The chaotic city centre runs along Samora Avenue and is lined with amenities including banks, exchange bureaus and shops. Northwest of here is the Asian Quarter where a labyrinth of small streets conceal Indian merchants and market traders.

On the opposite side of town, northeast of the centre, is a more peaceful district centred on Dar es Salaam's handful of tourist attractions, the National Museum and Botanical Gardens and the well-protected State House. Here tree-lined streets are free from the frenetic hustle and bustle of the busier districts. Further north, along the coast are the middle-class suburbs and residential areas of the city.

Dar es Salaam's only real beach is the stretch of sand at Coco Beach, near Oyster Bay, but better beaches can be found to the north and south of the city.

Tanzania Tourist Board Information Centre
Samora Avenue
Tel: (022) 212 0373.
Website: http://tanzaniatouristboard.com/

The tourist board has useful city information, a list of licensed tour operators and free photocopied city maps. Maps are also available from the government's Surveys and Mapping Division Map Sales Office on the corner of Kivukoni Front and Luthuli Street.

For information about events in Dar es Salaam, pick up the monthly publication What's Happening in Dar es Salaam, which is available free from the tourist office, many hotel lobbies, cafés and travel agents.