Fun and entertainment Tanzania

This new luxury boutique hotel, opening in 2022, overlooks the Indian Ocean from the rocky coral foothills at the southern end of Jambiani, at the very end of the village. A position that guarantees true exclusivity and a sumptuous view from the heights. Its designer pool is particularly beautiful and sophisticated. If you don't want to stay here, you can always come for lunch or dinner to enjoy the setting. The drinks menu, especially the refined cocktails, invites you to stop for a drink, especially at aperitif time.

One really efficient place for the time, complicated to find. From the bus station you have to reach the largest red and white antenna of mobile telephony on a large avenue perpendicular to that of the station. Continue to the end of this avenue. Cross the street facing and turn left. It's on a street parallel to the one where you are, behind the houses you walk. Excellent coffee shop with a connection as fast as possible in Tanzania.

The luxurious Z Hotel has dedicated the top and second floor of its restaurant to a cocktail and champagne bar, overlooking the entire Nungwi beach and the hypnotic turquoise blue water. One of the best spots also at sunset, depending on the time. The bartender offers a champagne menu (after all, this place is worth it) and excellent cocktails (not to be missed during happy hour), house compositions and well-balanced classics. A DJ comes to play some chill tunes to let people chat on big sofas.

It's a good place to try the best "Abuja" in town... Abuja is a recipe for chicken cooked without any added cooking oil... with onions, green bell pepper and other ingredients as desired, on demand. Waiting time is 30 to 45 minutes as it's cooked slowly in its own juices, but it's well worth it. Local bands perform here on weekends. Atmosphere guaranteed. The toilets are dirty, however.

The story of the owner, a Maasai, has been around Arusha, and even Tanzania, for a long time now and continues to spread. The owner "Baba King", a penniless Maasai at the time, made a fortune selling tanzanite stones, several thousand dollars. He built this complex and a restaurant. He also owns his own radio station, Triple A FM. The club often organizes live concerts, very popular with Tanzanians, among the best in Arusha. Here the concept of a nightclub is extended to a concert hall.

It is a café that used to belong to the ViaVia café chain and kept the name, but has been sold and is still going strong locally. Great atmosphere every Thursday night, and late into the night, at the traditional concert evening which continues afterwards in the gardens by the fire with musicians. Nice setting, and a practical place to get information on the visits of the city, on the cultural activities to do, but be careful it's full of mosquitoes! Take precautions, including repellent and covering clothes.

Located on the ground floor of the guesthouse, this is a warm and musical bar. The beer flows freely, especially on the evenings of sports broadcasts on TV. Concerts are held here at the end of the week. There is a good general atmosphere, despite the growing presence of young daring women looking for love. The good news is that the bar was completely renovated in 2021, and the outdoor area with its convivial bench tables is very pleasant.

This is THE club to go to on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays in Nungwi. At Cocobello, under a makuti roof and on a multicolored sandstone dale, local and continental DJs take to the decks to play the best naija, amapiano and international sounds of the moment. As in all Zanzibar party venues, performers, dancers and acrobats (here from Six Unit) take to the stage, dressed in costume. Shows that set the stage on fire! The Nungwi Swahili are also ready for their choreography. A great place to dance.

Jambo New Bungalow, north of Pajé, is a cheap (and recommendable) hotel that has built a huge makuti hut for its toes-in-the-sand bar, right on the beach. This is where a big party is held every Friday, mixing African hip-hop, the latest Latino and mainstream international hits until the morning. Nothing trendy here, but a nice party where Swahilis and Maasais mingle with tourists. Good atmosphere, festive, conducive to discussions. Good fresh fruit cocktails served along a friendly bar.

Located in the heart of the old town and on the waterfront, the Tatu is an establishment spread over three levels, tatu means "three" in Kiswahili. The atmosphere is very lively in the evening until the early hours of the morning, especially at weekends. You have to pay to get to the^third floor. Between hip-hop, funk, bongo flava, new Nigerian and Latin sounds, but also reggae, Jamaican and African dancehall, the sound is damn good. Everyone dances, in a stifling heat despite the fans and the sea breeze (because you are on the terrace).

We wouldn't recommend staying at the hotel, especially at weekends when there are hectic pool parties and BBQ evenings punctuated by the beats of Stone Town DJs distilling excellent Naija music and South African and Tanzanian amapiano. You can dance the night away (watch your bags, it's very tight) and throw yourself in the pool until the early hours of the morning - everyone's there, locals and tourists alike. Other themed evenings are organized on Saturdays (happy hour, white night). The crowd is very young.

This friendly concept-store café prepares... Tanzanian coffee! But also bowls, paninis and salads.... It also sells the black gold in beautiful packages, high-quality beans harvested directly from the slopes of Mount Meru, as well as coffee-based beauty scrubs. The place is really pleasant, with cakes presented under a bell on a wooden counter and good wifi. An ideal place to take a break in the city, not far from the Clock Tower. An outdoor terrace lets you enjoy your coffee in the sunshine.

It's not easy to find in Tabora. This club is one of the few beacons of Tabora's nightlife, which has the merit of being very lively at weekends, especially during evening concerts. The homemade chicken soup is delicious, as are the barbecued meats. The lady who serves does her best to speak a few words of English. The place is safe even late at night, the drinks are nice and cold, the matches are broadcast live on several big screens and there's a pool table. Large selection of beers, spirits and wines.

Like a ship's prow on the beach, the small bartender's booth at Cocobello overlooks the sand by two large steps, in front of the small hotel and nightclub of the same name. Good cocktails are prepared here - divine pina colada with coconut and fresh pineapple - and the music is local, but well-chosen and danceable. The bass is pushed hard enough to create a festive atmosphere, attracting young Nungwis who hang out in small groups and tourists who criss-cross the beach. Interaction is easy, and the local staff are friendly.

Nungwi's best cocktail bar, adjacent to the eponymous restaurant and facing the sea. Friendly Italian barmaids frantically shake their shakers to prepare some of Nungwi's most creative cocktails. Apple mojito, passion caipiroska, a refreshing green garden (Bombay Saffire gin, cucumber, lime, basil, ginger ale) or a fruity italian mule (Campari, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger ale), the choice is dizzying. Wooden bleachers serve as a small terrace, but you can sit on the beach with your drink.

If you're looking for a Swahili break in the heart of the old town, Café Africa offers all the Zanzibari coffees bought from a small cooperative on the island and flavored with spices, which you'll find on the stalls: coffee with dried mango, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, banana, vanilla... and the same goes for the teas. Smoothies, avocado toast, cheesecakes... The café also sells little African zodiac dolls, made by mothers in difficulty via the NGO Vassalam (www.vassalam.org). The room is beautifully decorated.

This roots reggae-rasta beach bar always plays great music. From reggae to blues and jazz, the playlist is long. You can sit back and enjoy an almost-iced coconut, a fresh fruit cocktail or a good local beer (Kilimanjaro, Safari, Serengeti, etc.). The atmosphere is chill, especially on the deckchairs and hammocks, ideal for watching the dhows go by in front of the sunset. This is precisely the time when the local youth gather for acrobatics, strolls and meetings on the beach in front.

Africa House is one of the oldest hotels on the island, since it was already hosting the English Club in 1888, marking the beginnings of local tourism. A magnificent Swahili building well located on the waterfront, the rooms are unfortunately not maintained and renovated enough, and they remain expensive, and its restaurant is not recommendable. On the other hand, you can have a drink on its large terrace at sunset, facing the sea, and then appreciate its old-fashioned charm. Take a look at its library which has a collection of old books in English.

If you're in the mood for music, Coral Rock hosts an unmissable Afro groove jam every Monday. Acoustic musicians and singers take turns on stage, then it's the DJ's turn to turn up the heat. During the show, you can generously order Coral Rocks' beautiful plates, such as freshly seared tuna on a bed of avocado, or simply grilled shrimp and octopus, at reasonable prices. The cocktails are also a good choice.

This cute little coffee shop is very pleasant with its nice furniture, its brightness and its modern look. It serves excellent coffee in all its forms, homemade cakes and snacks (salad or sandwiches), either on the spot or to take away. The Ridge Cafe exists in Mbeya and Dar. Its particularity is that it buys coffee from small farmers in the highlands around Mbeya, Mbozi, Mbinga, Kilimanjaro and Kigoma. The roasted beans are of high quality, following a transparent purchasing process through its cooperatives. Wifi.

This well-located youth hostel on the Masaki Peninsula has a large, refreshing garden with large tables for lunch or dinner. On the menu, a good burger from a long list of compositions (but you can also compose your own) or some simple dishes. Not great food, but it's good, fresh and affordable. Likewise, the inn is a good place for breakfast. In the evening the friendly and cosmopolitan atmosphere, the functional wifi, the nice background music and the large open air space invite you to have a drink here.

This nightclub is one of the trendiest in Dar es Salaam, perfect for a taste of Tanzanian nights with good sound. The DJs distil a nice selection of Naija music (current Nigerian music), Bongo flava, hip-hop, groove and that's what gets the crowd dancing. The Saturday night Urban Beatz sets the tone, but the nightclub also hosts afroswing parties and of course memorable live parties. The people are beautiful, well dressed and stylish, the entrance is quite select, the night very dancing and festive.

This bar is a music hotspot in Dar es Salaam, and it would be a shame to miss out. Elements produces many live concerts and local DJs. The lounge bar comes alive in the evening, the local golden youth sweats on the dancefloor on urban Tanzanian tracks, afro wave, Naija and Bongo Flava but also hip-hop... The place is open air and very Instagramable as a big "I love Dar" invites you to pose for a selfie in the evening. This is a trendy place in Dar that is worth discovering, especially on weekends.

This beautiful, trendy café is located in front of the Protea by Marriott hotel, on the city's northeast coast, on the same street as another café in the same style, Aroma café, on the famous Obama Drive, a pleasant street to visit. Here, you can drink Tanzanian coffee and eat the usual international dishes: salads, wraps, pasta and pizza, rice bowls. It's a menu you'll find just about everywhere in town, with many vegetable-rich compositions. The setting is superb, with lots of wood, well-designed lighting and cool frames on the walls. Good wifi.

A lovely place for a sweet or savoury break on the northwest coast of the Msasani peninsula, not far from the Cape Town Fish Market. A residential house converted into a café-resto. The outside terrace under the trees is really nice, as are the round wax armchairs inside. We come here for an excellent breakfast (with real espressos and freshly squeezed juices), to enjoy a cake, salad or wrap, and to take advantage of the wifi.