Region: Tanga
Access: By road
Attractions: The ruins, mangroves
Activities: Site walk
Accommodation: Available nearby
Best time to visit: All year round
Tongoni Ruins are the remains of an important Swahili community that prospered from the 13th to the 16th century, functioning as a vital hub for trade on the East African shoreline
The Tongoni Ruins, situated in Tanga, are a historical Shirazi settlements site dating back to the 10th century. Among the ruins are the remnants of a mosque and a collection of Shirazi pillar-style tombs, believed to have been constructed between the 13th to 15th century, making it a significant Swahili site in the region at the time
Despite its current state, Tongoni was once a thriving trading center and held a respected position by being a part of the network of Swahili city-states along the East African coast. Tongoni and neighboring Swahili villages began to flourish, with Mombasa emerging as a key player in the area
Tongoni reached its peak in the 15th century, boasting its own settlements and even attracting the attention of Vasco da Gama, who made a stop here. He also abandoned his ship, São Raphael, which accidentally became beyond repair around 1499, at Tongoni
Although many of the pillars have fallen over time, traces of the past can still be seen, such as recessed areas where decorative items were once placed. What’s currently left are the mosque and tomb ruins, which the locals could not extract materials from them for their own use because of the spiritual significance they have towards them
Tongoni, just like numerous other Swahili settlements, experienced a decline due to a combination of factors such as changes in trade routes, the rise of new trade hubs and political turmoil. By the 17th century Tongoni had become mostly deserted, leaving behind remains that nature slowly reclaimed
In the early 18th century, the Tongoni settlement disappeared because of the Portuguese interference with local trade and the downfall of Mombasa. Later on, in the late 18th century, it was repopulated by Shirazis who were escaping from Kilwa. They called it Sitahabu, meaning ‘Better Here Than There’. The settlement had a short period of growth before eventually declining again
The Tongoni Ruins, situated in Tanga, are a historical Shirazi settlements site dating back to the 10th century. Among the ruins are the remnants of a mosque and a collection of Shirazi pillar-style tombs, believed to have been constructed between the 13th to 15th century, making it a significant Swahili site in the region at the time
Despite its current state, Tongoni was once a thriving trading center and held a respected position by being a part of the network of Swahili city-states along the East African coast. Tongoni and neighboring Swahili villages began to flourish, with Mombasa emerging as a key player in the area
Tongoni reached its peak in the 15th century, boasting its own settlements and even attracting the attention of Vasco da Gama, who made a stop here. He also abandoned his ship, São Raphael, which accidentally became beyond repair around 1499, at Tongoni
Although many of the pillars have fallen over time, traces
of the past can still be seen, such as recessed areas where decorative items were once placed. What’s currently left are the mosque and tomb ruins, which the locals could not extract materials from them for their own use because of the spiritual significance they have towards them
Tongoni, just like numerous other Swahili settlements, experienced a decline due to a combination of factors such as changes in trade routes, the rise of new trade hubs and political turmoil. By the 17th century Tongoni had become mostly deserted, leaving behind remains that nature slowly reclaimed
In the early 18th century, the Tongoni settlement disappeared because of the Portuguese interference with local trade and the downfall of Mombasa. Later on, in the late 18th century, it was repopulated by Shirazis who were escaping from Kilwa. They called it Sitahabu, meaning ‘Better Here Than There’. The settlement had a short period of growth before eventually declining again
Vasco da Gama is said to have first visited Tongoni in April 1498. He made a second visit the next year and spent two weeks. Tongoni ruins consists of mosque, tombs and the location of the first port before Tanga
Interesting facts about Tongoni Ruins
- Tongoni is home to the first-ever port in Tanga – used during coastal trades at the time
- In 1498-99 Vasco da Gama visited Tongoni twice. It was at Tongoni where Vasco da Gama abandoned his broken-beyond-repair ship São Raphael. He also said that Tongoni has better oranges than elsewhere
- One of the reasons Tongoni Ruins and other historic ruins have mosques and cemeteries left is because of the spiritual significance that they carry to the locals, hence no destruction is usually made to them
- Tongoni Ruins is among the earliest Shiraz settlements, where the old buildings tell stories of their culture, complete with ancient graves
Getting to Tongoni Ruins
The easiest way to get to Tongoni from Tanga is by using a private vehicle. It is about 21 kilometres between Tanga and Tongoni, and the trip usually lasts between 30 mins to 1 hour, depending on traffic and road conditions (as of April 2024, there is a section of unpaved road that becomes very muddy during the rainy season). Simply follow the main road heading south from Tanga towards Pangani and then look for the turnoff towards Tongoni Ruins a few kilometres into the journey.
Image Gallery
