Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bus
All transport departs from the main bus and taxi stand on Uhuru St. Minibuses to Mtwara
(Tsh3500) depart daily between about 5.30am and 11am. Otherwise, there are minibuses
throughout the day to Mingoyo junction (Mnazi Mmoja; Tsh1500), where you can wait for
the Masasi-Mtwara bus.
To Masasi, there are two or three direct buses daily, departing between about 5am and noon.
Alternatively, go to Mingoyo and wait for onward transport there. The last Mtwara-Masasi
bus passes Mingoyo about 2pm.
To Dar es Salaam, there are direct buses daily, departing Lindi at about 5am (Tsh20,000,
eight to 10 hours), and terminating at
'Mbagala mwisho'
transport stand in Dar es Salaam,
which is also where you need to go to catch transport heading to Lindi.
To Kilwa Masoko, there's a direct bus leaving Lindi daily around 5am (Tsh6000, four
hours).
Mtwara
POP 93,000
Sprawling Mtwara is southeastern Tanzania's major town. It was first developed after
WWII by the British as part of the failed East African Groundnut Scheme to alleviate a
postwar shortage of plant oils. Grand plans were made to expand Mtwara, then an obscure
fishing village, into an urban centre of about 200,000 inhabitants. An international airport
and Tanzania's first deep-water harbour were built and the regional colonial administra-
tion was relocated here from Lindi. Yet, no sooner had this been done than the groundnut
scheme - plagued by conceptional difficulties and an uncooperative local climate - col-
lapsed and everything came to an abrupt halt. While Mtwara's port continued to play a sig-
nificant role in the region over the next few decades as an export channel for cashews, sisal
and other products, development of the town came to a standstill and for years it resembled
little more than an oversized shell.
In recent times Mtwara has experienced something of a second wind, with a revival of
interest in the tourism potential of the southeast. While it lacks the historical appeal of
nearby Mikindani and other places along the coast, it has decent infrastructure, easy access
and a relaxed pace, and is a convenient entry/exit point for travelling between Tanzania and
Mozambique.
Mtwara is loosely located between a business and banking area to the northwest, near
Uhuru Rd and Aga Khan St, and the market and bus stand about 1.5km away to the south-
east. The main north-south street is Tanu Rd. In the far northwest on the sea, and 30 to
40 minutes on foot from the bus stand, is the Shangani quarter, with a small beach. In Mt-
wara's far southeastern corner, just past the market, are the lively areas of Majengo and
Chikon'gola.
