At the Slipway on the Msasani Peninsula, the first boat to Bongoyo Island pulls away at 09:30, and by mid-morning the sand under the bandas is filling up. That short crossing is one of the clearest introductions to Dar es Salaam: a working harbour city that empties, for a few hours, onto uninhabited islands and quiet beaches.
Dar es Salaam suits travellers who want a city and a coast in the same day, and who are happy to move around by taxi, bajaji, daladala or ferry. It rewards curiosity about history and about how the city lives now, from the National Museum to the shopping streets of Kariakoo.
This guide covers the sights and experiences named in the source material, with practical notes on timing, transport and what to combine with what.
Top things to do in Dar es Salaam
1. Bongoyo Island
Bongoyo Island is a small, uninhabited island just off the coast and the strongest day trip from the city. The boat leaves from Mashua Waterfront Bar & Grill at Slipway, the upscale set of shops and markets on the Msasani Peninsula. You can hike around the island, snorkel in the clear water to the southwest, or simply relax under a banda on the beach.
Boats leave at 09:30, 11:30, 13:30 and 15:30 with a minimum of four people, and return ferries run at 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 and around 16:30. On weekends, take the first ferry if you want a banda, as it gets very busy on Saturday and Sunday. Back at Slipway, you can eat at one of the restaurants, watch the sun set, and look at Tinga Tinga paintings and other crafts at the market; walk south past the boatyard toward the Doubletree Hotel for cheaper market stalls.
2. National Museum
The National Museum on Shaaban Robert St shows photos and exhibitions on the development of human nature. The skull of the Nutcracker Man and the cast of the laetoli footprints are the exhibits to seek out.
It is open 09:30–18:00 daily. Combine it with the Botanical Gardens on the other side of Samora Ave, which now sit close to the museum.
3. Makumbusho Village Museum
Every house in this village was constructed according to the types of houses built by various ethnic groups throughout Tanzania, which makes it a compact way to see how building traditions differ across the country. Ngoma dance shows are held from 14:00–18:00 on certain days.
It is open 09:00–18:00 daily. If the dances are your priority, plan your visit for the afternoon rather than the morning.
4. Mbudya Island
Mbudya Island is a smaller island just north of Bongoyo. The popular side has beaches, bandas, a small bar and a food pavilion with a limited menu, and there is a somewhat nicer, more expensive bar at the northern end of the beach. The rest of the island is mostly rough cliff face, which makes for interesting hiking if you have good shoes and dependable balance, since the rocks are very sharp and scrambling is sometimes required.
To get there, take a taxi or bajaji to the White Sands Hotel near Kunduchi; boats require a minimum of four people. The last boats back to White Sands leave between 16:30 and 17:00, though you can stay longer if you are willing to take a smaller, overcrowded boat back to the Sea Breeze hotel, south of White Sands.
5. Kigamboni and the south beaches
Kigamboni, also known as South Beach, is across the channel from the Zanzibar ferry. You reach it by a separate ferry, which you walk onto; the crossing takes about five minutes. Once across, you can hire a taxi to the beaches, most of which are reached through the hotels along the coast.
The ferry is on a strict no-photo rule: avoid taking pictures on the ferry or at the terminals, even of the skyline, as passengers have been forced by security forces to delete innocent panorama pictures. The ferry station is north of the Zanzibar ferry, past the Kilimanjaro Kempinski Hotel near the main fish market. Public beaches have all been sold to developers, and hotels such as the Sunrise charge an entry fee that is partly returned as food vouchers. Daladalas also run the road to the beaches.
6. Askari Monument
The Askari Monument is dedicated to the Askari soldiers who fought in World War I. It stands in Ilala, among the middle-income suburbs very near to the city centre.
Pair it with a walk through the surrounding streets rather than treating it as a stop on its own. Note that the area around Ilala is marked by gang activity, so keep your visit to daylight hours and stay aware of your surroundings.
7. Azania Front Lutheran Church
This well-known landmark in the centre of the city was built by German missionaries and is one of the early historical buildings of Dar es Salaam. It sits among the colonial-era streets and harbour elements that still survive from the city's earlier periods.
It is a natural addition to a walk that takes in the centre's historical buildings, including St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Old Boma, rather than a separate trip.
8. St. Joseph's Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral completed in 1902, built around the same period as the Azania Front Lutheran Church. Like the church, it belongs to the group of early historical buildings that give the centre its character.
See it on the same outing as the Azania Front Lutheran Church and the other colonial-era structures nearby, since they are close together in the centre.
9. Karimjee Hall
Karimjee Hall is the former parliamentary building and is still in use for seminars. It is worth a look as part of the city's political and administrative history rather than as a conventional attraction.
Check before you go, since it remains a working building. Combine it with the other central historical buildings on the same walk.
10. Zoological Gardens
The Zoological Gardens are among the city's named sights and make an easy addition to a day that already includes the National Museum and the Botanical Gardens nearby.
There is an entry charge for non-residents. Confirm current details locally before setting out.
11. Coco Beach (Oyster Bay Beach)
Oyster Bay Beach, also known as Coco Beach, is the only white sandy beach east of Kinondoni. It is a public beach on the Peninsula and is very busy on weekends.
Go in the afternoon to see people relaxing and to eat local food. Do not walk on the beach itself, as muggings are too frequent. A few people surf here when waves swell around the full moon.
12. Bahari Beach
Bahari Beach is about 20 km north of Dar es Salaam along New Bagamoyo Road, where the hotel of the same name charges a small fee for non-guests. It is a straightforward option if you want a beach day without taking a ferry.
Combine it with the northern beaches and the kite-surfing area by Upepo Avenue in Mbezi Beach, which lies along the same stretch of coast.
13. Pugu Hills
Hiking is possible in the Pugu Hills, some 12 km west of the airport. Villagers can assist as guides for a hike around the hills or to the major cattle market of Dar es Salaam.
Arrange a guide locally, and treat this as a half-day or full-day outing rather than something to squeeze between city stops.
14. Cinema at Mlimani City or Quality Centre Mall
Century Cinemax sits inside Mlimani City Shopping Mall on Sam Nujoma Rd, and Suncrest Cineplex is inside Quality Centre Mall on Julius K. Nyerere Rd. Suncrest is the largest cinema in Dar es Salaam and has full backrest reclining seating with footrests and snap-on trays for the armrests.
If you buy DVDs instead, be aware that many sold on street corners are defective Chinese counterfeits, poorly produced, or lack English translation.
15. Massage and spa
High Care Massage at the Slipway is a professionally organised option, and there are signs for many other massage and spa centres around town. Two places favoured by local residents are Lemon on Haile Selassie Road, next to the George & Dragon pub, and the Spot on Chole Road, opposite the taxi stand.
This pairs well with a Slipway day: take an early boat to Bongoyo Island, then book a massage after you return.
If you only have one day
Morning. Take the first boat to Bongoyo Island from Mashua Waterfront Bar & Grill at Slipway, and spend the morning hiking the island or snorkelling in the clear water to the southwest. If you want a banda, be on that first ferry, especially at weekends.
Afternoon. Return on an early ferry and eat at one of the Slipway restaurants, then look at the Tinga Tinga paintings and crafts at the market. If time allows, continue to the National Museum on Shaaban Robert St, open 09:30–18:00 daily, and cross Samora Ave to the Botanical Gardens.
Evening. Walk the centre to see the Askari Monument, the Azania Front Lutheran Church and St. Joseph's Cathedral while there is still light, then finish with dinner back at Slipway or a film at Century Cinemax in Mlimani City Shopping Mall.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Bongoyo Island, and when do the boats run?
The boat leaves from Mashua Waterfront Bar & Grill at Slipway on the Msasani Peninsula. Departures are at 09:30, 11:30, 13:30 and 15:30 with a minimum of four people, and return ferries are at 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 and around 16:30. A taxi from the city centre is the usual way to reach Slipway.
Can I take photos on the Kigamboni ferry?
No. The ferry operates a strict no-photo rule, and you should avoid taking pictures on the ferry or at the terminals, even of the skyline. Passengers, including tourists, have been forced by security forces to delete innocent panorama pictures.
Is it safe to walk on Coco Beach?
Go in the afternoon to see people relaxing and to eat local food, but do not walk on the beach itself, as muggings are too frequent. The beach is very busy on weekends.
What can I do on a rainy or low-energy day?
Century Cinemax in Mlimani City Shopping Mall and Suncrest Cineplex in Quality Centre Mall both show films, and High Care Massage at the Slipway is a professionally organised option. Weekly listings such as 'What's Happening in Dar' and 'Advertising Dar' carry news of dance and music performances, gallery openings and film festivals, as do l'Alliance Française, the Goethe Institute, and the Iranian and Russian cultural centres.
Decide which island or beach day matters most to you, check the boat times and ferry rules above, and start building the rest of your Dar es Salaam itinerary around it.