Mombasa Holidays

Mombasa Holidays

Things to do - general

 

Mombasa holidays are the most exciting escapades a traveller can have.

A trip to this city gives you a variety of fun activities to choose from and has great promise for the foodie, the beach enthusiast, aqua sports buff, thrill seeker, historian et al.

Mombasa is a blend of Indian, Arabian and African charm, connected to the mainland by bridges and ferries. You will notice Arabian influence at Old Town and Portuguese history at Fort Jesus on the water’s edge.

For centuries, this city was established as a trade port and was continually fought over by the Arabs, Persians, Turks and Portuguese. It then became the capital of the East Africa Protectorate from 1895 to 1907.

Mombasa island is separated from the mainland by Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbour with Nyali Bridge to the north, Likoni Ferry to the south and Makupa Causeway to the west.

You will often hear the call to prayer in the early mornings while taarab, bango, chakacha and mwanzele music rend the air during the day. You will not run out of ideas on spending time during your Mombasa holidays. Being a tourist centre, Mombasa has many entertainment spots: fancy restaurants, nightclubs, bars, hotels, cultural centres and much more.

 

Must see

  • Giant replicas of elephant tusks at Moi Avenue
  • Fruit bats hanging on giant trees at Uhuru Gardens
  • Ancient architecture at Old Town
  • Watch crocodiles at East Africa’s largest crocodile farm –  Mamba Village
  • Traditional dances at Bombolulu Workshop & Cultural Centre
  • Sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests

 

Must do

  • Sample delicious street food at the Spice Market west of Old Town
  • Perform the rain dance at Wild Waters Kenya
  • Gaze at local art at the Old Law Court informal gallery
  • Visit Fort Jesus and enjoy exhibitions of pottery, ceramics and Omani jewellery
  • Have a picnic at Mombasa Butterfly House
  • Take a stroll on the beach at Bamburi and Nyali
  • Take a Bamburi nature trail at Haller Park
  • Snorkel at Mombasa Marine National Park
  • Take an exhilarating go-cart ride at Mombasa Go Cart
  • Watch endangered plant life, animals and birds at Shimba Hills National Reserve
  • Enjoy seafood at the Tamarind Restaurant
  • Enjoy sundowners at English Point Marina
  • Rave at Club Hypnotica
  • Archery, rafting, hook fishing and  traditional cuisine at Ngomongo Village

 

Where to stay in Mombasa

  • Serena Beach Resort
  • Hotel English Point
  • Reef Hotel
  • Sentrim Castle Royal
  • Regency Park Hotel
  • Voyager Beach Resort
  • Bahari Beach
  • Creekside Hotel
  • Sun Africa Beach Resort
  • Ruth Apartment
  • Tamarind Village Apartments
  • Mombasa Beach Hotel
  • Jambo Paradise Hotel
  • Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa

Best time to go for Mombasa holidays

Mombasa is humid but sunshine hours range from 7 to 9 hours a day. Its two rainy seasons are from April to June and November to December. However, periods of sunshine are abundant even in rainy seasons.

Daytime temperatures vary from 80 – 90 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures from 70 – 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you’re intent on viewing humpback whales, schedule your Mombasa holidays from June to December. October to March is the best time for snorkelers and scuba divers.  April to June is the cheapest time to travel because accommodation prices are significantly reduced and the beaches are less crowded.

Mombasa can be accessed by:

  • Air:  Mombasa is served by Mombasa International Airport which is located at Port Reitz. A flight to Mombasa from Nairobi will take about 45 minutes.
  • Road: You can access Mombasa from Nairobi through Mombasa road. This trip will take you about 8 hours. Driving within Mombasa is pretty easy and the main roads include Digo, Nyerere, Nkrumah,  Nyali, Nairobi Highway, Mama Ngina Drive, Moi Avenue and Jomo Kenyatta Avenue. The northward road links to Malindi and Lamu extending up to the Somalia border while the highways link to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. To move around the city and its suburbs, you may board a tuk-tuk, motorcycle taxi or a minibus.
  • Train: Passengers and cargo are transported through the Standard Gauge Railway from Nairobi to Mombasa. Major railway stations are situated at Miritini in Mombasa and Syokimau in Nairobi. This trip will take you about 4 hours.
  • Ferry:  These transport people and cargo from South Coast to Mombasa Island and are operated by the Kenya Ferry Service. You can take the ferry from Kilindini and Mtongwe and alight at Likoni in south coast. This trip takes about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a flight from South Coast to Mombasa and vice versa using the domestic airline – Air Kenya.
  • Sea:  Mombasa’s port has 19 deep water berths and international ships frequent the port. There is no scheduled passenger service.

 

What to pack for Mombasa holidays

  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Beachwear
  • Sunhat
  • Flipflops & sandals
  • Shorts
  • Beach dresses
  • Smart casual clothing for evenings
  • Camera

If the Kenyan coast is on your wish list, check out the Mombasa holidays available or call an agent to customize your trip.

 

Country Kenya
Languages spokenEnglish, Swahili
Currency usedksh
Area (km2)294.7
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