Be prepared for a huge surprise when you go for a Kenyan coastal holiday, they have some of the most unspoilt beaches on the globe. The coastal tourism region starts 500 kilometres from Shimoni in the south to Kiunga in the north and inland to Tsavo. You also have Lake Jipe on the Tanzanian border and this takes in the 7,500 foot high Taita Hills. The coast hinterland is a natural extension of the shallow coastal belt, national wildlife parks and private conservancies are just a few hours’ drive away.
- Fishing in KenyaUnited Nations Photo
The Kenyan coast is the birthplace of the Swahili culture. It is also where the Swahili language developed with centuries of visitors and shore settlers living and working together with the Bantu. Swahili is a lingua franca for traders that is derived from many words originating from Africa, Arabia, Asia and Europe. Swahili is also a cultural fusion combining ideas from those very same places. The coast is littered with museums, monuments and cultural festivals that highlight the coast’s rich commercial history of trading with the merchants. Regarded as the friendliest region in Kenya, the coast offers a slower paced, peaceful and historical contrast to inland Africa and, of-course, South Africa. There is plenty of entertainment and a vibrant nightlife to look forward to just as in any small beach town.
Game viewing is a passionate past time and is conveniently nearby at Tsavo, Lake Jipe and Taita Hills with many camps or lodges providing tents or rooms for the intrepid traveller. A tree house at Shimba Hills and the Haller Park are both popular and a primate reserve in the Tana Delta offers something for the specialist naturalist fan. Conferences and meetings at the coast are popular for business and government agencies as it is the perfect place to work and play and does not cost an extortionate amount. Many hotels have modern conference facilities and lots more to make this an exciting place to visit.
You can access the area by sea with a cruise ship that will call in at the port of Mombasa, allowing passengers to enjoy game viewing or historical excursions. You can even have a brief stay at a luxury beach hotel that has been vastly improved over the last decade.
Entertainment in the form of fire eaters, limbo dancers, and other tribal dancers are a popular feature and can be found at numerous hotels and clubs. Throughout the year various musical and cultural events also attract large crowds.
Glorious golden and white sandy beaches are in abundance and each has its own character. The most popular of these are Shimon, Fungi, Chale Island, Masembwene, Galu, Diani, Shelly, Nyali, Bamburi, Shanzu, Kikambala, Vipingo, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi, Mambrui, Tana Delta, Lamu Island, Manda Island and Kiunga Island.
Accommodation varies from highly exclusive, expensive and chique Robinson Crusoe style beach hideaways to large 600 plus bed beach resorts, these often have several swimming pools for their guests. Water sports are highly prized and include excellent professional deep sea fishing with catch and release. You can also go snorkelling and diving inside and outside the fringing reef at private sites or at the marine parks. There are also show cruises, swimming with dolphins plus kite boarding, surfing and playing on jet skis.
The coast is also a suitable location for those that wish to go further up country as Kenya is home to many other world class game parks. These parks include Amboseli, Abedares, Mount Kenya, Shaba, Samburu, Lakes Nakuru and Naivasha and the Masai Mara. If you can bear the high temperatures why not learn some Swahili and take an adventure tour of the area.
