Dar es Salaam means haven of peace, a name that seems optimistic for the largest city in Tanzania, where traffic jams last for hours and the sidewalks are crowded from dawn to late at night. The city grew from a fishing village into a port in the 1860s, when the Sultan of Zanzibar built a residence here, and was later the capital of German East Africa and then of British-ruled Tanganyika. The government has moved officially to Dodoma, but Dar remains the business capital, with a busy port, a growing skyline and a population of several million.
The city sits on a sheltered bay of the Indian Ocean, with white-sand beaches to the north and a ferry across the harbour to Kigamboni in the south. The centre is a mix of colonial buildings, mosques, churches, Hindu temples and glass offices, and the fish market at Kivukoni, near the harbour, is a noisy scene where fishermen auction their night's catch. Kariakoo, a vast market district, sells everything from spices and fabrics to spare parts. Ferries and fast boats leave from the terminal for Zanzibar, about two hours away, and are the usual way to reach the island.
Riding here is a test of nerve. Traffic drives on the left, the roads are packed with buses, trucks, tuk-tuks and boda-boda motorcycle taxis, and a short trip can take far longer than expected. Heat and humidity are high all year, and heavy rain in March to May floods roads and slicks the paint. Out of the city, the coast road to the north leads to the beaches of Kunduchi and on to the old trading town of Bagamoyo, about sixty kilometres away, where slaves and ivory were once shipped and where there is a collection of old German and Arab buildings. Roads beyond are patchy, with potholes and speed bumps in villages.
Fuel stations are plentiful in the city, and fuel is easy to find on the main routes out, though it is wise to top up before longer trips. Cash is needed for most small purchases. The seafood in the coastal restaurants, grilled fish, prawns and octopus with coconut rice, is the best way to eat, and a fresh coconut from a roadside seller is a good way to cool down.