Useful information, mostly from The Moshi Guide

Respect the local people by not wearing short clothes.

Public displays of affection and anger in public are inappropriate.

Homosexuality is illegal.

Taking photographs of people without asking can be offensive, best to politly ask and if people refuse, don't worry and enjoy your holiday. Remember the best picture is the one you definitly did not manage to take.

Change money in authorised Banks or Bureaux de Change.

US dollars or Euros are often accepted

Always have small change in local currencies.

Wearing expensive jewellery and camera's invites trouble.

Avoid walking in the streets late at night, take a taxi instead. Several young people have been robbed at the Double Road in the evening.

Like everywhere else in the world, be careful at markets where you keep your purse, camera, etc.

Assess the safety of any vehicle you use and complain if the driving is dangerous.

As a pedestrian be alert to poor driving; as a driver be alert to pedestrians / cyclists who do not check for cars.

Cars drive on the left hand side of the road.

Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers at night to avoid mosquito bites (especially during the rainy season).

Drink bottled water or boil water (5 minutes to be absolutely sure) before drinking, avoid ice and drinking tap water..

Use sun cream - skin cancer is a definite risk in the tropics.

Wash hands often with soap and water.

Remember that being infected with HIV is a risk not worth taking; keep in mind that it is alarmingly prevalent in East Africa and spreading all the time. Condoms are widely available in Tanzania.

Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers at night to avoid mosquito bites which may carry the risk of contracting malaria (especially during the rainy season). Use insect repellent and a mosquito net. If you are bitten, avoid scratching as this can leave an open wound that can pick up all sorts of germs and grime.

At certain times of year there are small insects that, when squashed on skin, secrete an acidic fluid that causes a blistery rash that can be very painful. If you feel something crawling on you brush it off rather than squash it.

Remember the old adage 'Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it' when eating fruit and vegetables. Avoid salads, especially if you have just arrived in the country.

Swahili time is counted from dawn, not midnight and is 6 hours different i.e. 7:00 = saa moja (1:00).

People jump from one system to the other.

Always double check an arranged time, specifying morning, afternoon or evening.

If you use Swahili, Swahili time will be assumed.

Time keeping is not at the top of the priority list for some people.