The Coast
Once the capital city (this function has now moved to Dodoma), the major port of Dar es Salaam is the natural starting point for trips in Tanzania. It is near the island of Zanzibar (see below). Parts of Dar es Salaam have a tranquil air that belies industrial and commercial growth. Further attractions include the National Museum, housing the skull of Nutcracker Man; Observation Hill, which contains the campus and facilities of the University of Dar es Salaam; and the Village Museum, with exhibits of traditional housing and crafts.
The fishing village of Msasani, 8km (5 miles) from Dar es Salaam, contains tombs dating back to the 17th century. Further south, at Kilwa Klsiwani, there are ruins of Portuguese and Arab architecture. Many beautiful beaches are within easy reach of Dar es Salaam, such as those at Kunduchi, Mbwa Maji and Mjimwena. Kunduchi, 24km (15 miles) north of the city, is a fishing village with nearby ruins of Persian tombs and mosques. Mbudya Island is an uninhabited island forming part of a protective coral reef which is a good place for diving, snorkelling and fishing. Sinda Island, some 14km (9 miles) off Dar es Salaam, also offers facilities for snorkelling and shell fishing.
A 72km (45 mile) drive north of Dar es Salaam is Bagamoyo, a one-time slave port and terminus for the caravans. This tiny township is the nearest mainland point to Zanzibar and possesses sandy beaches set in a beautiful bay. Livingstone's body rested in the tiny chapel of the convent here on its way back to London. The town mosque and Arab tombs date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Some 5km (3 miles) to the south is the village of Kaole, near which are the ruins of a mosque and pillars believed to be 800 years old. To the north of Bagamoyo, near the Kenyan border, is the country's second port, Tanga. From here, the visitor can drive to the beautiful Usambara Mountains and Moshi on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro (see National Parks section).
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