Malindi, with excellent snorkeling and wonderful beaches make this historic town as one of Kenya’s top attractions. The city is 120 kilometres from Mombasa along a tarmac road. The drive is approximately two hours to Mombasa and the Mombasa Moi International Airport. By road, Nairobi is 500 kilometres along tarmac that varies from excellent to poor. It can be expected for a journey time of 6 to 8 hours.
Malindi has its own small airport and there are daily flights from Nairobi, currently Kenya Airways, East African (both flying from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi) and Air Kenya from Wilson Airport. Generally, planes from Nairobi travel onto Lamu. It is readily available for a taxi from the airport to the house, but can be arranged in advance.
The History
Malindi was an important settlement by the 14th Century. The Sultan of Malindi sent a present of an oryx, giraffe and a zebra to China in 1414, to encourage the development of trade. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed in Malindi In 1498, and was given a warm welcome. Malindi developed as the centre of Portuguese influence on the coast until the building of Fort Jesus in Mombasa. Although a trade in slaves for three centuries took place at the Pillar Tombs by the Juma mosque, this lead to the decline in the town. Slavery was abolished in 1873.
From the 1930s, Malindi developed again when it became a favoured visiting area for British settlers’ families. Hotels such as the Blue Marlin and Lawfords were built and visitors included Ernest Hemingway. Tourism developed greatly with new hotels in the 1960s. It was a favoured resort of the Germans initially, but lately the main tourist groups are Italians. Today, Malindi is a very multi-cultual location with Asian, Arab, European and a variety of African tribes.
Little of the history remains today. However, it’s worthwhile for visits to the following:
Vasca da Gama Pillar – made in 1499 at the entrance to the Malindi Bay.
The Old Town (Swahili Quarter) with an interesting atmosphere but few old buildings.
Portuguese Church – built in the early 16th century. It is in East Africa, thought to be the first Christian Church. St Francis Xavier buried two soldiers here in 1542.
The Pillar Tombs at the Juma Mosque date from the 15th and 19th Centuries.
The Malindi Museum, which is open daily and is well worth a visit. The building “The House of Columns” is one of the oldest in the town. Local history exhibits and regular exhibitions will prove interesting.
Traveling within Malindi
It is readily available for hire a car within Malindi, including a variety of four wheel drives, and can be arranged on your behalf. It is also straightforward and safe to driving in Malindi. However, the main problem is avoiding pedestrians and bicycles!
Taxis are very common and cheap. A journey from the house to Malindi Town is in the order of Ksh400. In the last year, new forms of taxis have grown. You can also choose bicycle taxis which are very cheap and common now, although maybe doubtful safe forms of transport!
You can try also Tut Tuts, which are three wheeler taxis imported from India that are reliable and cheap too. They can be ordered by telephone to call at the house.
Activities in Malindi
In Malindi, many of the activities inevitably revolve around the sea. There is a Marine National Park with glass bottom boats can make visits to the coral reefs with snorkelling available at low tide. At the Driftwood Beachclub, scuba diving is available. Diving for beginners to advanced is available with PADI approved staff.
A speciality of Malindi is Deep Sea Fishing. The main season is August to March, with a festival in October. Fish caught include marlin, barracuda, tiger, tuna and hammerhead sharks. In addition, surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and water skiing are all available.
Horse riding on the sand dunes north of Malindi can be arranged from a professional stable. The Malindi Golf and Country Club has a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts and a library. A wide variety of birds are seen in Malindi and at Mida Creek. In Malindi the main area is the estuary of the Sabaki River and the sand dunes north of the town.
Some Places to visit
Places to visit in Malindi include the Crocodile Farm with feeding times on Wednesdays and Fridays at 4.00pm, a Falconry Centre and the Snake Farm. A Museum has been established in Malindi. A Tourist Office is on the first floor of the Malindi complex on Harambee Road.
Malindi has a range of shops where most goods can be bought (but probably at a price). Supermarkets are found on the Harambee Road. The Italian influence is very clear with the range of food and other items available. There are several pharmacies, all the main banks and a main Post Office. Many Internet cafes are available.The alternatives for craft shopping include the Craft Market on the sea-shore. Bargains to be had, but lots of hassle and bargaining involved.
There is a Malindi Handicraft Co-operative north of the town. Here prices are fixed. On the Harambee Road there are many shops, some very upmarket, but with prices to match. There is a good range of places to eat, with a wide variety of prices. The Baobab on the sea front specialises in seafood, Italian, African and curries. I Love Pizza as the name suggests is Italian with pizzas, pasta and seafood. The Old Man and the Sea offers seafood and steaks.
Many of the hotels offer very acceptable food, including the Driftwood which specialises in seafood and a Sunday curry lunch. Along the Harambee Road there are a number of bars and cheap places to eat. Nightlife revolves around a couple of discos including Club 28 and Fermentos and Casinos.
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