All you could ever want and other Mwanza, Tanzania Shopping Tips

Name of Shop: U-turn

If you are staying in Tanzania for a longer period you will need to know where to shop for the most necessary things. U-turn is the place to go to. It is an Indian owned mini super-market and they have almost everything! Here you can get anything from Heinz Ketchup to olives, pasta, meat, cheese, wine and chocolate, and it is the only place in town (dare I say the region?!). THe prices are reasonable and the service excellent.



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Theme: Food and Drink
Directions: Ask locals for direction

Name of Shop: Imalaseco

Imalaseco is the only super market in Mwanza and it has the same things as U-turn, only U-turn is better equipped and will go to great lenghts to get groceries that you ask for. In Imalaseco you can buy some things you can't get other places, though, like tin foil, children's toys, food processors and big pans!!! So if that's what you need, now you know where to get it.... It's also more expensive than U-turn and the service is not as good.



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Theme: Food and Drink
Directions: Situated next to Standard Chartered Bank

Name of Shop: (?) DOn't remember

If you have forgotten to bring shampoo, lipstick, feminine products, deodorant, eyeshadow, mascara, perfume and don't feel you can live without it, go to the shop that lies next to a small indian supermarket on the main road. They will have everything you are looking for. Also wigs and extra hair if you fancy!


What To Pay: Things like deodorant and shampoo are pretty expensive (compared to most other things). A bottle of shampoo or a deodorant will typically cost around 3000 tz sh

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Theme: Bath and Beauty

Name of Shop: A lot of them all over town

If you take your time you will find a lot of small dukas that sell local crafts, clothes and art. The road leading down to U-turn have a couple of really good dukas that sell nice things like bags, batique, local jewellery, sculptures, drums etc, but prices are a bit high. Most of the things you can get much cheaper down at the market, but if you want to avoid hazzle, go to the dukas. There is also a small shop at the bus stand by the market, where a women's development group sell these things. They have some really nice things in here that you sometimes won't find other places.



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Theme: Local Craft

Name of Shop: All the small, shabby dukas off the main road

Go off the main road and head towards the dirty small streets with all the dukas. Here, they sell all sorts of shoes and sandals and clothes. Not all of it is nice, but sometimes you're lucky and will be able to find OK jeans, funny blouses and fabulous shoes for practically no money.


What To Pay: For a nice pair of (new) shoes, you should pay something like 6-12.000 tz sh. Jeans typically cost between 10 and 12.000 and blouses anuthing between 3 and 8000 tz sh.

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Theme: Women's Clothes

Name of Shop: ? - opposite new Mwanza Hotel + behind Salmas Cone

If you're looking for cheap CD's go to the CD shop apposite New Mwanza hotel. Here, they will have a smaller selection of new and (mostly) old music. You can also buy CD's to burn yourself, and tapes and videos.

In the shop behind Salmas Cone is even better. They have most of the newest hip-hop, soul and r'n'b and will be willing to burn CD's for you after your choosing.


What To Pay: An original CD costs around 5000 tz sh and for them to burn a CD for you costs 9.000 sh. A fresh tape costs 1000 tsh.

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Theme: Music