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Capital city of Mtwara Region, Tanzania
Photo: Michel Sautel - VonTasha, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Mtwara is a city in Pembwe and the Southeast region of Tanzania.
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A standard Tanzanian place offering all the usual rice and ugali based dishes, a cut above most of the others around. Expect to pay Tsh 2000-3000.
It may seem odd to recommend the bus stand as a place to eat, but in the evening the buses are removed and it becomes a popular place for food. Snacks and meals are available from Tsh 50 for a small snack to Tsh 3000 for a meal. Alcoholic drinks are available.
This is the only real option for Western food in town. It's by the sea and is a nice place to while away the afternoon. During the day it's about a 20-minute walk from the center of town, after dark it's probably better to go by taxi, tuktuk (bajaji), or motorbike (pikipiki).
A place offering the usual variety of Tanzanian - Indian food. Set in a courtyard, the surroundings are uninspiring but peaceful. Expect to pay Tsh 7000-8000.
All types of food supplies including Western styled meat products, groceries, snacks, ice cream, soft drinks, condiments, fruits, and juice. You can also send an order list for delivery.
This is an area of town where there are a cluster of bars that gets a bit of an atmosphere in the evening.
This is the main (only) tourist place in town, it's right on the sea front and offers wonderful views over Mikindani bay.
An arts and crafts cooperative producing high-quality handicrafts, mostly based around tingatinga painting.
The Hendricks family are the most famous of the Makonde carvers still in Mtwara. Their work is available in town, or you can visit their carving workshop in Ziwani village just outside Mtwara. It's easiest to reach by vehicle, head out of Mtwara on the airport road and take the turn off for Mozambique / Mnazi Bay Marine park. It's a couple of miles down that road. They are most famous for their 'cloud' carvings which are carved out of a single piece of wood and make a cage out of lots of interconnected branches.
A small stand selling a range of Makonde carvings. If you're a good negotiator this is the best value place to buy your Makonde carvings.
The gift shop attached to the hotel/restaurant has a decent range of local crafts.
For general supplies there are a bunch of shops at the Bima made out of old shipping containers. They all contain fairly similar things but Ray Shop usually has the best selection.
A little more ex-pat orientated than the container shops at the Bima. If you can't find what you're looking for there this is probably the best bet.
The market is the best place to pick up local goods from food and clothes to traditional medicines. Generally bargaining is not expected and the same price is given to locals and tourists alike.
There are several buses daily from Dar es Salaam which you can take from Ubungo, Temeke or Mbagala bus stations. Average travel time is about 8 hours.
Read in the guideMtwara was designed to be a major town and exporter of ground nuts, however when the ground nut scheme collapsed before it was started, the town never really finished being built.
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Mtwara · Regional · MYW
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