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Mombasa is Kenya's second largest city and a sea port.

[edit] Understand

Mombasa is Kenya's second largest city and also East Africa's oldest settlement. Roman and Egyptian adventure literature seems to suggest that the city is over 2500 years old. The Portuguese, Omani Arabs and British each had their share of occupation in Mombasa with the Portuguese being the first.

Vasco Da Gama, was the first notable Portuguese explorer to land on Mombasa's shores. He had a two tier objective which was to spread the christian faith and to open up trading doors for the Portuguese. They mainly traded in slaves, and goods such as spices, cotton and coffee. Fort Jesus, a main tourist attraction in Mombasa was built as a result of their trading efforts. This Fort was used for protection against hostile locals, as a prison for slaves and goods storage. The Portuguese dominated trade in Mombasa for about two hundred years. The powerful Omani Arabs brought an end to their dominance.

Lack of unity amongst the Omani Arabs resulted in their short lived dominance on the Kenyan coast. Primarily, the Mazrui Family and the Busaidi Family, the later having been in power then, began to attack each other and involved the British.

The relationship between the Omani and the British crumbled following their differing stands on slave trade. Slave trade wa a booming business at the time for the Omani's and the British were totally against it.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Several flights a day to Nairobi plus a lot of charter flights from Europe, mainly Italy and the UK.

You could also take a local flight to Mombasa from other parts of Kenya. Fly 540 and Kenya Airways are very reliable.

[edit] By train

Three times a week night train to Nairobi. From Nairobi to Mombasa on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, leaving at 7pm. First Class sleeper car $45 includes dinner and breakfast. Mind your valuables at night, especially when the train stops in the bush... you may want to keep windows closed to avoid theft.

[edit] By car

From Nairobi to Mombasa takes about 7 hours. Road is good, no problem to drive an ordinary 2 wheel drive car, but there are a few sections outside the cities that are very poor; driving 10 km can take 50 minutes.

[edit] By bus

From Nairobi to Mombasa, it cost about Kshs. 1000.

[edit] By boat

[edit] Get around

By taxi from center: to south beaches ; ca 30-35 dollar. To airport:10-12 dollar Matatu (minibus) in city Ksh 50 (0,65)

Travel by the local bus-taxis (Matatus) if you've got the guts for it -they're mini-buses that they shove full of people (literally). They're cheap (ask someone at the hotel what the going rate is) don't let them scam you. They are all over and in huge numbers, and they're licensed (stickers on the windshields). Taxis don't have taxi-signs on the roof, but license papers stuck to the windshields.

[edit][add listing] See

• Fort Jesus. An old slave port structure built by the Portuguese. It's very beautiful!  edit
• Gedi Ruins.  edit
• Baluchi Mosque. The largest mosque in Mombasa  edit
• Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.  edit
• Jain Temple, Langoni Road. Open daily 10 AM to 12:30 PM. Built in 1963, it's the first and oldest Jain Temple built outside of India. Visitors must take off shoes and any leather materials prior to entering the temple, and women who are menstruating are not permitted to enter.  edit
• Uhuru Garden.  edit
• Old Law Courts.  edit
• Mbaraki Pillar.  edit
• Mombasa Tusks. Constructed in 1952 in honor of Queen Elizabeth's visit, the tusks have become a symbol of Mombasa.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Old town. Very nice atmosphere

• Diani Beach is the place to head to. A fantastic long white beach with loads of watersports and primates to see. A night at '40 thieves' beach bar is a great place to hang out with a few tuskers (beers). If you want to see one of the six primates species in South Coast Kenya visit the colobus trust for an informative walk to spot one of the many wild primates.

• Colobus Trust nature walks and conservation volunteering.

• Tiwi Beach is the best place to visit. Quiet beach not spoiled by mass tourism.

Take the Likona ferry to the south by taxi (ca $30,00) from Mombaca city center.

• Njali Theatre featuring hollywood and bollywood new releases (300-400 KSH), with bowling alley, casino, and Italian Restaurant. Have some bhel puri while you're there. Taxi from centre 400KSH, Tuk Tuk- 150KSH.

[edit] Learn

[edit] Work

[edit][add listing] Buy

- Nakumatt Nyali and oher small malls.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

• Blue Room Restaurant (Haile Selassie Rd and Digo Rd) Mains for about 400 Ksh. Sandwiches around 200-250 Ksh. Popular but very overpriced. Nothing remarkable about the food. Internet cafe within charges 2 Ksh per minute, so look for the Internet cafes nearby that charge only 1 Ksh.

• Indo- African Restaurant on Haille Salassie Road next to the truly awful New Chetna Restaurant (which only has 10 of the 60 items listed on the menu). This restaurant features truly authentic Indian food, often better then you would find in India. Try the Sarrso Kasaag a type of super creamy spinach. (200-500KSH)Not open Tuesday evenings.

[edit] Splurge

Tamarind Village Restaurant, the worlds 7th best restaurant!!

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Pirates is the place to be. It always kicks any day of the week.
• Tusker beer

• Don't drink "freshly squeezed" fruit juice -it may be several weeks old, and will give you diarrhea.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Favourite accommodation is Oceanfront Villa Annchen [1], a little paradise near Mombasa which is the top adress on Mombasas North Coast. Try your luck to get accommodation there, mostly full booked but really in a class of its own . --excellent (but affordable)--

Berach Guesthouse on Haile Selassie Rd... 800 KSH for a s/c single. However, there is a ridiculously loud Mosque right across the street that will wake you at 4:30am. Bring your own lock, they will rob you without.

[edit] Mid-range

• Royal Castle Hotel, Moi Avenue. Double room from 45-60 dollars

• Manson Hotel, Off Moi Avenue, Mobile: +254 (0)722 610 615. Double Fan Ksh 2700/-

[edit] Contact

Whitesands Beach Hotel

[edit] Stay safe

Don't expect to be able to wander alone in the streets. People do, but you'll get bothered by boys selling souvenirs, drugs or prostitutes.

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out