12 A NOVEL IDEA

Msasani Slipway, Dar es Salaam 5137, Tanzania

TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE BECAUSE

You can browse 15,000 books and then take in views of the nearby Indian Ocean.

Owners Sarah and Paul Clithero opened the first branch of A Novel Idea in Dar es Salaam in 1992, occupying a repurposed 20-foot-long shipping container outfitted with a thatched roof. Local readers quickly embraced the store, and the couple eventually moved into their flagship, a bright and airy spot on the Msasani Peninsula. Over 15,000 titles are spread over the two-story space, displayed on the shelves alongside stationery, imported and locally-made gifts, and art supplies. Travelers stopping in Arusha on their way to Mt. Kilimanjaro or a safari can find a branch of A Novel Idea in the city’s TFA Center.