Pangani Village & Coastal Life

The village of Pangani, as seen after crossing the river when you first arrive

Expanding a little on my two posts last week about my recent trip to the Tanzanian coastal town/area of Pangani, I thought I'd post a few more photo's of the town and include a little more about it here.

Pangani town is situated in the North Eastern corner of Tanzania, so named because it lies at the mouth of the Pangani River - the waters of which originate on Mt. Kilimanjaro ! The town is split on both sides of the river, with older buildings, houses, a central market, shops and offices on one side and smaller dwellings, shops and farms on the other side - movement between the two sides is either by local fishing boat or ferry.

Local houses are built to stay as cool as possible. The brightly coloured clothes of the local people add to the vibrant atmosphere of the town.

The area is a large coconut farming region, producing around 50% of Tanzania's coconuts. There are coconut plantations almost everywhere you look, which adds to the tropical feel of the area.

These taxi's were waiting to cross the Pangani River by ferry - vehicles, people, bicycles, food items and livestock constantly move back & forth across the river on the ferry

Sisal, maize (corn), bananas and cassava are also grown in this area. Most people who live here practice farming of some sort, even if it is just small scale subsistence farming.

Many of the local people are also fisherman, with their own boats which they take out each day. Fish is a staple part of the diet and is eaten either fresh (cooked) or dried.

This small village/settlement lies right along the coastline ... with the Indian ocean right on it's doorstep !

Due to the year round hot, humid temperatures, local houses are designed to keep cool. Many are made from wattle and daub with thatched rooves, and during the day it is common to see people resting or sleeping outside their homes on grass mats under the shade of nearby trees. Long pieces of cloth often cover the doorways (in place of closed doors) to let in the air.

Not far from where we stayed was a small village/settlement along the beachfront (click on the photo above to enlarge and see that) and it is not uncommon to see animals on or near the beach (once I even saw a cat going for a sunset stroll !) People walk or ride their bicycles along the beach during low tide, and the odd motorbike (or 'piki piki' as they are called here) often whizzes past.

The coastal people here are laid back and friendly and always make you feel welcome. Along with the tropical beauty of the area and the unspoilt beaches, it's not hard to see why some people refer to Pangani as the 'Zanzibar of the Tanzanian mainland' and it is definitely worth a visit if you are ever in this part of the world - especially if you enjoy unspoilt places which are 'off the beaten track'.