Tanga - The capital of Tanga Region, is one of Tanzania’s most important ports. It is connected by road and rail to a rich interior region where sisal, hemp fibre, coffee, tea, and rubber are grown.

The capital of Tanga Region, is one of Tanzania’s most important ports. It is connected by road and rail to a rich interior region where sisal, hemp fibre, coffee, tea, and rubber are grown.

Besides these products, cotton and animal hides and skins are exported, while local manufacturers produce food products, leather goods, cotton textiles, and handicrafts.
Persian ruins dating from the 14th century are found on an island in the harbour, and beaches line the bay.

In the city are Lead Memorial Hall and Amboni Park. Nearby are the Amboni Caves and sulphur springs. The city was formerly ruled by the sultan of Zanzibar. A German settlement was established here in 1888, and Tanga developed as an entry port for settlers.

Visiting Tanga one of the very important northerly seaport of Tanzania, is a pleasant and rather old world experience.
The city, which was once ruled by the Sultan of Zanzibar, is vast with several districts. With an estimated population of about 2.3 million people, Tanga, close to the Pemba archipelago, bears testimony to a long history of Swahili culture. For tourists wanting to familiarize themselves with the Swahili culture, they could not have chosen a better place. As is the scenario in Bagamoyo and Zanzibar, residents of Tanga are proud of this Cultural tradition which to a great extent dominates their daily lives.
 
It is not uncommon in these surroundings to mix in the streets and market with Tanga women dressed in their Arabic veils, popularly known as baibui. This dresses which are also commonly worn in Zanzibar are considered to be a respectable outfit.
I would recommend the people who are tired with busy life in Dar es Salaam or Mwanza to go to Tanga, where they will definitely enjoy themselves. It is without doubt one of the best places for recreation, with its prime beaches near the affluent Raskazon area. 
As I was getting into the town it seemed calm. I could see some people, vehicle and bicycle moving from here to there. It is the only urban centre where you can come across grass thatched houses downtown.

There are various entertainments areas in Tanga, most are hotels, bars and live music halls located in the Chuda area. This is a well known area designated for hotels and relaxation. One night I visited Nyinda Annex Bar which offers drinks and various kinds of Swahili food ranging from Nyama choma(barbequed meat) and fried fish, to ugali (stiff porridge), wali (rice), local chicken soup and much more.
While at Nyinda, there was very good music being played by a traditional band based in the locality, going on for as long as I was there.
Many other big hotels are located near Raskazon area. These include three-star Mkonge, Raskazon and Panori Hotels.
Tanga was an entry port for German settlers who raised their flag there in 1888. It was chosen in 1889 as a military post for German East Africa and became a district office in 1891. The local economy was based on sisal, which had been brought to the colony several years earlier and population in the area grew rapidly. The town was also established as the terminus for Usambara railway line which runs inland to Moshi at the foot of Kilimanjaro.
I realized that there are quite a lot of historical attractions including the Tongoni ruins, a small village fishing village 17km south of Tanga. This village is famous for its 15th century ruins of a mosque and forty tombs.
Tongoni was a prosperous trading centre during the 15th century.

Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese sailor, first visited Tongoni in April 1498. he had an opportunity to eat local oranges, which he said were better than those in Portugal. He made a second visit the following year and spent 15days in Tongoni.
 The Amboni Caves are yet another renowned attraction located a few kilometers from the city and on the way to the Hororo border with Kenya. They are the most extensive Limestone’s caves in East Africa.
What struck me when I visited Tanga was that there are many people riding bicycles, which seems to be the major means of transport for most townsfolk. This does not mean that there are not other means of transport; of course there are plenty of minibuses. 
Tacking passengers by bicycle is an economic activity. Tourist can also hire bicycles. It’s not easy to get lost in Tanga City since the streets are numbered 
1, 2, 3 etc
I had the courage to hire a cyclo-taxi and it was indeed a wonderful experience, since I managed to move to different locations without incurring a lot of expenses. The rider told me the prices vary from 100 to 300 tshs or even more.
The young men who carry passengers are very skillful. They man oeuvre along the road without perturbing the other traffic whether pedestrians or motorists.
Kaa kitako, usiwe na wasi yahe! Ntakufikisha uendako (sit properly don’t worry I will get you there), said the well built young man known as Hemed Mustafa who moved me around. He looked very young despite his hefty physique. When I asked him how much he gets a day he said it depends but sometimes he can manage tshs. 2000.
Most Tanga residents are involve in small scale business activities such as selling of fruits or miscellaneous snacks and shop keeping. There are a huge number of people who are selling second hand clothes and ready made items from far East. Quite a lot of folks are also engaged in catching fish, a seemingly lucrative business. I happened to go to Raskazon where the port is located, and I saw quite a lot of fishermen. Others are farmers cultivating land.
There is sprawling market place near the bus stand where I saw crowds of people engaged in all sorts of trades and in the commerce of both local food stuff and other goods, some of them deriving from upcountry but on occasion their origin was overseas. 
 Getting there; Bus from Dar es Salaam Tshs. 7,500-10,000.

Where to stay; Panori hotel, a small hotel near the yacht club and beach situated in a quiet and peaceful area. All rooms have air conditioning, colour TV, mosquito nets and clean bathrooms. It has a restaurant and bar. (Tshs. 30,000 per night). Shuniz Inn is situated in town at Ngamiani, near the Tanga bus stand. It is comfortable, with single and double beds and clean toilets (tshs. 10000 per night). Other accommodations Mkonge hotel (Tshs. 30,000 per night), Dolphin hotel (Tshs. 20000 per night), Ocean Breeze hotel (Tshs. 10,000 per night), Pentagon hotel (Tshs. 8,000 per night), Maua hotel (Tshs. 10,000 per night), Nyinda Executive (Tshs. 15,000 per night).
Where to eat; Dolphin Inn located in Chuda area offers various Swahili food for Tshs. 2,000 per person. Shuniz Inn restaurant is located in the town centre and offers various Swahili food such as Ugali, rice, roast meat and vegetables, chicken and chips for Tshs. 2,000. City restaurant is also located in the city centre and offers local and continental meals for Tshs. 3,000.

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Tanga is one of the very important northerly seaport of Tanzania, it’s a pleasant and rather old world experience.