A complete Travel guide to Lamu, Kenya | Lamu Travel Blog | Lamu Island Hotels | Lamu Hotels | Things to do in Lamu | Where to stay in Lamu | Majlis Lamu
We are residing in Kenya for couple of years now and have visited multiple places and Lamu, Kenya was always in our bucket list from the beginning. The isolated Lamu Island cannot be described perfectly in words no matter how well we are writing or photographing- Lamu’s vintage culture, the narrow streets and old houses really need to be explored on foot to scratch out its essence. In this Lamu Travel Blog you would find references on Lamu Hotels, things to do in Lamu, where to stay in Lamu, Lamu Island Hotels and Majlis Lamu.
Imagine beautiful sunsets under the palm tress , stretch of white sand beaches and bougainvillea covered rooftops- sounds so enticing it itself right??? Sadly Lamu, Kenya is still underrated destinations among tourists and you must definitely include this island in your travel itinerary , if your planning a trip to Kenya, Africa. Lamu Island is overloaded with history & culture- definitely worth a visit!!
Know the Ancient Lamu, Kenya | Lamu Travel Blog | Things to do in Lamu | Where to stay in Lamu | Majlis Lamu | Lamu Hotels | Lamu Island Hotels
Lamu, Kenya is a small town in the Kenyan coast. Its the oldest town which is also a UNESCO world heritage site since 2001.The town was established in 1370 which is spread over 6474 sqkm only. The entire region has 65 small islands which together forms the Lamu Archipelago. This town is located on the coast of East Africa which inherits the oldest Swahali settlement. The architectural influences present there are altogether from Europe, India and Arabia which is definitely worth witnessing. Our tour guide Nassir mentioned that Lamu old town doesn’t have any motor vehicles and corresponding traffic. It was very surprising for us, which is so different from any other cities & towns we visited. Now you would be wondering then how people even survive??? Donkeys- yes heard it right!! Donkeys are the only means of transportation or one need to be on foot as everything is just within walking time! The average human population is 14000 and 3000 donkeys available in the island. Those are the only option available – life is so simple and easy right!! While we were walking down the old alleys so felt we traveled back in time to Alladin Era. However donkeys create a real mess all over the walking street as they don’t have any designated bathrooms, so just be careful on stepping on something you wish you shouldn’t have!!
How to reach Lamu, Kenya | Lamu Travel Blog | Lamu Island
Lamu is actually one of those remote places, which needs bit of extra planning beforehand, if you are visiting from outside Kenya. But from Nairobi and around it won’t be of that difficult we would add. There are multiple flights which operates from Nairobi–Manda(Lamu) and its very convenient to catch one of these flights. Mostly those flights departs from Wilson Airport (WIL) and sometimes from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) with a 15 min of layover in Mombasa. Flights from Nairobi takes around 1hour to reach Mombasa and from Mombasa the flying time is approx 45 mins. If you wish ,its also possible to reach Lamu from Mombasa by bus which usually takes 5-7 hours depending on the road conditions. We have also heard that the road route can be very notorious for Somali attacks and robberies. So we would highly recommend to book flights to avoid any discomfort and safety issues. On arrival to Manda airport you need to get on a motor boat from the nearest exit, which would take around 10-15 min to reach your designated island. We stayed in Manda island itself in Majlis which took us nearly 7-8 min to reach. It was a fun boat ride applying aloe & chasing the scorching heat!!
Interesting facts about Lamu, Kenya | Lamu Travel Blog | Lamu Island
No other island in the world can match Lamu ‘s descriptions we guess. Its so primitive & ancient. Also culturally this island has retained and preserved all its historic characters and Swahili traditions. Lamu’s old town is situated in the North- Eastern shore and the Southern coast of Lamu is called the Shella Island which is a long stretch of white sand beach. Its predominantly Muslim population where you would find men wearing traditional robes and women in ‘hijabs and burkhas’. So whenever you wish you visit the towns here make sure you dress up mindfully to show some respect to their culture(may be skirt or long dress). Rest dress codes are all okay when you are at your resort or in your private space. While walking around we came across dozens of Mosques that broadcasted prayers most of the time. It was divine & peaceful to hear the calls, and was definitely a different feeling in our veins, very hard to explain. As this old town of Lamu are very conservative, you might not find bars and pubs around, but yes high end resorts & hotels definitely offers open bars. What we would suggest is, if you are even staying at a boutique hotel, you can still carry your own mini bar. We discovered alcohols served there are very expensive compared to regular market rates. So you can definitely make your own choice. We had a very comfortable stay in Lamu as there wasn’t any communication barriers as almost everyone was able to speak and understand English. People are very friendly always wearing a smile. The most unique things to see in Lamu are the old and rustic doors each households has and each of them beholds many historical stories. These doors are very famous sculptures which were designed and expired from ‘Kutch’ India dating from 18th and early 19th century. You would also find some of the houses are built of dead sea corals, though now they have banned making the same to preserve the marine life. If you wish to see more of colorful Lamu rather rustic, THE LAMU CULTURAL festival is held in the last week of August every year, which features traditional dancing, Dhow, donkey and swimming races and also other events. Now a day they also organize a Yoga festival- so if you are a yoga freak like me- just pack your bags and leave!! Enjoy!!
Where to stay in Lamu | Lamu Island Hotels | Lamu Hotels | Majlis Lamu
From budget stays to luxurious stay-cations, Lamu offers you with all kind of options. We stayed at this gorgeous resort in Manda island – ‘The Majlis Resort’. Its one of the most beautiful and memorable stay we ever had. Do check out our detailed coverage of our luxury staycations at ‘The Majlis Resort’ here.
You can check out budget airbnb stays here.
We have heard great reviews about Lamu House and you can check it out here.
If you are looking for luxurious stay then you can chose between Peponi Hotel and The Majlis Resort. Peponi Hotel is in Shella Beach and The Majlis is located on Manda Island.
Things to do in Lamu | Lamu, Kenya | Lamu Travel Blog
Lamu is a place to relax, revisit the bygone era and as the locals say ‘Pole Pole’ – a place to take things slowly. Our top recommendations are as below. Read about our detailed blog here to know more about Top 6 things to do in Lamu.
- Wander Around Lamu Old Town – Unesco Heritage City
- Take a walk around Shela Town and Beach
- Go for Kayaking into the mangroves
- Go for a sundowner at Dhow Boat
- Watch the sunset from Manda Island and go for a evening walk
- To Do nothing 🙂
Check out our Top 10 photos to inspire you to visit Lamu, Kenya.
Check out Top 6 things to do in Lamu.
Lamu for us was an unforgettable experience and a place we always wanted to visit. Most probably one of the most beautiful place with unique history in Kenya, this place is a must visit and should definitely needs to be in your itinerary if you are planning for your holidays in Kenya.
