One of the oldest living towns along the East African coast
is Lamu town, located on Lamu Island north of Malindi. This
Swahili town is said to have been founded around the 10th
century. It used to be a very busy port in the 18th and
the 19th centuries. The Old Fort in the centre of the town
built in 1812 is today a cultural centre. The town has numerous
Museums such as the Swahili house Museum, the German Post
Office Museum, the Lamu Fort Environment Museum, and the
Lamu Museum. Lamu Museum occupies what used to be the District
commissioner's house, a house originally built for Queen
Victoria's consul, Jack Haggard. This museum houses a rich
collection of ethnographic material from the Swahili, Orma
and Pokomo ethnic groups. On display also are the traditional
Swahili craft such as the Siwa (side-blown horn), furniture
and jewellery. The Island town of Lamu can only be approached
by boat.
Fort Jesus was built in 1593 by the Portuguese to signify
their reign on the East African Coast but the fort changed
hands several times between the Portuguese and the Omani
Arabs. The British also used the fort as a prison during
the colonial period. Today it is a national monument and
a popular museum, which displays ancient artifacts of the
coastal life. It also holds a conservation laboratory, a
gift shop and a cafeteria. Part of the museum is the Old
Law Court, which hold a research library, coastal archaeology
department and a regional centre for archaeological study.
Located about 19 kilometres south of Malindi is the famous
Gede ruins, a 12th century Swahili settlement. Revealed
here are the Mosques, tombs, magnificent "palace"
and houses, all, which occupy about 45 acres of indigenous
forest rich in numerous species of flora and fauna.
Jumba la Mtwana, meaning "house of slaves", represents
the remains of a 13th century Swahili Settlement, which
was mysteriously abandoned in the 15th century and rediscovered
in 1960s. Mosques and tombs stand magnificently in this
site. Domestic houses decorated in carved niches and arched
doorways still stand. It's location on a beautiful stretch
of sandy beach, attracts both the local people and tourists
for picnic.
In the Lamu archipelago is a Swahili settlement called Siyu.
Siyu has a long history and in the late 19th century it
resisted domination by the Omani Arabs. Remains of magnificent
tombs and mosques can be seen. Today the present village
of Siyu is famous for leather craft.
A very unusual place to visit. This place, a reclaimed quarry
is one with a twist: this with a collection of eleven rural
homesteads, complete with permanent inhabitants in matching
dress, representing the "most colourful tribes of Kenya".
A fun place to be.
Takwa ruins represent remains of a 16th century Swahili
trading town located on Manda Island near Lamu Town. An
interesting landmark in Takwa is the unique Friday Mosque
with a large pillar atop the giblawall and little known
about it. Takwa is attractive for camping and picnic.
To the entrance of Tana River, the longest river in Kenya
is the small town of Kipini. Located within the river Delta
are remains of Swahili towns and settlemnets. Furthest from
Kipini are the ruins of Shaka and Mwana while the 10th century
town of Ungwana is located near the Delta. Ungwana is a
large town with numerous structures including tombs, mosques
and domestic houses.
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve is a unique reserve in Kenya
located near watamu in the north coast. It is here that
the rare and unique birds like the smallest owl in Africa
- the endangered 15 centimeters-high Sokoke Scops Owl and
Sokoke pipit live here. Other animals found here include
the Golden-rumped elephant shrew, Aders Duiker, Clarke's
Weaver, the endemic Sokoke four-toed mongoose and butterfly
life. Remnant of indigenous coastal forest and rubber trees
inhabit this reserve.
This is a private wildlife and forest conservation sanctuary
established by the Bamburi Cement Company with a purpose
to reclaim acres of excavated quarries during the many years
of extracting raw material for cement manufacturing. It
is one of the world's best examples of how man's destruction
on land can be reclaimed in nature's own way. Today both
exotic and local animals and trees inhabit this oasis, which
was once a barren treeless desert of limestone dust. Visitors
can see birds, porcupines, giant tortoises, orphaned animals
like buffalo, hippo, and eland. Fish and crocodile commercially
farms are also run here.
The 28 square kilometer Kisite Marine National
Park is located in the Mpunguti Marine Reserve in the fishing
village of Shimoni, 85 kilometers south of Mombasa. Shimoni
which was a slave centre is historically known for its huge
coral caves where thousands of slaves used to be kept prior
to shipment to Zanzibar, Pemba and Arabia. These caves can
still be seen even today. From the park one can view the
Usambara Mountains of Tanzania about 6 kilometers away.
Wasini Island is to the right with the Shimba Hills in the
distance. Kisite National Park is one spectacular place
in the Indian Ocean where one can dive and snorkel amongst
a bewildering variety of marine life comprising a unique
ecosystem - "a garden under the sea". The park
offers best resorts for goggling and deep-sea fishing. Kisite
is a home for Dolphins, Spotted and Indo-Pacific Humpback.
The variety and abundance of fish is astounding. Blue striped
snappers, Ehrenburg snappers and sweet lips with their prominent
yellow colouring. Families of up to eighty parrotfish, mainly
blue in colour, can be seen passing through these shallow
clear waters.
Malindi/Watamu Marine National Reserve is located 119 kilometers
from Mombasa and extends from south of Malindi town to Watamu.
It was among the first marine reserves to be established
in Africa and comprises of the Malindi and Watamu Marine
National parks with extensive coral reef and coral gardens,
which are very popular to the divers, snorkelers, and glass-bottomed
boat viewers. The corals consist of myriads of brightly
colored coral fish, corals and shells. Angelfish, Butterfly
fish, Blue surgeonfish, Anemone, Domino, Scorpion and Parrotfish
are the major species. Green turtle, Blue marlin fish, Sailfish,
Giant grouper and Marko sharks can also be seen. Entertainment
activities like water skiing, wind surfing, deep sea diving
assisted by instructors, goggling and deep sea fishing can
be organized by hotels which appear in a chain at the coastal
front.
Tourists can visit the Big Three Caves at the mouth of Mida
Creek. These caves are a home to groupers and other fish.
Simba Hills is located 40 kilometers south of Mombasa and
consists of rolling hills of grassland and remnants of tropical
rain forest which together with the sea views makes it more
beautiful. It makes a cool change from the coastal heat
and a site of beaches. From here one can see the Usambara
and Pare mountains across the border to Tanzania. Tourists
can visit the Shimba Hills National Reserve and see herds
of Sable antelope, Roan antelopes, Bushbuck, Bush duiker,
suni blue monkey, black and white colobus, elephant, lion
and buffalo among other animals.
Common species of birds include the Hornbills,
Turaco, Barbets, Crested guineafowl, Honey guide and many
others.
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Africa
Sights & Sounds
