Lamu in North Eastern Coast of Kenya was an unforgettable experience for us. Here is our top 6 recommendations on things to do in Lamu, Kenya. Don’t miss when you plan your trip to Lamu Island 🙂
To scratch the most of Lamu, Kenya essence you would at least need 3 nights. We stayed at Majlis Resort for 3 beautiful nights and had an amazing time discovering new faces, history and culture. By any chance if you are staying in Lamu on Friday’s don’t miss their roadside biryani. We loved Lamu, Kenya and following are our our recommendations for top 6 things to do in Lamu Island. You can also check out our detailed Lamu Travel Blog for planning your trip, Lamu Hotels – where to stay in Lamu.
1) Do Nothing 🙂 | Things to do in Lamu | Lamu Travel Blog
As there is a saying in Swahili ‘Pole Pole’ which means slowly slowly, Lamu would definitely get into your veins where you would just want to chill and relax by the shore and just do nothing. Riju and me initially practiced the art of doing nothing and just lazing around the pool and beaches. For this trip we did not have any pre-planned itinerary honestly. We just loved dipping by the pool in Majlis, which is a beautiful resort in Manda Island. We had an amazing stay with multiple coffee breaks in a day. It has some amazingly decorated rooftops with bougainvillea’s where you can just relax, read a good book, connect with the locals to know it’s heritage and culture. Lamu is all about being at ease with most of the slow pace time and forget the busy City life.
2) Wander around Lamu Old Town | Things to do in Lamu | Lamu Travel BlogÂ
Reach the lamu Old Town buy a local jetty which would cost around 1000 ksh( please bargain) to and fro from Manda island. Once you reach the Old Town, see a whole New World from ancient history. The meaning of life it’s too simple for the people residing there and also they are really happy with everything surrounding them- no regret no complaints. Every time we came across anyone they have always greeted us with a smiling face with ‘Jambo’- which means ‘hello’. You can casually stroll along the narrow twinning alleys here and witness the most of everything you see around. We also stopped by many small shops dealing with handmade art and craft (we found it really expensive). Even watching those was a treat for us, you can even buy some of them if you wish. While walking around the street we went inside a very interesting crafty shop called the ‘Fish Recycled Art/ Craft’ which really drew our attention. The lady running the shop was very kind and sweet however she also explained how the things are being made from all ocean wastes. She uses flip flop rubbers and recycle those into artifacts & home decors. You can definitely check that place and we are sure you gonna love that shop. Even the Old Lamu Town doesn’t have much to offer we randomly stopped by many wood carving workshops around the corners. You can also opt for a short donkey ride to get experience like a true local.
It was 12 in the noon when we were really hungry, though we carried some edibles with us we were good to go until lunch. Our tour guide Nasser was very knowledgeable and filled with interesting stories. We walked around the old lanes listening to his historic stories and stuff. It’s one kind of an experience you should not miss in Lamu, which is absolutely stunning and gorgeous. Somehow we felt we are lost in paradise.
3) Take a walk in Shela Town | Lamu Travel Blog
Once you are done with Lamu Old Town, take a motor jetty(100 KES) one way and reach Shela town, which is approx 10 minutes ahead. Shela town is considered to be Lamu town’s prettier younger sister. The famous and renowned Peponi Hotel stands in this island. Also if you walk around the lanes you will find more of high-end properties and hotels which are mostly owned by Europeans. The Shela Island remains crowded with tourists, as it’s the only Island that stretches for miles with fine sand. We did not stay in Shela and took an hour trip from Old Town but it’s definitely worth spending couple of hours in Shela though. Also you can mark your way up the sand dunes at Shela beach and get a spectacular view of Shela town from above sand dunes. Manda Island is just bang opposite to Shela and climbing the dunes for some amazing sunset views wasn’t very difficult. So just go and enjoy your time in Shela.
4) Go for kayaking into the mangroves
It was around 4 p.m. and the sun was just about to set in next couple of hours. Riju proposed if I would be interested for going for kayaking during the high tides. As It was our first time for kayaking I was little skeptical and scared in the beginning before boarding. Our Captain told it would take around almost an hour to reach the mangroves from Majlis, the resort where we stayed. Once we started it was a different experience altogether, guys please don’t miss giving it a try, else you would definitely regret later.
5) Sun Downer at Dhow boats | Lamu Island
If you love sailing by ancient tradition and wish to go between multiple Islands, then this experience is just for you. It would cost around 5,000 KES for 2 hours of boat ride. Dhow boats are operated manually during the sail which is controlled by the direction of wind and sails between the Lamu archipelago and between the mangroves. You can also plan your own trips to the island passing remote villages and stopping for small picnics. Dhow boats could be the best way to experience the beauty of Lamu archipelago. We boarded our Dhow around 5 in the evening. It was a special day – “our 6th wedding anniversary” so we wanted to celebrate it differently from previous years. Our Dhow was all set , we had a cake on board and off-course we carried our own booze. After it sailed for 20 minutes we decided to celebrate our special day right when the sun shined bright before the dusk. Everything was just perfect around just how we expected to be. It was a memorable experience for us that we would cherish those moments for the rest of our life.
6) Watch the sunset from Manda Island and go for a evening walk
Manda island is just opposite Shela Town and takes 10mins by boat to reach from Shela and 15mins from Lamu Town. If you are looking for quality time without any disturbance then Manda Island is the perfect choice . Also the mangroves are in the same island. We witnessed some of the best sunset scenes walking along the beach and would highly suggest as something not to be missed.
Check out our other posts to plan your perfect trip to Lamu, Kenya:
Lamu- Plan your perfect trip to Unesco Heritage Site in Coastal Kenya
