Lindi is a coastal town located at the far
end of the Lindi
Bay, on the Indian
Ocean in southeastern Tanzania. The town is 450
kilometers south of Dar
es Salaam and 105 kilometers north of Mtwara, the southernmost
coastal town in Tanzania, and gives its name to the surrounding Lindi Region, one of the
most sparsely populated areas of the country. The town population was 41,549 as
of the 2002 national census.
Overview
Lindi
is located at the mouth of the Lukuledi River. Its
port facilities are still rudimentary, allowing one or two small cargo and
passenger boats at a time, and cannot accommodate ocean-going ships. The
region was once an important sisal-producing
plantation area, especially in Kikwetu,
surrounding the Lindi airstrip, 25 kilometers north of town. A
recently completed building project has seen the town of Lindi linked to
Dar es Salaam by a continuous tarmac road, making Lindi accessible throughout
the rainy season. An older tarmac road connects Lindi town to Mtwara, passing
through Mikindani,
an important Arab business settlement for explorers sailing along the east
coast from Muscat,
Oman, Malindi or Mombasa to Sofala.
Lindi
is a cosmopolitan town with Arab and Indian merchants owning the bulk of
businesses, and Islam is
the predominant religion. The town has a market, a bus station, a post office,
an airstrip (currently not in use by commercial airlines), primary and
secondary schools, several banks (two with ATMs), an Internet cafe and many
guest houses. The locals, known as Swahilis, are mainly
engaged in fishing in Lindi Bay and some farming on the outskirts of the town.
Employment opportunities are very limited, as Lindi lacks any kind of major
industry. The only major investor is Aqeel Traders, which established here
sawmills, which economically help Lindi region people by employing a massive
number of them. From the coast the land rises sharply to the escarpment hills
of Mtanda, once a
residential area for colonial civil servants, with views of Lindi Bay. During
the colonial era, a transfer to Lindi amounted to a re-appraisal or demotion.
Recreation
Lindi
Town has a range of bars and restaurants to visit in your free time. These
include Himo One, Fishermen's (nicknamed 'Whities'), Kidia Royal and The Hills
(open after 6pm). Popular bars include Santorini's and Magresa on the coast,
The Police Mess, Falling Mangroves Bar and Mangroove Bar. Peace Beach is a
hotel nearby Santorini's which is currently being renovated and is said to have
a swimming pool.
Nearby
attractions include some nice beaches, such as that at Mitema, north of the
town, and Mchinga, even further north of the town. Mitema can be accessed by
bajaji, but Mchinga requires a dala dala from nearby the main Halotel building.
Passenger boats can also be taken to access beaches on the other side of the
peninsula.
History
A
historic building of note is the German Boma located on the coast nearby the
Police Mess. According to locals, this was used by German colonialists and is
now owned by Arabs who plan to renovate it and turn it into a hotel. German
currency was supposedly excavated from the building in the summer of 2016.
Shopping
There
is a large number of shops in Lindi, selling most modern amenities. Lindi
Supermarket has the widest range of goods, including many popular brands of
toiletries, snacks, sweets and drinks. The main market on the roundabout sells
fruit, vegetables and clothing. Otherwise, there are plenty of fabric shops and
tailors to choose from. Vijana tailors, near the bus stand, sells handmade bags
and purses.