Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

Mombasa lies on the tropical Kenyan coast and is a bustling city with a rich history stretching back to the 12th century. It's the perfect place from which to explore the area: there are many interesting things to see, beaches to relax on and beautiful nature reserves to visit.

Mombasa is Kenya's major seaport, an island city and the capital of Coast Province. Set in a deep, natural harbour on the Indian Ocean, Mombasa's Kilindini port facility is the best equipped on the East African coast. It was a strategic trading centre for many centuries and has been ruled by Arabs, Persians, Portuguese, Turks, and finally the British. Parts of the city have a North African feel with narrow roads, Arab cafes, and even places featuring belly dancing. It is a vibrant city with friendly, happy people with a laid-back attitude, which soon gets the traveller in relaxed mode. Mombasa is just an hour or two from three nice beaches, with glorious white sands.

The Port Town of Mombasa

Old Town is a section of town situated in the eastern part of Mombasa Island, east of Digo Road and Jamhuri Park. Take Makadara Rd, Nkrumah Rd, or any smaller road off of Digo east a few blocks, and you’ll find yourself in Old Town. It is maze of narrow roads slicing between tall white buildings and stunning mosques dating back to the early 19th century. It’s easy to get lost in this maze while exploring, so make sure you always know where west is. Old Town isn't that big, so you won’t stay lost for long.

The Mombasa "Tushs"

While checking out the Swahili architecture and beautify dressed people, stop into a bakery, restaurant, market, or curio shop. After 6 pm vendors set up barbecue grills on the street corners and sell snacks for few shillings a piece. The street food beats most food you get in restaurants, for a fraction of the price.

Ancient mosques and temples abound in Mombasa. The dozen mosques in the Old Town are the most traditional, while more modern examples in town include the Skeikh Nurein Islamic Center and the Khonzi Mosque. The Hindu Lord Shiva Temple and the Swaminarayan Temple are among the many symbols of Mombasa's cultural diversity. Extravagant idols and stone carvings of the various religious beliefs are displayed within the temples. There is also a Sikh Temple, a Jain Temple, and a Hare Krishna Temple. The two main Christian churches are the Holy Ghost Cathedral and the Mombasa Memorial Cathedral.

On the north coast of Mombasa towards the town of Malindi lays one the most pre-historic ruins found in Mombasa, called the Gedi Ruins. Gedi was a small town built entirely from rocks and stones, which was inhabited by a few thousand Swahili people and ruled by a very rich Sultan. These ruins date back from the 15th century, and through careful preservation most of the original foundations can still be seen today. A well-informed and educated guide gives a tour of the ruins. The ruins are designated as a National Museum by law, and their preservation are a direct reflection of the commitment of the Government to uphold the country's cultural and historical background.

Wooden carvings of African animal

Hawkers, touts and beggers, watches, dvd's and cassettes, belts, t-shirts, coconuts, bananas, phone covers, food unknown, water, singlets, safari tours, fake brands, roof top washing, crows above, water tanks, aerials, corrugated iron, mosques, satellite dishes, buildings growing on buildings, motorbikes, bicycles, cars all about, matatus, horns honking, police, security, guards, banks, burea de change, chaos yet controlled, singing schools, families, black, dirty streets, fort jesus, remoteness.

While in Old Town, don't miss its major attraction, Fort Jesus. Fort Jesus began as a Portuguese fort in 1593, then changed hands many times in the next three centuries. Today it has been turned into a museum that is open from 8:30am to 6pm.

The Mombasa "Tusks" - are symbolic representations of entrance into the heart of the town. The tusks were built to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth to the town in 1952, as they lay directly on the path from the port to the town. Ivory was considered to be an exquisite commodity during the time, and in essence the tusks were meant to embrace the Queen and the British Empire into the town and within its social structure. Coincidentally the tusks also spell the letter "M" for Mombasa

Mamba Village - North of the city centre on the way to Nyali is East Africa's largest crocodile farm, offering tours which provide insight into the behaviour and life cycle of these archaic reptiles, and which are concluded with a rather graphic feeding frenzy.

Bamburi Nature Trail - Also of interest to nature lovers is the home to an enormous assortment of exotic flora and wildlife.

Gedi Ruins - On the northern coast of Mombasa, towards the town of Malindi, are the remains of a compelling collection of Swahili rock structures dating from the 15th century.

The Bombolulu workshops are located along the north coast of Mombasa. Founded in 1969, these workshops are a project of the Association for the Physically Disabled in Kenya (APDK). It is a major tourist attraction, which consists of a cultural center with 8 traditional homesteads. The center also runs a traditional restaurant and entertains guests with traditional dances throughout the day. The center employs 150 disabled craftsmen/women, who produce jewelry, handprinted textiles, wood carvings and leather crafts. The products are sold in a large showroom and exported to 20 countries. Bombolulu workshops have grown to be one of the biggest rehabilitation centers in Kenya and have built a reputation as one of Kenya's most reliable exporters.

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