Although Dodoma, in the middle of the country, is Tanzania’s designated capital city, Dar es Salaam remains Tanzania’s social and commercial heart, as the country’s largest city and main port. Many travelers fly into and out of Dar, as it’s usually called, when visiting southern Tanzania or the Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia.
Whether you’re visiting prior to a Tanzania safari, or en route back from a Mozambique beach retreat, the city has a handful of good international-style hotels.