Entertainment In Tanzania

More than just amazing beaches, wildlife and beautiful weather, Tanzania entertainment has a lot more to offer. It depends what kind of entertainment activities you are looking for – quiet evening out, night of wild partying, or clubs and discos. Visiting numerous places of attraction is itself an entertaining experience while there are numerous activities that are looked upon as means of entertainment. Entertainment in Tanzania include various activities that will possibly make a visitor’s stay in the country worth and memorable. Nightlife in Tanzania is quite active with numerous nightlife entertainment facilities for foreign tourists. There are many nightclubs, discos, bars, and pubs in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Arusha that provide entertainment to both the locals as well as foreign visitors. There are also tribal and traditional dances and songs that are hosted and organized in various halls of the country.

a) Music:

It is in the urban centers of Tanzania where the commercial music scene is concentrated. Particularly in Dar es Salaam, you will come across plenty of formal as well as informal creative industry bunches like music studios, venues, government organizations, NGOs, festivals, promoters, producers, street peddlers, youth gatherings, bars and clubs. Here’s a list of some of the liveliest and happening musical spots in the country:

Level 8 – Dar es Salaam
Club Bilicanas, Dar es Salaam
Travertine Hotel – Dar es Salaam
Mango Garden – Dar es Salaam
Lively Lady Bar & Grill – Arusha
Le Patio Bar & Lounge – Arusha
Empire Sports Bar – Arusha
The Hook Up, Bar & Lounge – Arusha
Via Via, Cultural Lounge – Arusha
Club D – Arusha
Elements Club – Dar es Salaam

b) Dances

As long as foreign travelers in Tanzania wish to entertain themselves by witnessing the African traditional dancing, it is good to know about their dance forms. The traditional dances have played essential roles in the culture of the existing tribes. More than entertainment, dance communicates emotions and help strengthen the bonds between members of the tribe. Each dance type is noticeably different from the other because of cultural differences and movement styles. Almost all African traditional dances are complemented with constant rhythmic music including the continual beats of different types of drums, vocals and clomping of the feet. Among the most popular traditional dance types are ‘dances of love’, ‘warrior dance’, ‘coming of age dances’, ‘dances of possession and summoning’, and ‘dances of welcome’. Some of the most popular African traditional dances are Asaadua, Bewa, Kwaito, Gadzo, Welcome Dance, Yabara Dance, Agbekor Dance, Kpanlogo Dance, and Umteyo Dance.

c) Discotheques & Nightclubs

With an obvious history, when one talks about Tanzania, the things that come to their minds are the lush green plains, safari adventures and the gigantic Mt. Kilimanjaro. Yet, there are more than these in the country. The very happening scene of nightlife in Tanzanian cities like Dar es Salaam and few others, is one of them. There are many nightclubs, discos, bars, and pubs in Dar es Salaam as well as in Arusha. These venues provide complete entertainment to both the local people and the foreign visitors.

The nightlife experiences in the Tanzanian clubs is no less than any other experiences even in the most happening cities around the world. The popular songs played in these nightclubs will easily sway away the night into dawn. So, if you’re planning to visit Tanzania and wish to tap a foot at one of these clubs, here is a list of the most happening clubs in the country:

Havoc Nightspot, Dar es Salaam
6 Degrees South, Stone Town
Club AQ, Arusha
High Spirit Lounge Bar, Dar es Salaam
Flames, Mwanza
Level 8, Dar es Salaam
Kendwa Rocks, Stone Town
Triniti Bar & Lounge, Oyster Bay, Dar es Salaam
Masai Camp, Arusha
Dharma Lounge, Stone Town
Jozi Lounge, Dar es Salaam
New City Pub, Mbeya
Gerry’s Bar, Nungwi
Savannah Lounge & Bar, Dar es Salaam
Club La Liga, Moshi
Cholo’s Disco Bar, Nungwi
Club Bilicanas, Dar es Salaam
Lina’s Night Club, Bukoba
Triple A Club, Arusha
Rouge, Dar es Salaam
Garage Club, Stone Town
New Maisha Club, Dar es Salaam
Paje by Night Hotel, Paje
Samaki Samaki, Dar es Salaam

d) Cinemas

The film industry of Tanzania, locally known as Swahiliwood produces low budget, short schedules, and camcorder films known as ‘bongo films’ are mass released in the DVD format. There have been just a few high-quality Tanzanian feature films that have been released in the cinemas. Dar es Salaam is the only city in the country that has film production studios. So, in easy words, there is not much craze about domestic or Hollywood movies in the country. However, there are a few movie theatres that play mostly international films throughout the year. Some of the major cinema halls around the country are as listed as below:

Century Cinemax – Mlimani City Mall, Dar es Salaam
Century Cinemax – Oyster Bay Branch, Dar es Salaam
Century /c/inemax – Aura Mall, Dar es Salaam
Avalon Cinema – Dar es Salaam
Cine Majestic Quality Centre Mall – Zanzibar City
Suncrest Cineplex – Dar es Salaam
ZanCinema – Malawi Road, Dar es Salaam

e) Casino:

Gambling games in Tanzania that are organized in casinos are controlled and regulated by the national authorities. The gambling market in Tanzania besides casino, includes poker, lottery, bingo and betting. Listed here below are the names of some of the most popular legal casinos in Tanzania: