Interesting Tourist Places to See and Things to Do in Dar es Salaam

October 26, 2021 Mustafa Natalwala 2445 Views 0 Comments

Dar es Salaam also known as Dar, is the largest city in Tanzania and also the nation’s financial heart. The name literally means “Place of Peace”. It is situated on the Swahili coast facing the Indian Ocean. Some of the best places to visit in Dar es Salaam are located along the coast. It is a city popular for its beaches and islands. There are peaceful beaches with incredible views of the serene beauty of the ocean and the hills. On the other hand, there are beaches and bay areas for fun things to do in Dar es Salaam like partying, water sports, shopping, dining, street food, and more. The same is true for the islands, they are amazing places to chill and you get to enjoy a nice boat ride to get there. One of the biggest Dar es Salaam tourist attractions is island hopping and snorkeling. The islands especially are known for a variety of marine life close to the shore.

The city has had a reputation as a major port for a long time. Throughout its history, the port has been frequented by Indian, Arab, and European merchants and travelers. The town of Bagamoyo will tell you all about the significance of this port. It is among the most interesting things to see in Dar es Salaam. There are several other historical sites to visit in and around the city. Though you can learn a lot about the city as well as the country at the National Museum and the Village museum. These two Dar es Salaam attractions not only cover the history of the region but also delve deep into the culture and traditions of the numerous tribes which call it home.

Speaking of culture, the region’s art is among the most unique things you would ever come across and there are different varieties of it. If you are someone who likes to take back souvenirs, there is a lot you can purchase during your trip to Dar es Salaam. The city is famous for Tanzanite stones, traditional jewelry, handicraft items, woodcraft items, artworks, painted fabrics, spices, and more. We have listed a few of the places you can explore during Dar es Salaam travel to find these items.

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Table of Contents

Explore The Best 19 Tourist Attractions in Dar es Salaam

1. National Museum & House of Culture of Tanzania

This museum provides an insight into the natural, cultural and political history of the country. It is one of the best places to visit in Dar es Salaam to understand the region and its people before you explore other attractions. You will need two hours to explore this museum.

I suggest you should book a Dar es Salaam City Tour, which covers National Museum and Village Museum both.

2. Village Museum (Makumbusho)

This is yet another one of Dar es Salaam’s tourist attractions that allows you to peek into the lives of several ethnic tribes of the country. The village museum is set up like the dwelling of different tribes of Tanzania. It also talks about the culture of various tribes. You will need 3 to 4 hours to explore this vast museum.

I suggest you should book a Dar es Salaam City Tour, which covers Village Museum and National Museum.

3. Mbudya Island

One of the most fun things to do in Dar es Salaam is to explore the islands. You take a boat to get to the island enjoying beautiful coastal views along the way. The island itself has several activities to enjoy like sunbathing, snorkeling, barbecue cuisines, and more. You can easily spend half a day on this island.

4. Bongoyo Island

This white sand beach is a popular destination for leisure during Dar es Salaam travel. It is also well known for swimming, diving, and snorkeling owing to the abundance of angel fish, starfish, clownfish, and other wonderful ocean fauna. You would need at least 4 to 5 hours to enjoy this island and some people also stay here overnight for stargazing.

5. Kariakoo Market

This market extends for a few kilometers and offers a variety of attractive things to see in Dar es Salaam in terms of souvenir shopping, budget buying, and street food. You will get several types of handicrafts and traditional items here. Some of the most popular purchases from this market include fabrics, baskets, spices, produce, handicraft items, jewelry, and so on. It will take you 2 to 3 hours to explore this market.

I suggest you should go for a Guided Tour of Kariakoo Market to know and understand more about the market.

6. St. Joseph Cathedral

This is one of the few gothic-style architectures you will come across during Dar es Salaam sightseeing. This cathedral was built in 1897 by German missionaries and is the seat of the archdiocese of the city. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this church.

7. Oyster Bay

This is one of the most lively Dar es Salaam attractions. You can enjoy the beach, enjoy shopping, street food, picnic, live music, art galleries, bars, clubs, and much more. It is a place you can enjoy during the day as well as at night. It will take you 2 hours or so to explore Oyster Bay.

8. Kunduchi Wet “N” Wild Water Park

Though there are numerous beaches to enjoy when you visit Dar es Salaam, this waterpark offers a different type of amusement. It is a very popular choice for locals and tourists alike, especially for families. You can easily spend 2 to 3 hours here.

9. Azania Front Lutheran Church

Yet another church was built by German missionaries, this one was built in 1898 and was once the center for German missions. It is among the interesting places to go in Dar es Salaam to see the European influence on the region. You would 30 to 45 minutes for this church.

10. Askari Monument

The monument is dedicated to African soldiers who fought as carrier troops during the first world war. You would need 15 to 20 minutes to see this monument during your trip to Dar es Salaam.

11. Dar es Salaam Botanical Garden

The gardens were first developed in 1893 and are home to the city’s horticulture society. You will see several indigenous plants as well as a few exotic varieties as you explore these gardens during Dar es Salaam travel. It will take you an hour at least to cover the entire venue.

12. State House (Ikulu)

This house used to be the residence of the German governor when it was first built in the 1890s. It was rebuilt by the British in 1922 and was heavily damaged during the first world war. It now serves as a residence for the president and an important landmark. You can only see it from outside so it shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes of your time.

13. Pugu Hills Nature Reserve

The nature reserve is popular for outdoor stuff to do in Dar es Salaam. There are great hiking trails and white-sand beaches along the hills. It is also great for bird watching and bat colonies. You will need half a day to explore the Pugu Hills.

14. Coco Beach

This is one of the most popular Dar es Salaam beaches. It is a great place to hang out, especially if you want to meet new people. You can easily spend a couple of hours at Coco Beach.

15. Bagamoyo Town

This town was an ancient East African port. It is one of the finest historical places to explore during Dar es Salaam vacations. You can see ancient ruins, mosques, churches and so on. You will need about 2 to 3 hours to explore Bagamoyo town.

I suggest you should go for a Guided Tour of the Historical Town of Bagamoyo.

16. Mwenge Wood Carvers Market

One of the nice places to visit in Dar es Salaam, this is best known for Tanzanian handicrafts. You will be genuinely be surprised at the variety of items available here. You will need about an hour to explore this market.

17. Tinga Tinga Arts Cooperative Society

Tinga Tinga is a form of native art. This art center promotes the art and artists of this Tanzanian art form. It is also one of the best places to visit in Dar es Salaam for souvenir shopping. You will need an hour or so to explore this arts center.

18. Uhuru Street

Another great shopping street among Dar es Salaam tourist attractions and it is best known for kangas, a traditional style of clothing. You will need an hour for this street.

19. Udzungwa Mountains National Park

This national park is great for adventurous things to do in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It is a beautiful place to explore for hiking and nature exploration. You will need half a day or so to explore it.

If you are looking for more things to see in Dar es Salaam, check out the section below. We have compiled an exhaustive list of places and activities you can explore.

Things to do in Dar es Salaam

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Dar es Salaam

National Museum & House of Culture of Tanzania
Askari Monument
Village Museum
Azania Front Cathedral
Makumbusho Museum
St. Joseph Cathedral
Dar es Salaam War Cemetery
Tinga Tinga Arts Cooperative Society
Nyumba ya Sanaa Arts Museum
Uhuru Monument
Department of Archeology and Heritage
Tanzania Center for Cultural Heritage
Masjid Qiblatein

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Dar es Salaam

Pugu Hills Nature Forest
Lake Tenge
Lake Mwananyamara
Panda Game Reserve
Lake Tandale
Mbudya Marine Reserve

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Dar es Salaam

Kunduchi Wet & Wild Waterpark
Dar es Salaam Zoo
Water World Waterpark
Fun City Kigamboni Waterpark
Bahari Zoo
Sea Cliff Casino
Princess Casino
Le Grande Casino
Las Vegas Casino
Dar es Salaam Botanical Garden
Palm Beach Casino
New Africa Casino

Shopping in Dar es Salaam

Kariakoo Market
Mlimani City Shopping Center
Mwenge Woodcarvers Market
Aura Mall
The Tanzanite Dream
Quality Center Mall
Ilala Market
J.M. Mall
Ohio Street Market
Palm Village Shopping Mall
Mawazo Art Gallery
Kariakoo Mall
Weekend Craft Market
Zanzibar Shopping Center
Oysterbay
Uhuru Street

Beaches & Islands in Dar es Salaam

Bongoyo Island
Mbudya Island
Coco Beach
Sinda Island
Ndege Beach
Fungu Yasini Island
Pangavini Island
Bakhresa Beach
Pweza Beach
Rungwe Beach
Outer Sinda Island
Indian Ocean Beach

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure in Dar es Salaam

Hiking
Swimming
Scuba Diving
Surfing
Watersports
Island Cruise
Boat Tours
Wildlife Safari

Sightseeing in Dar es Salaam

Nyerere Bridge
Selandar Bridge
Bagamoyo
Temple Road

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Dar es Salaam

305 Karafuu
Jahazi
Mediterraneo
George & Dragon
Mamboz Corner BBQ
Serengeti
Chef’s Pride
Akemi Revolving Restaurant
Karambezi Cafe
Waterfront Sunset Restaurant
Samaki Samaki
Alcove
Sawasdee
Summy’s
Addis In Dar
Salt
Shangri La Bar

Where to Stay in Dar es Salaam?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range, and Budget Hotels in Dar es Salaam. You can check the below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Dar es Salaam.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Dar es Salaam

How to Reach Dar es Salaam?

By Air

The easiest option for Dar es Salaam travel is through Julies Nyerere International Airport. You can get direct flights from Istanbul, Amsterdam, Zurich, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, Cairo, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Maputo, Lusaka, Entebbe, Seychelles, and more. You can use buses and cabs to reach destinations in the city from the airport when you visit Dar es Salaam.

By Road

There are several cities that are connected by rail network to visit Dar es Salaam. You can get direct or connecting trains from Dodoma, Mwanza, Selous Game Reserve, Mbeya, Kapiri Mposhi, and many more. Train connectivity between Tanzania and Zambia is pretty decent, though the same cannot be said about other neighboring countries.

The bus network you can get a bus for the trip to Dar es Salaam from several cities, towns, and villages in Tanzania. If you plan to travel by car, there are 2 major routes to choose from, namely A7 and B2.

By Water

You can use a ferry for Dar es Salaam travel to and from Zanzibar Island. There are a few cruise lines that include Dar es Salaam as a major stop as well.

Image Reference

National Museum & House of Culture of Tanzania – User:Digr / Wikimedia Commons
Village Museum (Makumbusho) – O.Mustafin / Wikimedia Commons
Mbudya Island – Andy Nobes / Flickr
Bongoyo Island – Kevin Harber / Flickr
Kariakoo Market – Marco Zanferrari / Flickr
St. Joseph Cathedral – Alexander Johmann / Flickr
Oyster Bay – Gordon Greenall / Flickr
Kunduchi Wet “N” Wild Water Park –
Azania Front Lutheran Church – Scott Edmunds / Flickr
Askari Monument – Scott Edmunds / Flickr
Dar es Salaam Botanical Garden –
State House (Ikulu) –
Pugu Hills Forest Reserve – Eyup Keles / Wikimedia Commons
Coco Beach – Cécile Furet / Wikimedia Commons
Bagamoyo Town – Caligula / Flickr
Mwenge Woodcarvers Market –
Tinga Tinga Arts Cooperative Society – Lechhansl / Wikimedia Commons
Uhuru Street –
Udzungwa Mountains National Park – KrisNM / Flickr