Things to do in Mombasa Kenya : Mombasa is one of the oldest towns ,found in the coastal region of southern Kenya and lies along the Indian Ocean. Before Nairobi was elevated to a city status, Mombasa was the capital of British East Africa and today it is the headquarters of Mombasa County. It is the oldest city in Kenya and the second largest city after Nairobi. Mombasa strategic location along the Indian Ocean has made it a historical trading centre and by 12th century it had established to a major trading town. Its key trading items then were coconut, sesamum ,Millet and Ivory. The town was inhabited by the Arabs who introduced the Islamic religion and built some of today’s oldest mosques in Mombasa. The oldest stone mosque in Mombasa ,Mara was built c 1300.There is also the Mandhry mosque which was built in 1570 that has specifically Minaret that contains regionally ogee arch.
Mombasa is made up of Mombasa Island but it also extends to the mainland. There are many things to do in Mombasa, it has some of the stunning features, beautiful beaches, amazing cultures and numerous tourists attractions. Mombasa is a tourism- based town and it hosts One of the statehouses .The island part of the town is separated from the mainland by two creeks, port Reitz in the south and Tudor Creek to the North.
The town has rich history, magnificent beaches, wildlife attractions and vibrant nightlife.
Old Town Mombasa
A visit to Mombasa old town will give you a glimpse of how different cultures have harmoniously lived in the island for ages. A journey through the narrow alley of the old building reflects rich heritage between the locals ,Arabs, European, and Asians, Things to do in Mombasa Kenya
The building have fine curved doors and beautiful balconies, the old houses symbolises rich culture and architecture.
You’ll not need a guide to explore the Mombasa Old town. Some of the landmark buildings which show the towns rich heritage are old post office, Africa Hotel and many more. There various curio shops with unique ornaments, fabrics, vegetables and fruits. A walk through the alleys of the Mombasa Old town by itself is therapeutic ,with sound of children playing along the narrow streets.
Visit Fort Jesus
One of the iconic Portuguese landmark is the coastal town of Mombasa is the Fort Jesus. Fort Jesus is a standing landmark building built by the Portuguese with its view from the air looking like a person lying on their back with the head facing towards the ocean, and for that reason it was named Fort Jesus. The height of the wall is 18 Metres. The initial Portuguese height was 15 metres, the Oman Arabs added additional three metres after capturing the Fort.
The Fort Jesus is made up of combination of Arabs ,Portuguese and British additions being the powers that ruled during different period of times. The presence of Portuguese and British is evident by the presence of Cannons. The Portuguese cannons are about 200metres ,the British cannons being 300 metres by range. While the Oman Arabs presence and rule is marked by several Koran quotations in scripted in the wooden door posts and the ceiling beams. There are also other evidence of the five traditional Muslim pillars, these pillars support the meeting hall to the ceiling.
Today there are several key structures still standing and evident from the Fort to date such as ;Oman House, Which was the house of the Sultan who ruled and governed the East Coast of Africa. The open water cistern made by the Portuguese used for harvesting rain water and the 76 foot deep well sunk and used by the Arabs but they found out that the water was too salty to be used for anything apart from just washing, Things to do in Mombasa Kenya
Haller park
This is a man-made sanctuary that was transformed from a quarry wasteland into an ecological area.Haller park has received the United Nations Environmental program top Global 500 top Roll of Honour Awards and today this small preserve is a model to other reclamation projects.It holds different variety of plants and animals species which serve as a recreation spot for tourists , locals and it is one of the most visited places in the coastal town of Mombasa.
This was once limestone quarries is now a thriving ecosystem of forest, grasslands and ponds with walking trails for you to view the fenced wildlife. Different from other wild safari tours in Kenya here things are a bit unique despite it hosting wildlife such as hippo, giraffe, antelope, buffalo,Zebras,Elands, Sitatunga ,waterbuck, serval cat , vervet monkeys among others as well as bird species, such as eagle, sandpiper, weaver, stork, kingfisher, ibis, owl, heron, egret and many more. The park also has plenty of butterflies, Millipedes, Spiders , Dung beetle, Honey bee among others. The sections of the park include the game sanctuary, reptile park, fish farm, crocodile pens, giraffe viewing area and palm gardens. The park is more of a zoo than a safari experience.
Beaches
Nyali Beach is located in a residential area in Mombasa county connected to the island by newly constructed Nyali bridge. It is known for its long white sandy beaches, high class hotels. Nyali beach is a public white sandy beach.
Nyali beach is popular among the local tourist ,who Flock to the coastal town during the holidays, especially during the Christmas festive season. The region is westernised with all social amenities like the shopping malls, Cinemas, supermarkets, banks, schools and post office.
The Nyali beach has some of the best accommodation facilities of high standard hotel such as Nyali beach Resort, Voyager Hotel, Reef Hotel, Mombasa Beach Hotel among others . There are also activities that the tourists can enjoy such as beach Volleyball, scuba diving, windsurfing and snorkelling, Things to do in Mombasa Kenya
There other Public beach in Mombasa is the Jomo Kenyatta popularly known by the locals as the Pirates. The beach borders Bamburi beach to the south and Nyali beach to the North. The Jomo Kenyatta beach is known for its palm-lined sandy beach with vendors and several night clubs.
There are several activities from the main road to the beachfront. Several kiosks and other vendors line up selling all sorts of swimwear, decorations, and all kind of beach merchandize with affordable prices. There are also other line up eateries that offer the Swahili food such as fried cassava, sea foods and some coconut juice, Things to do in Mombasa Kenya
The beach never goes to sleep and it operates for 24 hours with night clubs taking over at night’s till morning. Most of the services offered here are done by the beach boys, who acts as middlemen. They can be sometimes too nagging especially when they realise that you are a newbie. Most of the items they sell or offer are usually high for the obvious reason to make a better commission.