A weekend getaway to Mikadi beach camp

In a city with a tropical climate like Dar es Salaam, there’s always a craving for a lazy, sun-baked day.

That is to say, be on a beach armchair and feel the Indian Ocean breeze. Luckily, I didn’t have to go very far to dip my feet in the sand and water. We travelled as a couple last weekend for a sleepy beach destination, where we set our GPS to Mikadi beach camp, just south coast of Dar es Salaam in Kigamboni.
We drove slowly past the new Kigamboni Bridge on a Saturday evening, avoiding any traffic jams. The GPS route took us through small establishments and villages on a rough road. A patch of the road leading to Mikadi was filled with polythene bags creating a sort of a colourful design, accumulating for years now. We named it the ‘plastic runway’.
Adjacent to it, there were cart vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, open restaurants selling the typical weekend food ‘chips kuku’, women had khangas wrapped around their waists and head, young girls sluggishly crossing the road with 20 litres buckets full of water, few old men (Wazees) were seated under the shed sipping kahawa and much more. It definitely was not a lazy day for the dwellers along the road; it was as busy as Kariakoo.

On reaching the camp
The road opened up to a gateway bordered by red walls and on it were big fonts painted in white, ‘Mikadi beach’, endorsed by Coca-Cola. On the right was a small shack selling drinks. Bajajis and cars drove in and out, seemed to us like a busy beach on the weekend.
Entering the open gateway, there were two roads, one leading to the beach, the other leading to the camp. We took the one less travelled, to the camp.
On reaching the camp, the staff handed us the keys to the shack/banda, of which we had done a prior booking.
The beach bandas
If you are a camper and you’re looking for something simple and nothing luxurious, this is the place. The beach lodge is divided into a site for those who wish to pitch a tent and stay a night and those who want to stay in a sea-facing shack.
Both options are simple, though pitching a tent turns out to be cheaper than booking a banda. Camping costs Sh21,000 per person, per night. While, a beach banda costs Sh63,000 per night, which accommodates two and is inclusive of breakfast.
There are beach bandas located facing the sea, while others are next to the busy beach club. Try booking one away from the neighbouring beach club. The experience is of a typical camping by the beach. The bandas have two single mattresses, a mosquito net, an electric table fan and a socket. The beach bandas made out of thatch are not spacious but they are functional.
The communal showers and toilets are located at a distance, in a pretty good condition. The tap-water, showers and sinks do not have fresh water, only salt water available. We didn’t request for fresh water, though upon request, the staff would be helpful to provide a bucket of fresh water.
The setting of the space is kept simple with low-laying seats covered in African prints, a hammock, a swing and few wooden chairs. The lounge area has a cosy seating area, though unkempt cushions which were damp and dirty, made relaxing in that area a little uncomfortable. A pool table divides the bar and the lounge.
Mikadi gets its name from a Swahili word that means unique trees that line the beaches of the camp/lodge.
As the night fell, the unique lanterns lit up the place, which made it the perfect hideaway. The trees were lit up by rice lights that circled it and the Indian Ocean shone through the light of moon.

The food
The menu offers basic food such as fish, steaks and sandwiches. The price of the food varies from Sh8,000 to Sh16,000, depending on what you plan to order. Their sauces are home-made and it gave a perfect additional flavour to the food.
The breakfast is what we enjoyed the most. Their must try is the cinnamon crepe, tomato and cheese sandwich which is normally served with extra French fries and their vegetable and cheese omelette.
With regards to hot beverages, you can go by the bar where the bartender keeps hot water, warm milk, coffee, sugar and tea bags on the table. You can mix your own coffee or tea as per your preference. Each cup costs Sh2000.

The Community shop
The Kigamboni Community Centre (KCC) is an orphanage situated close to Mikadi beach. The campsite hosts a shop of crafts, where all the things are made by orphans from KCC. The General Manager, Lucho Saavedra said, “We provide a small space and the facilities for the KCC team to sell and expose their work. The children from KCC are permitted to use our swimming pool on weekdays to learn how to swim.”
The lodge also provides tours to the orphanage if the guests would like to learn about them and their activities.

What you must take
A mosquito repellent is a must to carry along. We asked the staff if they had the facility of a mosquito coil or a repellent to combat the swarm of mosquitos, unfortunately they seemed unprepared. We had to drive to the nearest pharmacy located within a supermarket, about 2 kilometers away from Mikadi to buy a mosquito repellent.
Also, do carry an extra bedsheet or a blanket in case it gets cold or breezy at night.
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