After arriving in Mombasa, Kenya, you can head in one of two directions. One is the South Coast, and the other is the North Coast. South Coast entails tourist attractions found to the south of Mombasa Island. North Coast includes landmarks to the North of Mombasa Island. Both areas are perfect for coastal Kenya beach holidays with your family, friends, or alone. Keep it here to find out more about North Coast tourist attractions.
North Coast Kenya Tourist Attractions
The North Coast of Kenya consists of up to 8 popular towns. By visiting these towns, you can discover unique tourist attractions and activities.
Lamu Island Kenya – Top Holiday Attractions and Activities
You better add Lamu Island to your wish list if you have not. The fastest way to get to Lamu from Mombasa is by air. An alternative means is a ride in a modern boat, dhow ferry, or yacht. Lamu town is a 14th-century Swahili settlement that became a home to Arabs, Turks, and Portuguese later.
Up to today, Lamu boasts a unique blend of customs and traditions. Transportation within the island is by donkey or dhows. Here are fun activities you can do during your Lamu trip:
Explore the Old Town
Old Town is a UNESCO Heritage site with various craft shops, restaurants, and other businesses. The architectural art on the ancient buildings portrays the Asian and European cultures.
Enjoy a Dhow Cruise
Lamu provides the best opportunity to sail in a traditional dhow. Just book a dhow in advance.
Fish in Shela village
About three kilometers from Lamu town, there is a fishing village known as Shela. Besides fishing, you can relax on the white sand beaches or taste local cuisines.
Dine out
Lamu has influences from Europe, Asia, and Africa. Thus, the local cuisine is far from boring. During your trip, dine out and grab some spicy dishes like pasta, chapatis, coconut rice, mango chutney, mahamri, curry, biryani, seafood, etc.
Visit Takwa City Ruins
The coral stone town was a 17th-century settlement. The ruins are today a beautiful tourist attraction in Lamu.
Tour Lamu Museum
A half-day trip to Lamu Museum can help you peruse Lamu’s history archives and learn something about the local cultures.
Take Beach strolls
Lamu has many scenic and quiet beaches. You can walk along the shores while admiring the island’s timeless beauty.
Tour the Lamu Fort
In 1830, Lamu Fort was a slave house that became a prison many years later. It reminds us of the influences left behind by the Omani Arabs, Portuguese, Turks, Indians, Chinese, and Britons.
Take a trip to Manda Island
You can cross over to Manda Island from Shela. The unpopulated island is untamed, glorious, and peaceful. If you love kayaking and other water sports, visit Manda Island while in Lamu. It is the best place to watch the sunset.
Malindi Kenya Daily Excursions
Malindi is one of the largest towns on the North Coast and is only 120km away from Mombasa. A 14th-century settlement, Malindi has a rich historical and cultural heritage. As a coastal town along the Indian Ocean shores, Malindi has some of the loveliest white sand beaches and luxury resorts.
The town has excellent tourist amenities, including eateries that serve local Swahili dishes and foreign cuisines. Featuring the oldest marine parks in Africa, Malindi has more than just gorgeous coral reefs to show you. You can plan full-day or half-day excursions to different fun places upon arrival. Here are the top attractions in Malindi:
Malindi Marine Park
This wildlife park creates the safest ecosystem for marine animals like turtles and fish. It has gigantic coral reefs, coral gardens, sea grass beds, etc. If you love scuba diving and want to try it, the Malindi Marine Parks offers that opportunity.
Malindi Museum
Malindi Museum is a nineteenth-century landmark. It is also called the Column House. The double-story building with a tiled roof exhibits the popular Malindi Coelacanth and Vasco da Gama artifacts. Additionally, the Museum has exhibits of the ancient Portuguese slave traders.
Vasco Da Gama Pillar
Vasco Da Gama Pillar is a historical monument at the northernmost edge of the beach. It reminds us of Vasco da Gama, a famous ancient explorer.
Marafa Hell’s Kitchen or ‘Nyari’
This fantastic tourist landmark is about an hour’s drive from Malindi. Marafa Hell’s Kitchen has deep and scenic canyons that developed from years of water, soil, and wind erosion. An afternoon tour would be best because the Marafa Hell’s Kitchen is hot.
Malindi Beaches
The Malindi coastline has three beaches covering around ten kilometers.
The Malindi Beach (Golden Beach or Buntwani)
It extends to the Vasco Da Gama Pillar. It has golden-brown sand that shimmers like gold. The beach is perfect for long walks and surfing (between May and September). Swimming is less common among foreigners, but you can try it.
The Silver Sands Beach
It begins right after the coral rocks and ends at the furthest coral rock. The three-kilometer beach supports most water activities when the tide is low. Some of these include windsurfing, kite surfing, swimming, and walking.
Malindi Marine Park Beach
It covers 1.5 kilometers. This place has public utilities like a paid car park, toilets, and changing rooms. It is ideal for divers, snorkelers, high tide swimmers, and those willing to try glass-bottomed boat rides.
Watamu Kenya Tourists Attractions
Most travelers recall Watamu for its amazing sunsets, friendly locals, and never-ending holiday vibes. A dhow trip from Malindi to Watamu takes around forty minutes. Watamu is within the Mida Creek. Its landscape features bays, coves, big lagoons, and fringing coral reefs.
Like Malindi, Watamu has excellent restaurants and small shops selling handmade crafts. Watamu is the core of the Swahili culture on the North Coast. The top attractions for local and foreign tourists include:
Watamu Marine National Park
This Park has green turtles, dugongs, and hundreds of bird species. You can try snorkeling during low tides at the central part of the park.
Watamu Beach
The seven-kilometer pure white sand beach is ideal for most water sports, including swimming, diving, and snorkeling. The beach is along the Watamu Marine National Park and has some of the best beach resorts and local restaurants.
Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve
This is the biggest coastal rainforest in eastern Africa. It is along the Malindi-Kilifi highway. The Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve is ideal for viewing flora and fauna. It has over six hundred plant species, two hundred and seventy bird species, and two hundred and sixty butterfly species. There are a few elephants, which you can find at the watering hole if you arrive on time.
Bio-Ken Snake Farm
Visit this place to discover the types of snakes found in the East Africa region.
Local Ocean Trust
This is a rehabilitation center for injured sea turtles. Go and see how the owners prevent poaching. It is the only rehab for turtles in East Africa.
Scuba diving
Watamu boasts around twenty diving spots for novice and expert divers.
Dolphin tours
Watamu is ideal for tourists who would like to swim with the friendly dolphins. The Tribe Water Sports can assist with this.
Deep Sea Fishing
Passionate anglers can try deep-sea fishing in Watamu due to its mountainous ocean landscape. There is a tackle for hire.
Gedi Ruins
This is an ancient Swahili settlement dating back to the thirteenth century. It has dilapidated stone houses, a glorious palace, and a magnificent mosque.
Mida Creek
This is a wide water creek covered by mangroves and palm trees. Most tourists take a boat cruise at sunset.
Kilifi Kenya Coast Holidays – Top Four Tourist Attractions
Kilifi, the third county of Kenya, is a beautiful and popular destination for tourists. Towns such as Malindi, Watumu, Mtwapa, Kaloleni, Rabai, Magarini, and Ganze are within Kilifi County. Kilifi town and its immediate surroundings are among the most visited on the North Coast. It is near Mtwapa, a small town with superb nightlife. Here are the best tourist attractions in Kilifi.
Vuma Cliffs
These are jagged black coral cliffs along the Indian Ocean’s edges. The most popular way to access Vuma Cliffs is by motorbike for hire at the Takaungu village. Rolling ocean waves hit the cliffs endlessly, and they are the most attractive spectacle.
Jumba la Mtwana(Big House of Slaves)
The Jumba la Mtwana ruins were a slave port around the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It is around two kilometers north of the famous Mtwapa Creek Bridge.
Bofa Beach
If you like typical beach activities such as swimming, visit the famous Bofa Beach in Kilifi. You get to this beach by walking on the path to the left of the Kilifi Bay Beach Resort.
Mnarani Ruins
The Mnarani Ruins area might have been occupied from the 14th to 17th centuries. The most popular landmark here is the Great Mosque. The area has the tallest and oldest baobab trees, including one tree that could be nine hundred years old.
Kilifi Creek
The Kilifi Creek is the most gorgeous physical feature in the area. There are kayaks for hire for couples looking to do a romantic camping.
Mtwapa Kenya Beach Holidays – Best Attractions
Mtwapa is a rare gem in the North Coast region. It is a small town in Kilifi County that attracts several foreign expatriates. Largely populated by the Giriama people, Mtwapa provides an opportunity to learn the Swahili culture.
The cosmopolitan area has quiet and peaceful villages, such as Maweni, for those looking to relax. It doesn’t have many tourist landmarks but is a great hub for nightclubbing. Here’s what you can do in Mtwapa:
Relax at the Mtwapa Creek
The first thing that tells you you’ve reached Mtwapa is the creek bridge. The Mtwapa Creek provides the most stunning views of the ocean. People come here to stare, swim, cruise, stroll, play beach sports, and party.
Shop at Mtwapa Town
Mtwapa, the “Town that never rests’ is pretty interesting. People in Mtwapa are awake even during the night, especially in the clubs and bars. It is among the best coastal towns to buy unique souvenirs such as handmade baskets, jewelry, and clothes. Teeming with shopping malls, guest houses, and other social amenities, Mtwapa is not at all boring.
Shanzu Beach Holiday Attractions
The Shanzu area on the North Coast is near Mtwapa. It is a largely built area with 5-star hotels and world-class air B&Bs. Shanzu Beach is the main tourist attraction here. It is a short beach surrounded by rocks on each side.
Shanzu Beach has fewer visitors than the nearby Bamburi Beach, making it more intimate and peaceful. One facility in the middle of the beach provides equipment for snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, and windsurfing. They also have free classes for each activity.
Bamburi Kenya Town Tourist Attractions
Bamburi is a town in the Kisauni sub-county in Mombasa. Most people associate it with the Bamburi Cement Factory. Other famous villages in Bamburi include Vescon, Mtambo, Lakeview, Amazon, Mwembe Legeza, Fisheries, Kiembeni, Bamburi Mwisho, etc. Don’t end your North Coast tour without visiting these places:
Nguuni Sanctuary
This sanctuary is close to the famous Nguu Tatu Hills. Nguuni Sanctuary is five kilometers from Bamburi Cement Factory. You will see elephants, buffalos, rhinos, lions, leopards, giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, zebras, and ostriches. The sanctuary has a picnic area for families and groups.
Haller Park
Here is a park on the North Coast that has a separate reptile park hosting crocodiles and snakes. Haller Park also has a giraffe center that protects the endangered, human-loving giraffes.
Mamba Village
As the name suggests, this place is a home for crocodiles of various species and ages. You can find almost twenty thousand crocodiles in Mamba Village and an amusement park for kids.
Bamburi Beach
This is a silent beach with fine, soft sand and tranquil waters. Bamburi Beach is free to enter and fits family vacations. If you love sunbathing, swimming, strolling, or scuba diving, Bamburi Beach could be the best option for you. It is popular for its fantastic nightlife, modern hotels, and many restaurants.
Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach (Pirate Beach)
This beach is a few meters from the main road. It is a public beach offering most water sports and beach fun.
Best Places to Visit in Nyali Beach and Mombasa Island Kenya
This is a rich suburb in Mombasa County. The famous Nyali Bridge connects Nyali to Mombasa Island. Nyali is the place to be if you have enough money to enjoy your beach holidays in Kenya. The area teems with first-rate tourist hotels and posh residential properties. It also boasts shopping malls, banks, schools, and other social amenities. Here are the top things to do in the Nyali Beach area:
Shiva Cave
When strolling along the Indian Ocean shores at Nyali Beach, search for the Shiva Cave. Locals believe that the cave can increase your fertility levels. You can also enjoy diving and other beach activities because the tides are generally calm.
Eat Seafood
Tamarind Restaurant serves seafood like crabs and oysters. They also have refreshing drinks, yummy desserts, and pork.
Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Center
While in Nyali, you can plan a half-day excursion to a place like this. The facility offers vocational training to disabled people. The workshop has beautiful handmade items for sale, including jewelry, carvings, sisal bags, etc.
The Cafesserie
If you want to eat the most delicious cakes in Nyali, try them at Cafesserie in the Nyali City Mall. The place has beers, fresh fruit juices, lattes, bagel sandwiches, etc.
Visit Exotic Restaurants
If you like Japanese food, you can visit a popular restaurant in Nyali called Misono. Lovers of Indian cuisine should dine at the Splendid View Restaurant.
Haller Park
A TukTuk ride is all you need to get to Haller Park from Nyali town. You can easily access this park from neighboring towns like Bamburi, Shanzu, and Mtwapa.
Fort Jesus Museum
Fort Jesus is a historical building on Mombasa Island. Since Nyali is next to Mombasa, you can easily access this historical site along the Nkrumah road. The 14th-century building was a military fort for the Portuguese.
Maasai Market
If you like to take a look at new handmade things, ensure you stop over at the Maasai Market. This will be your chance to purchase all types of artifacts, including wood carvings, papyrus hats and baskets, kanzus, deras, etc.
Final Word
North Coast Kenya is an exciting region to begin your trip at. You can do stopovers at Nyali, Bamburi, Shanzu, Mtwapa, Kilifi, Watumu, Malindi, and finish with Lamu. The best thing is to locate a guide like Shanzu Beach Front to plan your daily North Coast trips.
