KENYA COAST CIRCUIT

White sandy beaches, friendly people, fantastic coastal food and drink, dare devil water sports and to die for sights and sounds. This is what the coast has to offer. Visit the Coast and enjoy the diverse culture, natural beauty and rich history. The Kenyan coast is lined with pristine white sand beaches fringing the warm inviting waters of the Indian Ocean. Here the wilderness meets the sea, and the ocean itself holds a world of spectacular coral reefs teeming with life and colour.

Where to visit

Mombasa.

Within Mombasa Island, there are a number of tourist attractions to tickle your fancy. Take the tusks on Moi Avenue that commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s 1952 visit to the city. They make a lovely backdrop for photographs. Close by is the Mombasa Old Town, with its interesting architecture, art and curios. It has narrow winding streets and is best explored by foot. A walk through takes you back centuries.

Undoubtedly however, Fort Jesus, a symbol of Portuguese dominance of the area in the 1500s, is the island’s premier lure. you will definitely enjoy the journey into the 16th Century. The Makupa Market, off Mwembe Tayari is Mombasa’s biggest market, a colourful place featuring a wide range of produce. you can shop there African style. looking for some aquatic life? Visit the 200sq Mombasa Marine Reserve and view the beautiful coral gardens and fish.This reserve is very popular for snorkelling and diving. Tucked 30 minutes away from Mombasa is the beautiful Funzi Island an ideal location for those of you who want to catch a glimpse of dolphins and feast their eyes on the diverse birdlife and crocodiles.\

Fort Jesus

The site is located in Mombasa Island which is in the Coast province of Kenya. It lies a distance of about 490-km from Nairobi city.

Historical Background

The Portuguese built Fort Jesus in 1593. The site chosen was a coral ridge at the entrance to the harbor. The Fort was designed by an Italian Architect and Engineer, Joao, Batista Cairato. The earliest known plan of the Fort is in a manuscript Atlas by Manuel Godinho de Heredia - dated 1610 which shows the original layout of the buildings inside the Fort.

Fort Jesus was built to secure the safety of Portuguese living on the East Coast of Africa. It has had a long history of hostilities of the interested parties that used to live in Mombasa. Perhaps no Fort in Africa has experienced such turbulence as Fort Jesus. Omani Arabs attacked the Fort from 1696 to 1698. The state of the Fort can be understood from the plan of Rezende of 1636 and other plans by Don Alvaro - Marquis of Cienfuegas and Jose -Lopes de Sa - made during the brief reoccupation by the Portuguese in 1728 - 1729. In the Cienfuegas plan, the names of the bastions are changed.

Between 1837 and 1895, the Fort was used as barracks for the soldiers. When the British protectorate was proclaimed on the 1st of July 1895, the Fort was converted into a prison. The huts were removed and cells were built. On the 24th October 1958, Fort Jesus was declared a National Park in the custody of the Trustees of the Kenya National Parks. Excavation was carried out and the Fort became a Museum in 1962. The Fort is now an important historical landmark in the East African region.

Fort Jesus Museum

The Fort Jesus museum was built with a grant from the Gulbenkian Foundation. The exhibits consist of finds from archaeological excavations at Fort Jesus, Gede, Manda, Ungwana and other sites. Other objects on display were donated by individuals notably Mrs. J.C. White, Mr. C.E. Whitton and Mrs. W.S. Marchant. The Fort has lived through the years of hostilities and a hush climate and is structurally well - maintained.

Malindi and Watamu

Malindi is feted to be the oldest Kenyan beach resort, dating back to the 12th century. Here you will be certain to find the Vasco da Gama Monument. The Vasco da Gama pillar represents the 1498 anchoring of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in Malindi. Outside Malindi town you will also find a Portuguese chapel and graveyard dating back into the 16th century

The North Coast is a 70 kilometre stretch between Mombasa Island and Kilifi. Here you will find some of the most luxurious world class hotels, offering the best in-house entertainment, such as cabarets, traditional dances, board games, pool and beach volleyball, casinos, winding sandy beaches for the sun worshippers and a thriving nightlife with numerous night clubs to choose from.Those keen on cultural tourism are not left out. Jumba la Mtwana which translates to mansion of the slave. . Every year the Rabai people of Jumba hold a cultural festival to celebrate their culture. A small museum commemorating the life of ludwig Krapf and the Rabai culture can also be found here. Jumba is located on a beautiful stretch of sandy beach, among giant baobab trees and rich foliage a perfect spot for a swim after a morning exploration. The Ngomongo Villages are a perfect stop for you who have an interest in how the coastal people live. The village has 10 rural homesteads complete with a cultivation area, domesticated animals, wildlife and even a witchdoctor. . For some extreme wildlife action visit Mamba Village a unique tourist attraction spot. It combines a crocodile farm with a wonderful restaurant, serving crocodile meat, an all night Disco, a lovely flower farm, an aquarium and snake farm and finally camel and horse riding. The crocodiles are fed every evening so be sure to catch that. Close by is Haller Park a former cement quarry has been turned into a beautiful nature trail home to sally and Potty the hippos, and the world-famous Mzee and owen

South Coast. Make a stop at the 15th century Mwana Mosque. To date local faithful worship in its ruins. To elevate your adrenaline levels explore the Shimoni Caves (swahili- for hole) that have remained a mystery to historians and archaeologists. However it has been found that humans used the caves, but for what purpose is not yet clear. Recently a shrine was discovered although it is speculated that the caves may have been used by slave traders. Jadini Forest is teeming with bird species and you can view troops of baboon, vervet monkeys and the endangered colobus. A local conservation trust the Wakaluzu Trust created the Colobus Cottage at Diani where you can find useful information about the primates and go on nature trails

Lamu

Three words describe lamu; enchanting, mysterious, ancient! This 14th century town, island,archipelago is undoubtedly the best preserved ancient swahili settlement. It is made up of lamu, Manda, Pate and Kiwayu Islands that all have an existing and thriving swahili culture.

Here you will find the things of bygone days perfectly preserved for your viewing pleasure.Though the oldest surviving town in East Africa, the town retains an almost unspoiled 18th and 19th century appearance and lifestyle, some of the mosques dating back to the 14th and 15th cent ury.

Its narrow streets, buildings with beautiful carved doors, busy waterfront teeming with dhows, and its fascinating mix of people are some of the attractions.Very little architectural development has taken place since this time and the narrow cloistered town plan and arabesque structures are still intact. The island is still largely untouched by ‘civilisation’ which accounts for its unique charm. Donkeys and not cars are the main means of transport

Swahili Cultural Centre

The first Swahili Cultural Centre was established in Mombasa in 1993 as a joint project of the NMK, International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Shortly afterwards a Centre was opened in Lamu town. The aim of these Centres is to train young men and women from Mombasa and Lamu Old Towns in traditional Swahili crafts; more importantly, the training includes business management, which provides the youth with the the much needed skills to become self-employed. Both Centres encourage micro-enterprise development for the youth in the Old Towns and in the coastal region as a whole.

Malacology Unit