As you stumble over the tangled tree roots of the Jumba la Mtwana ruins, delicious smells propel you towards the beach. A thatched hut perched above the blue of the Indian Ocean is not where you'd expect to find the region's best Italian restaurant, but there it is! Grilled seafood is the speciality here, paired with Italian wines.
Monsoons
Top choice in South Coast
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.92 MILES
This 16th-century fort and Unesco World Heritage treasure is Mombasa’s most visited site. The metre-thick walls, frescoed interiors, traces of European…
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26.23 MILES
This sanctuary is a good example of community-based conservation, with local people acting as stakeholders in the project. It was opened in October 1995…
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0.09 MILES
These Swahili ruins, just north of Mtwapa Creek, have as much archaeological grandeur as the more famous Gede ruins. Jumba la Mtwana means ‘Big House of…
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5.43 MILES
This lovely wildlife sanctuary, part of the Baobab Adventure complex, includes a fish farm and reptile park. Guided walks around the park last about 1½…
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19.37 MILES
Just outside the village of Takaungu, you fly on the back of a motorbike down dirt roads, past spiky fields of sisal and giant baobabs towering above…
25.6 MILES
Bofa Beach is a wide slash of white sand, with swaying palms and rolling Indian Ocean surf. It's the stuff of which fantasies are made. A path to the left…
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21.94 MILES
The partly excavated, atmospheric ruins of the Swahili city of Mnarani are high on a bluff just west of the old ferry landing stage on the southern bank…
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9.96 MILES
This market, which stretches along Nehru and Langoni Rds west of the Old Town, is an evocative, sensory overload – expect lots of jostling, yelling,…
Nearby South Coast attractions
0.09 MILES
These Swahili ruins, just north of Mtwapa Creek, have as much archaeological grandeur as the more famous Gede ruins. Jumba la Mtwana means ‘Big House of…
3.97 MILES
Lined with a couple dozen hotels, Bamburi Beach is a 6km stretch of palm-shaded white sand. Outside low tide, the waters are good for swimming, and there…
4.98 MILES
Busy with vacationing Kenyan families and snack sellers peddling their wares, Kenyatta Beach is the place to come if you're looking for a totally local…
4. Mombasa Marine National Park & Reserve
5.21 MILES
The offshore Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve has impressive marine life, although it cops some pollution from industry in the area. You can hire…
5.43 MILES
This lovely wildlife sanctuary, part of the Baobab Adventure complex, includes a fish farm and reptile park. Guided walks around the park last about 1½…
6.23 MILES
This attractive strip of white sand practically disappears at high tide – particularly its northern end. At the southern end of the beach, look out for…
7. Mamba Village Crocodile Farm
7.86 MILES
This is the largest reptile farm in Kenya, with guided tours taking you past several pools where you can see the crocs in various stages of development:…
9.8 MILES
Founded in 1570, Mandhry Mosque in the Old Town is the city's oldest, and an excellent example of Swahili architecture, which combines the elegant…