Planning a trip to Bagamoyo

Getting There -- Bagamoyo lies about 70km (43 miles) north of Dar es Salaam. The trip takes about an hour (and up to 90 min. by bus) on good tarmac road; a taxi here from Dar should cost $130. Any of the hotels here can arrange transfers from Dar's airport. There are fairly frequent buses and dala-dala services between Dar and Bagamoyo.

Visitor Information & Guide Services -- Staff at Bagamoyo's Tourism Information Office (tel. 076/444-2823; daily 8am-5pm) can assist with most questions you might have, whether it's about securing transport or finding a guide; they can arrange tours of the town (or to specific points of interest), with or without transport. The best guide in town is Peter Junior (tel. 078/486-9652), who speaks good English and has even written a book on the town. If you're looking for someone else to make all your arrangements and plan a coastal-cultural tour, contact Ancient Ost Afrika (tel. 075/622-7761; www.ancientostafrika.com), a home-grown tour operator based in Bagamoyo; they can arrange multiday excursions that take in Dar, Bagamoyo, and Saadani National Park.