DAR ES SALAAM CITY GUIDE
KQ flies from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam 25 times a week.
I'm in a bajaji, rattling my way, clickety-clack, towards a beach. Any beach. I've entrusted the driverof the tuk-tuk to drop me off at the closest beach where the prawns are oversized, the ciders ice-cold and the hammocks tied under the shade of a palm tree. The plan is to while away the afternoon in summery oblivion, if only to escape the bonemelting heat of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's coastal city in the sun.
Dar, as it's fondly called, is often mistaken for the capital of Tanzania, a title that belongs to Dodoma, located in the middle of the country, around 450km to the west. A stopover on most tourist itineraries to the Serengeti or Zanzibar, I've always founds Dar a city that's worth unpacking your bags for at least a couple of days. The beaches are pristine. Bongo Flava (the local music) is always blasting nearby. The street food comes deep-fried, fragrant with spices and heavy on the carbs. And you can always dance the calories away at any of the hip nightclubs around town.
My favourite neighbourhood is Masaki, with its drops me off at Mbezi Beach and I feel the refreshing touch of a gentle sea breeze.
