Kenya Vacation and Travel Guide

Mombasa Travel Guide Mombasa is the biggest coastal city in Kenya. This is a tourist city with a very quiet and laid back nature, a place to relax and pass time while on holiday. There is a big Arabic influence in the dress, architecture, and food of Mombasa. Visit Mombasa’s Old Town and experience Swahili culture and food. You will also find the historic Fort Jesus here.

Fort Jesus was built about 500 years ago and contains a lot of Mombasa history.

There are also great clubs, Bars and Discos in Mombasa for you to enjoy your nightlife.

Sights Mombasa is a great place to explore while on vacation. You will never be bored as there are very many places to see. Thousands of people from around the world traveling to Kenya go to Mombasa to enjoy the sights, sounds and culture, making Mombasa a very the center of tourism in the coastal region of Kenya. The Old Town: This is the old part of Mombasa town arising from the days when the culture and architecture was heavily influenced by the Arabs. You will find ancient buildings with flashy art designs and curio shops that sell Kenyan souvenirs. This part of town is best explored on foot. Fort Jesus: This is Mombasa’s most popular tourist attraction. The fort building is a magnificent piece of architecture, built in the 16th century by the Portuguese. It is now a museum displaying various artifacts from ancient times, living rooms, prison cells, canons, canon balls and other pieces of technology from the 16th century. Mombasa Tusks: These are huge tusks on Mombasa’s main road symbolizing the entrance into Mombasa town. You will find it interesting that the tusks also spell the letter "M" for Mombasa. Mamba Village: It is situated in Nyali and is East Africa’s largest crocodile farm. Come here to experience a spectacular scene of blood-thirsty crocodiles fighting for food during feeding time. They also have movies about the behaviour of crocodiles.

Walking on Nature Trail* Entrance to Fort Jesus** Millipede on Nature Trail**** Mombasa Old Town***

Bamburi Nature Trail:
This is the largest animal sanctuary in Mombasa. In this Nature Trail, you will see a variety of animals, reptiles and insects. The botanical gardens contain interesting plant life. You will also watch educational videos about the history of the park and its transformation from a empty mine to a wildlife habitat.

Gedi Ruins:
They are located on Mombasa’s North coast. These ruins date back from the 15th century but are well preserved and still have their original foundations.

Culture Mombasa is a very culturally diverse city and everyone feels welcome there. The main inhabitants are the Mijikenda and Swahili people with a big presence of Arab, Indian and other Africans from Kenya’s Interior. Walking the streets of Mombasa is a cultural experience in itself. You will see many women dressed in brightly coloured cotton sheet called a kanga and other Muslim women wearing bui bui, a black veil that makes them look like ninja. Accommodation Mombasa has a variety of accommodations to suit all budgets, tastes and interests.You will have the option of staying in hotels, guesthouses, hostels or even tents. Most of Mombasa’s hotels are situated either along its white sandy beaches or in the center of Mombasa town. The best hotels are in the North Coast, located just a few yards from the beaches. Other good hotels are situated on the South Coast. Many of the hotels have recreational facilities such as gymnasiums and tennis courts.

There is also nightly entertainment that include intriguing performances like fire eating, tribal dances and breathtaking acrobatic shows.

Mombasa hotels have bars and clubs too.

Some of the best hotels in Mombasa include: African Sea Lodge, Diani Reef Hotel, Diani Sea Lodge, Indian Ocean Beach Club, Jadini Beach Hotel, Lagoon Reef Hotel, Leisure lodge Limited Hotel, Leopard Beach, Neptune Paradise Village, Nomad Beach, Ocean Village, Pinewood Village, Safari Beach Hotel, Southern Palm Beach and Tiwi Beach Travellers.

Eating Out in Mombasa

There are many places to eat out in Mombasa. If you like Fast Foods, check out the Blue Room Restaurant which also offers a variety of Indian and American food.

Other good restaurants to check are Splendid View Restaurant and Hotel Splendid. If you crave for a good hamburger, visit the Hamburger House on Moi Ave near the tusks. There is also a Chinese Restaurant nearby for the best in Chinese cuisine.

For a good meal and beer, try Casablanca Restaurant & Bar. They have great continental food and a popular bar and disco upstairs.

If you want to spend a little more for excellent food, you can also try the Tamarind Restaurant in Mombasa.

Getting around Mombasa

While on your safari in Mombasa, you will have good transportation. Mombasa has a very efficient public transport system. The main form of transport is the matatus running on fixed routes around town.

There are many Taxis in Mombasa too. You can also rent a car from the various car rental companies in town.

Getting to Mombasa

By Air:
Mombasa has a large International airport, the Moi International Airport which receives flights from all over the world. Flights from Nairobi are quite affordable and this is a good way to get to Mombasa.

By Rail:
Kenya’s main railway Line starts from Mombasa's Makupa Causeway and connect the country’s interior.

The train service between Nairobi and Mombasa is very comfortable. You can ride on first class, the most comfortable in a two person compartment, or second class which has four person compartment or even third class which is like a bus coach.

By Bus:
There are many bus companies that run efficient bus service to and from Mombasa daily. They usually leave Nairobi in the morning and arrive in Momvbasa 10 hours later.

Night life and Entertainment

If you love the night life, there are several clubs in Mombasa where you can have a lot of fun. One of the best is the New Florida Casino & Nightclub, a nice club located near the ocean with three bars, a big screen TV and pool tables.

For the unlikely entertainment of watching crocodiles and going to a disco afterwards, try the Mamba Village.

There is also more fun on Tembo Disco north of Mombasa, which has a huge open-air disco, a beer garden and a barbeque restaurant.

Other good clubs include the Castaway, Mamba Night club, Bora Bora Night club, Starion and Jungle Village.

There are several casinos in Mombasa too. Try the Golden Key Casino, Florida Casino, Royal Casino and Nyali Beach hotel Casino for your gambling fix.

Mombasa has many fine theatres and cinemas for art and movie lovers. The Lotus Cinema and Kenya Cinema are located in downtown Mombasa and have shows in both English and Hindi. Another one is the beautiful Nyali Cinemax theatre.

Mombasa Beaches

A visit to Mombasa will never be complete without visiting its magnificent beaches with endless clear sand and warm waters. This is the place to get a beautiful skin for free while you enjoy the sun and the open waters.

A few of the many Mombasa beaches include the Nyali beach, Kenyatta beach, Bamburi beach, Shanzu beach, Shelly beach, Tiwi beach and Diani beach.

You will find many luxury hotels on these beaches and if you like a cheaper hotel, there are some located farther away from the beach.

Copyright: Mwongera Kioga:

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