The small town of Malindi
to the north of Mombasa is at the centre of a strip of idyllic tropical beaches and resorts. Like Mombasa, it was an important
Swahili settlement from the 14th century and was one of the few places
on the east coast to welcome the Portuguese.
Today you can still see the stone cross erected by Vasco da Gama in
January 1499 and the small Portuguese church nearby. It’s not
only Portuguese sailors who are welcome these days, but a great many
tourists, who are drawn to Malindi’s long beaches and coral reefs.
Snorkelling and diving are excellent in the many nearby marine national
parks, as well as game fishing and wind surfing. Malindi is known for
its woodcarvers who make unique furniture, including traditional
four-poster Lamu beds made from carved ebony: quite exquisite but
hardly a convenient souvenir to take home!
Away from the beach and worth seeking out is the nearby lost town
of Gedi: a deserted Swahili trading town hidden deep in the forests,
whose ancient passages and crumbling walls tell of a long and mysterious
past. It dates back to the 13th century but was abandoned in the early
17th century. The exact reason is not known, though it is assumed
that the town was plundered and destroyed by unknown invaders in the
17th century, or otherwise that the sea receded and left the town high and
dry. There’s a small museum exhibiting ancient Arab and Chinese
porcelain excavated from the ruins.
The coastal highway runs north of Malindi all the way to the island
of Lamu and Kenya's northern frontier. Be warned though: this road
is notorious for armed robberies, so if you are continuing
to Lamu it's best to take the short hop by plane.
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