Main attractions
The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a cultural town with an old world charm, featuring narrowed streets and alleyways, remarkable Swahili architecture, local markets and interesting museums. You’ll discover the reminders of the island’s historic contribution in the slave trade, which reflects in its diverse culture. The Old Town is stunningly constructed with mangrove timber and coral stone; and its originality is not polluted by roads, cars or any type of vehicles.
It is a small fishing village located several kilometres from Lamu Town and you can easily get there via boats. At low tide, you can take a 45minutes walk along the Seafront from Lamu to Shela. The village features several accommodation options including holiday villas and guesthouses. Beach lovers love to stay at Ras Kitau, which is a barefoot paradise.
A perfect place for a relaxing holiday is Manda Bay, which is an open bay located between Manda Island and the mainland north of Lamu Island. It features a wide range of activities in its crystal-clear waters such as dhow sailing, snorkelling, and swimming. The bay has a beach lodge with its own airstrip and offers visitors an opportunity to indulge in game drives to see a variety of wildlife species such as buffalo.
Located north of Lamu, Pate and Manda Islands is Kiwayu Island, which is situated within the Kiunga Marine Reserve. The reserve is home to a variety of marine life such as dolphins, sea turtles, whales and the dugong. It features long beaches which are perfect for snorkelling several metres from the shore.
More about The Lamu Archipelago
Popular Activities
- Wellness Activities: Explore some of the world’s natural wellness treatments in Lamu.
- Dhow Ride: You will enjoy the dhow charters to different parts of the islands.
- Fishing: Lamu Archipelago offers you an opportunity to fish in some of the enchanting water worlds on earth.
- Water Activities: You can relax and unwind on the beach, or indulge in a wide range of water activities such as deep sea fishing, kayaking, kitesurfing, sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, snorkelling, diving, kitesurfing and windsurfing.
- Spend a day on the beach: Head out to one of the pristine white sand beaches in the archipelago, relax and unwind while you enjoy the tranquillity of the surrounding.
