Dar es Salaam is a massive city and if you are a first time visitor it can be difficult to know which areas offer the best accommodation and location. In this blog I have compiled areas in Dar es Salaam that are safe, clean and super close to the city’s best cafes, bars and restaurants.
Msasani Peninsula
Msasani located north west of Dar es Salaam’s Central Business District is geographically a peninsula and hosts the wealthiest areas of the city. This includes
Oyster Bay and Masaki. Many of the international development aid organizations and embassies reside on the peninsula and its definitely the place where you will find most foreigners. The affluent area also hosts an array of my favourite shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs. Read more about it here. Airbnbs on the peninsula are going to be a bit more expensive because of the “premium” location, but when on vacation it is quite nice being close to everything. The only down part with living on the peninsula is that there are no fruit and veggie markets around so you will have to do grocery shopping in one of the supermarkets which is of course generally more expensive.
Mikocheni
Mikocheni located west of Msasani is a cheaper option to the peninsula but only a stones throw away from all it’s attractions. Populated with both locals and expats, poor and wealthy living along side each other the area is quite diverse. From one block to the next you will find different types of accommodation like luxury apartments, small villas as well as modest local houses. With it’s narrow (mostly unpaved bad) roads Mikocheni is quite lively with plenty of local food stands and local shops selling grocery items if you prefer cooking. I love Mikocheni because it’s close to the conveniences of the peninsula but without the hefty price tag.
Kigamboni
Kigamboni is a beautiful beach area away from the hustle and bustle of Dar es Salaam. Being the least visitred beach in the city, Kigamboni Beach has long stretches of white sand and unpolluted waters that are nice to swim in (unlike the beaches inside the city). Time on Kigamboni seems to go slower and its the perfect place to relax. If you prefer beach and sun then accommodation on Kigamboni is a good option. Only resorts are situated on the beach, airbnb’s on kigamboni will be in more local areas but it’s still possible to find an airbnb which is walking distance from the beach.
Posta - Central Business District
Dar es Salaam’s Central business District also called Posta by locals is a very busy area full of offices in high rise buildings and shops dotted along the streets. Walking around Posta during the day can get exhausting and it’s extremely hot. But the neighbourhoods Upanga and Kisutu have the cities highest concentration of Asian and arab population so the area is quite multi cultural. In Posta you will definitely find the best Indian cuisine in the whole of Tanzania. Posta is also close to the ferry terminal with boats going from and to Zanzibar so its a ocnvenient place to stay when traveling to the tropical island. However, since Posta is the CBD it is quite noisy and lively late in to the night so that is something to consider if silence is a requirement for you to sleep.
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