What to do in the Kenyan Coast during the festive season -Bucket list

The formerly coast province of Kenya commonly referred to as Pwani was sub-divided into 6 counties. Coast region comprised of the Indian Ocean coastal strip with the capital city at Mombasa. Pwani is mainly inhabited by the Mijikenda and Swahili people .

The Kenyan coast covers an area of 79,686.km2. The six counties are :

Mombasa County
Kilifi County
Kwale County
Taita-Taveta County
Lamu County
Tana river County.

Mombasa city is mostly on Mombasa island in the Indian Ocean and partly on the mainland. It is Kenya’s chief port and an important tourism, educational, commercial.and industrial hub. The Kenyan coast is the jewel of Kenya tourism, revered as “Mombasa Raha “, meaning the place of ease and enjoyment. It’s a region with fantastic sand beaches, emerald water, days filled with the sunshine and warm balmy nights with gentle sea breezes. The offshore reefs are alive with coral, myriad fish, sea turtles and dolphins.

Here, you will enjoy a wide range of activities such as safaris, bird watching, Beach parties, great nightlife, fascinating cultural diversity and assortment of local dishes. The Kenya coast wilderness meets the sea, and the ocean itself holds a world of spectacular coral reefs that provide a unique opportunity to explore the world. A safari is always full of surprises and the diverse culture of the local ethnic groups together with an assortment of traditional swahili dishes adds to the warm and welcoming hospitality of the coastal communities. The pristine sandy white beaches, warm inviting waters of the Ocean aromatized by the green palm trees and sand dunes means countless opportunities of adventure.

A wide range of World Class resorts , local and international hotel chains like serena , Sarova ,Manda hotels, Kenya safari lodges and hotels,heritage hotels and romantic hotels give visitors a chance to relax and enjoy this natural coastal paradise with star rated standards of service, accommodation, and cuisine. Local investors have also invested heavily in the hospitality industry along the coast with names likes travellers beach hotel, the reef hotel, Nyali international beach hotel, Diani reef hotel and spa, leopard beach hotel, hemighways , Kasakazi, sentrim Castle royal hotel, southern palms , prideinn and others competing with international brands.

You will also enjoy incredible wildlife views visiting the diverse variety of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and reserves where you will have the chance to see the rich bio-diversity of the Kenyan coast. The Green coastal rainforests border the beaches with variety of wildlife including baboons, rare colobus monkeys and even leopard. If you have the time, you could explore kaya sacred forests, such as Kaya Kinondo along Diani Beach, the Ramisi River Forest in the far south, near Funzi Keys,the Sabaki River forest north of Malindi, a beautifully sculpted coastline of old coral islands and headlands with the deep mangrove creek of Mida Creek ,the forests of the Shimba Hills national park, and the coast’s largest forest,Arabuko-Sokoke National Park, a few kilometres from Pwani university.

For wildlife adventure lovers , not too far from coast region , there are several safari options to the nearest national parks and reserves.These include; Shimba Hills National Park , Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary and Sheldrick Falls, just 30km inland from Diani Beach. In Taita -taveta county, lies Kenya’s largest national park, Tsavo east national park, with large populations of plains wildlife, including impressive herds of dusty, red-coloured elephants, lions and cheetahs, buffalo, hippos, and plenty of grazers from impala to zebra . Not too far from coast is the world renown Maasai Mara where you will see the annual wildebeest migration, interact with the legendary Maasai Tribe,take a walking safari, discover ecosystems and connect with nature in a way you didn’t dream possible.

Along the coastal strip areas like Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi, Mombasa Island, Tiwi Beach, Diani Beach, Galu, Kinondo, Msambweni, Funzi, Shimoni and Wasini,you will also enjoy scuba diving, big game fishing , snorkelling, city tours, shopping trips and cultural trips.Another historical excursion, is Sailing on traditional Swahili Dhows in a memorable experience, being built and sailed along the Kenya Coast for several years. Many dhows are sailing restaurants, seafood is caught and cooked on board, you can enjoy a lunch or dinner with onboard entertainment, while you enjoy the views of the refs and mangrove bays.

The region is full of historic sites like Gede ruins On the North coast of Mombasa towards the town of Malindi, Vasco da Gama pillars , Mombasa Tusks , Hindu temples and Fort Jesus which is a monumental piece of architecture, built in 1593 by the Portuguese. The old town in Mombasa is known for its ancient white buildings, narrow streets, stunning mosques dating back the early 19th century, fantastic art designs, examples of the Arab architecture, nicely carved doors, narrow verandahs, bazaars and curio shops.

Bien venue !! welcome !! Karibu Mombasa