Mtwara & Mikindani

Once upon a time, the sheltered harbour of Mikindani in Tanzania’s extreme south provided a haven for generations of fisherman and traders, coming as far afield as the Arabian peninsula and China. Slaves in their thousands were exported from Mikindani to present-day Reunion, the Seychelles and the Comoro Islands. After Germany's defeat in the First World War, Britain took control of the towns of Mikindani and nearby Mtwara, which became the business and administrative centre of the south, while Mikindani declined until it was nothing more than a large fishing village. Today’s Mikindani is a fascinating old town with winding streets and an interesting blend of thatched mud houses and coral houses influenced by Arabic architecture.