DAR ES SALAAM City Guide.

The pace of change in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city and busiest port, has been little short of relentless, Radical economic reform packages have transformed almost every aspect of life in the city, as Stephen Williams.

Even if its famous lethargic character has not quite disappeared, in many respects Dar es Salaam has reinvented itself as a thoroughly modern African city. Over the last decade, what was always a difficult city for visitors has been shrugging off its socialist leanings and enthusiastically embracing a liberalised market economy.

Nothing illustrates this better than the fact that investors have the services of a new one stop' Investment Centre on Shabaan Robert Street in downtown Dar es Salaam, an almost unimaginable concept for Tanzanians a decade ago.

A number of quality new hotel developments to serve the visiting tourist and business traveller are open for business. Old business class state-run hotels have either been closed, as is the case of the Agip, slated for re-development like the Kilimanjaro, or upgraded as in the case of the New Africa Hotel. A new Sheraton has given the city a five-star international hotel, and a 164-bed Holiday Inn is being built, scheduled to open early next year.

Dar es Salaam's international airport has also been upgraded and the introduction of pre-entry visa services through high commissions and embassies world-wide has speeded up formalities. The airport is still the most important gateway for many visitors to Tanzania - although increasing numbers of tourists arrive at Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) at Arusha.

KIA, with its Boeing 747 capable runway, was fully privatised just over two years ago in November 1998, the first fully privatised airport in Africa. Scheduled European flights bring tourists within proximity of five of Tanzania's 12 national parks -- Arusha National Park, Mt Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Lake Manyara, and the Ngorongoro Crater (collectively known as the northern circuit).

Commercial capital

However, for the business traveller, Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's commercial capital and remains its principal city. Many visitors choose to stay out of Dar es Salaam's city centre. The Msasani Peninsular, especially the Oyster Bay area with its beach hotels, is very popular. Oyster Bay is just a 15-minute taxi ride from the Sheraton or New Africa hotels, which (along with the four-star Embassy Hotel) are the main city centre hotel options.

The Oyster Bay Hotel, the Karibou Hotel and the Sea Cliffs Hotel are reputed to be the three best hotels on Msasani, all with prices starting at $100 a night.

Between Msasani and the city-centre are a cluster of similarly priced hotels around the north end of Beach Road and the junction of Upanga Road. The Palm Beach is an ageing hotel with a popular garden bar and grill, Etiennes is of similar vintage and facilities, while the Courtyard Hotel, opened just three months ago, is a friendly quality hotel with four-star room rates from $95. By comparison, the Sheraton's $240 a night room rate looks overly expensive.

Money-changing facilities

You'll probably need to change money on arrival at the airport bureau de change. The rate is not as good as you will find at the many forex bureaux downtown, but much better than those offered by hotels. Credit cards are making inroads, but ATM systems are only just coming on line.

Earlier this year, Amalgamated Bank of South Africa (Absa), South Africa's second largest bank, took over Tanzania's National Bank of Commerce (NBC) amidst heated controversy - almost as heated as when South Africans entered region's brewing sector.

NBC, formerly run by the state, is Tanzania's largest branch network of any commercial bank.

Four major western banks also have a strong presence in Tanzania: Citybank, Stanbic, Standard Chartered and Barclays. Both Standard Chartered and Barclays are offering Visa brand withdrawal facilities from ATMs - a service also being promised in the near future to NBC customers - but until recently they could only accept Tanzania issued plastic.

In addition, more and more hotels and restaurants and even some fast-food joints will accept credit card payments. But cash is still king, and the dollar preferred, although any hard currency can be changed for the Tanzania shilling at downtown bureaux.

Communication in Dar es Salaam is not the problem it once was, thanks to the strong growth of the two licensed GSM mobile operators, Mobitel and Tritel.

Land lines are still unreliable and a recent change of national dialling codes has not helped matters. Thus the mobile has come into its own. Part status symbol, part fashion accessory and part business tool, they are a common sight around the city. E-mails are also a popular way of keeping in touch, and cyber cafes are opening all over Dar es Salaam.

Getting around

The New Africa Hotel on Maktaba Street is also an Avis car rental affiliate. There you can arrange a car or four-wheel drive rental, starting at $120 daily with driver. Alternatively, plenty of taxis are on offer at stands. Fares range from $2 for a short hop to about $15 for an across town ride (Dar es Salaam is a large, sprawling city, with an official population of 3m, although local people claim it is closer to 5m). The art of bargaining for your taxi-fare is essential - meters are not installed - and drivers will be happy to remind you of the number of recent fuel price rises and the spiralling cost of living in the city.

The morning and evening rush hours are a particular problem in Dar es Salaam and it is always preferable to avoid travelling during those busy periods. During the rush hour you get a good idea of how many NGOs and overseas personnel are based in Dar es Salaam with the UN and major aid agencies having an important presence in the city. Luxury four-wheel drive vehicles, with the name and logo of the particular organisation it represents emblazoned on doors and usually a single expatriate occupant, interweave with the overcrowded buses and cars taking Tanzanians to and from their workplaces.

Leisure time for visitors and expatriate workers alike is usually taken up with the beaches and eating out. In fact, Dar es Salaam's beaches are not that good, but you can make interesting excursions to virtually deserted beaches out of the city.

The variety of restaurants and bars in Dar es Salaam is growing fast and range from Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, European, Chinese, and Indian to classic coastal Swahili cuisine. Fast food outlets concentrate on the ubiquitous burger and fried chicken.

The Slipway is a popular place for a sundowner, serves food and has a shopping mall with bookshop and pharmacy. An interesting architectural experiment went into the Bar es Salaam, a new venue built in Malian traditional style. It serves drinks and barbecued foods with live musical entertainment.

The islands of Zanzibar are temptingly close to Dar es Salaam, making it a favoured excursion. Near the Embassy Hotel, opposite the Catholic Church, is the jetty where a variety of ships and catamarans daily ply the 30 miles to historic Zanzibar's stone-town harbour. The Sea Express catamaran can make the journey in just over an hour for a $15 one way fare and $5 port tax.

Flying is no faster if you add in travel to the airport and the check-in wait. Air fares start at $60 one way with a $10 departure tax.