Stand at the edge of the courtyard at Raskazone Swimming Club as the tide comes in and the water laps against the wall, and you have Tanga at its most straightforward: a coastal town where the day's plan is built around the shore, a cave system, and a museum in an old German administrative building.
Tanga suits travellers who are already in the region and want a low-key stop rather than a resort, and who are happy to move at the pace of a place where an attendant may or may not be on duty. This guide covers the sights and activities the sources describe, in the order worth doing them, plus a one-day plan and answers to the practical questions that come up.
Top things to do in Tanga
1. Amboni Caves
A small cave system, just north of town. It is the most distinctive natural sight the sources record for Tanga, and the reason to build a half-day around heading north.
Pair it with the rest of your northern outing rather than treating it as a quick stop, and go earlier in the day so you are not travelling back into town late.
2. Urithi Tanga Museum
A historical museum housed in what was an administrative building in the days of German East Africa. The building's own history is part of what you are looking at, which makes it a useful counterpoint to the coast.
Combine it with a walk through the town centre, since it sits among the streets you will already be passing through.
3. Raskazone Swimming Club
One of Tanga's two outdoor swimming clubs. Go past the Toyota garage on the corner and head north along the shore, about 1½ km from the centre of town. There is an entry fee of Tsh 500, charged when there are enough people about to warrant an attendant, which is seldom. The place can seem abandoned, but steps lead down to a clean(ish) beach, with the water lapping right against the courtyard at high tide.
There is a reasonably priced restaurant serving excellent fish in the evenings and a cold beer at any time, and cold showers are available most of the time. It comes alive on Sunday afternoons, when half the town's youth arrive to jump in, splash about and show off. A relaxing evening swim and a meal is the best way to use it.
If you only have one day
Morning: Head north of town to the Amboni Caves, the one sight that takes you properly out of the centre.
Afternoon: Return to town and visit the Urithi Tanga Museum, in what was an administrative building during the German East Africa period.
Evening: Walk north along the shore past the Toyota garage on the corner, about 1½ km from the centre, to Raskazone Swimming Club. Pay the Tsh 500 entry if an attendant is on duty, swim as the tide comes against the courtyard, and stay for the fish and a cold beer.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Raskazone Swimming Club and how do I get there?
Go past the Toyota garage on the corner and head north along the shore. It is about 1½ km from the centre of town.
Is there an entry fee at Raskazone Swimming Club?
Yes, Tsh 500, charged when there are enough people about to warrant an attendant. That is seldom, so you may find no one collecting it.
When is the best time to go to Raskazone Swimming Club?
Evenings are good for a relaxing swim and a meal, since the restaurant serves excellent fish in the evening and cold beer at any time. Sunday afternoons are the busiest, when half the town's youth arrive to swim and show off.
What is the Urithi Tanga Museum housed in?
It occupies what was an administrative building in the days of German East Africa.
Decide which day suits the Sunday crowd at Raskazone Swimming Club, set aside a morning for the Amboni Caves, and you can start planning your time in Tanga.