Beaches and Parks

Beaches along the Indian Ocean are popular recreation spots. For example, the pier entertainment spot called "The Slipway" near Dar es Salaam provides great views of the water, along with shops, movies, and restaurants. Casual clothing is appropriate. For swimming, you go to a beach hotel which has its own private beachfront. There are very few public beaches. Check newspaper advertisements to see what various beach hotels have to offer. The hotels allow day trips and provide public dressing rooms and showers or you can rent a room for the day. You are expected to eat and drink the food sold by the hotel rather than bringing your own picnic lunch. Food servers will come to you on the beach to take your orders. Standard swimming suits are appropriate on the beach, but it is good etiquette to keep a polite distance from older beach-goers who might have more conservative tastes. Also, do not wear swimwear when eating in hotel restaurants or at outside tables. Young women should ignore catcall-like behaviors and stay close to families and other women.

The National Parks of Tanzania offer beautiful scenery and a chance to view animals in their natural habitat. Most parks have a lodge and restaurant. You can rent four-wheel drive vehicles for the outing or buy a package from a tourist agent. The tour packages often include food, lodging, and a driver for transportation. The cheaper packages offer deals to parks that are closer to the city and usually not as good for animal watching. More money usually means more animals to see. Adventurous travelers may also rent tents for camping, but don't venture out into the wild unless you know what you are doing. Regardless of your choice of lodging, educate yourself about safety around wild animals and wilderness terrain.