Home » Tanzania » Bagamoyo

Bagamoyo, Tanzania

Jeremy Blackwood

Displayed: times.

Bagamoyo was recently designated as Tanzania’s seventh world heritage site and is the oldest town in Tanzania. A visit to Bagamoyo offers a glimpse into Tanzania’s past. Its history has been influenced by Arab and Indian traders, the German colonial government and Christian missionaries. Although Bagamoyo is no longer the busy port city that it once was, Tanzania’s Department of Antiquities is working to revitalize the town and maintain the dozens of ruins in and around it. The most exciting aspect of Bagamoyo is the chance you have to interact with Tanzanians. The people are unbelievably friendly, and are eager to share their stories with visitors.

The town, which lies beside beautiful Indian Ocean beaches, has several points of interest which can be visited over the course of two days. The best way to see Bagamoyo is on foot, and the ideal first stop after arriving is the Department of Antiquities office, located in an old German fort. A guide will join you at the fort, and will be your companion for the entire time you are visiting the sites.

Head to the German and Mwanamakuka cemeteries, located 200 meters from the Indian Ocean. The tombs at Mwanamakuka were built in traditional Arab style, and the oldest dates back to 1793. The Chuo cha Sanaa, or College of Arts, is located next to the cemetery. During a visit to Bagamoyo, you can take drumming or sculpture lessons at the college and interact with students from all over Tanzania.

A must see is the Roman Catholic Mission, a picturesque mission which is home to the oldest Roman Catholic Church in East and Central Africa. The first Catholic church at the mission was built in 1868 and in 1874, Dr. Livingstone’s body stayed at the Catholic mission before being sent to England for burial. The Bagamoyo Museum is located at the mission, and the town’s history is explained in detail at the museum.

Bagamoyo, which means “lay down your heart” in Swahili, was the major slave trading post in East Africa. Although the slave trade officially ended in 1873, slaves continued to be sold and traded in Bagamoyo through the end of the 19th century. Visit the last place where slaves stayed before boarding ships to leave mainland Tanzania. Other points of historical interest in Bagamoyo include Kaole Ruins, the German Boma and the German hanging place.

Each day, spend the mornings visiting the sites and enjoy relaxing afternoons on the white sand beaches or on offshore sandbars. Bagamoyo is a very peaceful place, and offers a refuge from the bustling cities of Dar es Salaam and Arusha.

With more than 25% of the land under some kind of protection, Tanzania offers a wealth of natural travel destinations. Many of these destinations, often overlooked by tourists, offer a chance to enjoy nature away from the crowds of Tanzania’s northern national park system.

Amani, Pemba and Bagamoyo are three destinations that have not yet been discovered by the mainstream tourism industry. In Amani, enjoy the peace of the rainforest while learning about botany and ecology; in Pemba, enjoy the pristine white sand beaches and turquoise water virtually alone; in Bagamoyo, learn about Tanzania’s past while and relax on the coast of mainland Tanzania. More info on: www.theculturedtraveler.com

General Tips about Tanzania

More travel tips about Tanzania

Jeżeli chcesz otrzymywać nasz Newsletter, wpisz swój adres:

Odyssei.com Community - see who's been there

Join Odyssei.com Community

Odyssei.com forum - latest posts

Odyssei.com travel forum

Questions?!

» Tanzania

Become an advisor!

Important links

  Accommodation
   » Budapest
   » Hotels in Bucharest
   » Turin Hotels
   » Florence hotels
   » Wien Hotels
   » Hotels - Budapest
   » Amsterdam Hotels And Accommodation
   » Hotel Charles BUDAPEST
   » Hotels in Vienna
» Paris hotels
  Flight Booking
   » Tanie loty - Centralwings
   » Cheap Flights
  Travel
   » Last minute

List your link here

Your email address *
Your name: *
Your comment:
Type what you see: *