Dar es Salaam is a large city on the coast of Tanzania. Since its development in the 19th century, Dar es Salaam has become a bustling town, where it's sometimes too packed to dance. The town has a population of about 2 million, so when everyone gets out to party, it can be a pretty tight squeeze.

Bars

The city is full of drinking holes and places to participate in the nightlife.

• The Irish pub, for example, Kinodoni; or the Maasai Bar and Grill, the latter of which faces the ocean and offers relaxing meals or drinks; there are also live bands on Fridays and Saturdays.
• The Q-bar offers a range of alcoholic drinks (Tuesdays are Sambuca nights; or try Thursday’s “Bucket of beer”), and either live music or Western sports events on the big screen. 
• The Corner bar in Masaki can begin the night for some. 
• Garden Bistro, which serves Indian food with Indian, African and Western music, is another great place to start the night.
• A popular location for many of Dar es Salaam’s bars and cafes is the Slipway, which these days even has a cyber cafe, as well as the usual collection of waterfront drink shops. 
• Captain Ali’s Pub has a reputation for always serving cold beer, and many of the restaurants and bars have terraces. Those with a hangover might want to try the fruit juice bar in the same area. 
• Sweet n’Easy on Oyster Bay is a popular bar which also serves food; in the same area, Trinity mixes being a bar and a club; it has garden seating and a European-centered music venue.

Other places

Other bars to be seen in include the California Dreamer - although this can be a place for professional ‘companions’ to try and pick up men - and Sugar Rays; both of these places are known as ‘sports’ bars, as they show a range of sports. Be careful to avoid these bars when Tanzanian boxing matches are taking place, as they will be a little bit crowded.

Another option is to choose a hotel bar, such as the Kilimanjaro Hotel, a safe bet for a decent cocktail. As well as drinking in these bars, you can also meet a range of gamblers, as many of these hotels also have casinos. The Hotel Kilimanjaro also boasts an exceptional Japanese restaurant.