MALINDI AND LAMU

MALINDI: Voted the cleanest town in Kenya, Malindi is well served with restaurants, hotels and cafés. With the coral reefs having been declared the Malindi Marine National Park this is a great place for snorkelling and diving, as well as game fishing and surfing. In the 14th century Malindi was an important Swahili settlement and it became one of the few places on the east coast to welcome the Portuguese. Today you can still see the stone cross erected by Vasco da Gama in January 1499 and the small Portuguese church nearby. It is not only Portuguese sailors who are welcome these days, but a great many tourists who are drawn to its lovely long beaches. As a result, it has something of a resort atmosphere but this is pleasantly mixed with the earthiness of an African centre.

LAMU: Founded in the 14th century, Lamu is a delightful stone town with distinctive architecture, carved doors, narrow streets, many mosques and bui bui clad women. Vehicles are not allowed on the island; if you need a lift, try a donkey taxi or a dhow taxi as an alternative to walking! A thriving town since the 1500s, Lamu played a large part in trade between Arabia and Eastern Africa for several hundred years. This trade resulted in a new language, KiSwahili, which is now one of the most widespread Bantu languages in East Africa. Lamu was populated by a large number of different tribes as a result of the slave trade, which used Lamu as one of its ports; the majority of people share both African and Arabic blood. As the majority of the local Lamu people are Muslim, there are a large number of mosques on the island; it is therefore considered polite to cover your arms and legs when walking in the town.

The Old Stone Town of Lamu is the largest stone town in East Africa, but still fairly easy to explore. Most of the buildings were built in the 18th century, Lamu's Golden Age. The tall buildings, with their hidden inner courtyards, huge carved doors and narrow streets are a living museum in themselves, making for a fascinating walk. In addition to its historical interest, Lamu also offers beautiful, white sand beaches and superb seafood to its visitors; the relaxed, friendly style of the island makes for a wonderful beach vacation.