post all about how to try, which you can read here. Good luck and be safe.
Handmade From Tanzania: I (Olivia) lamented that I didn’t find this place before our final month in Tanzania, although it is probably for the best. The shop is a little hard to find, down an unpaved road and behind a closed driveway gate but well worth the adventure. There are hand-loomed clothes, bedding, and scarves that are absolutely beautiful. The fabrics are cotton and light, perfect for wearing in Dar and also with a beautiful minimalist cape-cod style that is quite different than the rest of the clothes you’ll find in Dar.
Top 5 Things To Do in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania is part of Just Carrying On – Top 5 Things To Do series, which offers our best travel recommendations from around the world. If you’re looking for eats and drinks, check out our Top 5 Restaurants in Dar post.