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The Coast,
South coast,
North coast,
Watamu & Gede,
Malindi
Mombasa
The second largest town in the country with a population of about 600,000
and the official gateway to the country by sea. It has a history dating
back to more than 2,000 years when the Persians, Arabs, Greeks and Romans
visited the East African Coast and carried out trade between the Coast
and the Mediterranean Lands.
After independence in 1963, the African, white and Asian communities expanded the town as a commercial and tourism nerve centre at the Coast. The old section of the town with its old-fashioned houses, carved doorways and shops fringe the old dhow harbour with Fort Jesus dominating the entrance. There is the Customs House, a fishmarket and shops which sell carpets, chest, brassware, souvenirs and colourful clothes. Various African traders sell curios and antiques in the shops and on the sidewalk vendors. A museum has been established within Fort Jesus displaying ancient artifacts of the coastal life. Shops in Digo Road and Moi Avenue in the main town offer excellent shopping facilities. A significant landmark in Mombasa is the “Mombasa tusks” built in 1952 to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth. The town offers various night entertainment facilities, night clubs and bars, casinos and cinemas.
From Mombasa Island visitors can make short trips to many of the nearby beach resorts where the attractions of Mtwapa Creek with dhow trips and water skiing offer the biggest recreation. Deep sea game fishing is usually organized from the town before visitors move north to explore the marvels of the north-coast.
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The Coast.
For many centuries the Kenya Coast has been known as the land of pleasure and recreation. Separated from the up-country Central Highlands by the Nyika (dry wilderness), the coastal belt possesses a unique type of climate, people and cultural history. In addition to the coastal beaches, picturesque coconut palms, mangrove swamps, coral reefs strewn with thousands of coral fish species make the coast, from Lamu to Shimoni (480 kms) one of the unrivaled tourist attractions and the world’s greatest holiday resort.
On the coral reefs, visitors can walk at low tide or sail in glass-bottomed boats viewing the colourful coral fishers such as Starfish, Sea-urchins and the underwater flowers. Alternatively, visitors goggle using breathing tubes, flippers and masks to view the wonderful underwater worlds. It is advisable to take precautions like swim-shirts against sun-burns, rubber-gloves against Stinging-rays, spiny Sea urchins, venomous fishes like stonefish, jelly fish and sharp corals and shells whose sharp barbs can be poisonous. Sometimes Sharks come to the coral reef zones and should also be avoided. Most hotels along the coral coast have modern motor boats or dhows with equipment for visitors excursions.
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The South Coast.
The beach resorts south of Mombasa town are dominated by Diani Beach, a large stretch of sand over ten kilometres long and fringed by a calm blue ocean. The Jadini forest adjoining the beach is a favourite haunt for leopard, colobus monkeys, baboons and a great variety of forest birds. Other beach resorts along the coast include Likoni Beach, just across from the Likoni Ferry and Shimoni Beach, almost on the Kenya-Tanzania border.
Major recreational activities organized along the South coast for the enjoyment of the visitors include water-skiing, wind-surfing, scuba diving, goggling and deep-sea fishing. Shimoni, about 120 kilometres from Mombasa is the gateway to the adjoining Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park (28 sq. kms) and Reserve as well as the main centre for the fishing industries along the South coast.
As you sail to the Marine Park, you will see Dolphins play with your boat. From there you may visit the Wasini Island to see its unique moon-like landscapes and old Arab villages.
Shimba Hills National Reserve (192 sq. kms). Shimba Hills National Reserve about 40 kilometres from Mombasa is near the South Coast holiday resorts. It stands at an altitude of 300 - 400 metres and consists of rolling hills of grasslands alternating with beautiful patches of equatorial rain forest remnants. It was established in 1968 for the protection of the last breeding herd of Sable antelope in the country. The reserve offers a cool change from the coastal heat and panoramic views of the ocean to the south and the Usambara and Pare mountains across the border to Tanzania.
Other animals found in the Reserve include elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, Red duiker, Bushbuck, Bush duiker, suni, Blue monkey, Black and white colobus, Serval cat and Black-faced vervet monkeys.
Birds are plentiful with common species like hawk eagle, Crested guineafowl, Hornbills, Turaco, Barbets, Honey guide, Woodpecker, Flycatcher, Shrikes, Orioles, Sunbirds and many others.
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The North Coast.
The coast between Mombasa island and Kilifi 70 kms with long stretches of sun-drenched beaches fringed with palms make the area a tourist paradise.
A bridge across Tudor Creek links the Island with the beach resorts which stretch northwards along the coast. Ahead from the bridge is the Nyali Estate which offers a sports club, golf course and some of the finest hotels along the north coast. A private wildlife and forest conservation sanctuary established by Bamburi Cement Company forms the first link in a chain of attractions along the north coast. The sanctuary is established on a depression left when the company quarried the coral limestone for the manufacture of cement. A Swiss agronomist, Rene Haller, helped the company to rehabilitate the devastated environment by establishing stands of forests, shrubs, vineyard, citrus trees, mangoes, bananas and glades alive with various species of wildlife and ponds of fish where Tilapia and other fish species are bred and grown to the delight of thousands of visitors.
Kipepeo Aquarium constructed by Monsieur Allard compliments the Bamburi Quarry Farm. Here, beautiful coral gardens, shells and coral fish are on display for the enjoyment of the visitors.
About 8 kilometres from Mombasa town and opposite Hotel Continental is the newly established Mombasa Marine National Park (10 sq. kms).
The beautiful Kilifi Creek provides prolific birdlife with the Carmine bee-eater dominating the scene. Water sports include a 15-minute circular flight around the Creek by seaplane - a memorable experience for the visitors.
Before reaching Watamu, one passes through Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, a preserved remnant of indigenous coastal forest famous for its indigenous rubber trees, avifauna and butterfly life. It is the only place in the country where the rare Aders Duiker and the Golden rumped elephant shrew live. Unique bird species include Sokoke pipit and Sokoke Scopes owl.
Visitors interested in touring the remote North Coast and Lamu Island will proceed on the Malindi-Lamu road which crosses Sabaki River . On the way they may stop at Karawa to see Formosa Bay - the largest beach on East African Coast with its sand dunes. Further on before Garsen is the Tana River Delta with green riverine forests which support large numbers of water birds and the famous breeding grounds for Herons.
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Watamu & Gede.
Gede villages on the seaward side off the main Malindi Road and a short distance before Watamu houses Kenya’s most important monument, the GEDE or GEDI RUINS about 20 kms south of Malindi town - an Islamic civilization city, which disappeared mysteriously about three hundred years ago. The ruins were gazetted as a monument in 1927 and became a National Park now a National Museum (45 acres) in 1948. The great city Mosque and parts of the King’s Palace and other city houses have been restored, well-preserved and signposted with well maintained trails for the benefit and enjoyment of the visitors who can now view them with admirable ease.
From Gede village one travels for about 8 kilometres to Watamu village beyond which is the Watamu Marine National Park established in 1968 for the preservation of the coral reef resources.
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Malindi.
About 19 kilometres north of Watamu lies Malindi town, the former port of call for ships sailing in the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope. Its seven kilometre long curving beach is ideal for surfing during the monsoon in July and August and a favourite haunt for visitors. The town’s coast offers excellent facilities for deep-sea fishing where sportsfishermen have caught some of the largest fish in Africa. The best time for big game fishing is from end of September to the end of April.
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