Mombasa with a population of 1.2 million (2019), is the second-largest city in Kenya and its main port city. It is particularly known for its warm and sunny climate, white beaches and coral reef diving.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Mombasa is Kenya's main tourist destination. It is on the eastern coastline of Kenya, bordering the Indian Ocean which has made it a popular destination for its beaches. Mombasa offers a diverse marine life, world-class hotels and friendly atmosphere. There is a tropical climate all year and it is a great destination filled with activities for all ages. Mombasa is one of the oldest cities in sub-Saharan Africa, and its precise date of founding remains unknown. The first accounts of Mombasa date back to the 12th century, when the Arab geographer Al Idrisi mentioned it as a prosperous trading post in his writings.
The traffic will likely appear chaotic to a westerner. Traffic laws are not respected, even when police are present. There is no regular public transportation network in the city. The closest equivalent are the aforementioned matatus (minivans) of which there are about 3500 (licensed ones have stickers on the windshields) in the city. They're cheap — ask someone at the hotel what the going rate is and don't let them scam you. Don't expect to be comfortable; as the drivers want to take as many passengers as possible, you will often be crammed in like a sardine.
Considering Mombasa's action-filled history, surprisingly there are only a handful of sights. The nature and a slew of different activities is what makes Mombasa interesting for visitors. In addition to these, there are a couple of sights within 20-30 km north, west and south of Mombasa. These are listed under #Go next. 1 Fort Jesus, Fort Jesus Rd, ☏ +254 720 650869. Daily 8:30AM-6:30PM. Fort Jesus is the most popular destination in Mombasa. Built between 1593 and 1596 by the Portuguese to protect the port against the Ottomans, this fort was in military use for over three centuries.
Even as the 13½ km of white sand beaches along the coast would tempt you to do nothing but bathing in the sun and the sea, Mombasa also offers other kinds of activities. All beaches in Kisauni offer camel rides and on Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach in Bamburi you can rent bikes too. There are also guided walks on the beaches. There are 3 main beaches north of Mombasa. First is Nyali Beach which is frequented mostly by locals as the water quality is not very good due to the closeness to the town that has no functioning waste water treatment plants. The next is Bamburi Beach.
Mombasa is a cosmopolitan city with Arabic, Chinese, European and Indian influences, and this can be seen in the local cuisine. Many local dishes include coconut, for instance waly ya tui (basmati rice with coconut milk), kuku wa kupaka (chicken with coconut milk) and mahamri (coconut donuts with cardamom). Pizzerias and snack bars serving Kenyan cuisine are found in Mvita and places that are frequented by tourists such as the beaches. Many hotels also offer this kind of affordable eating. If you want to try out the Kenyan cuisine in such places, check that the place is overall clean, that it does not smell of old frying oil.
There are quite a number of good bars, pubs and entertainment spots in Mombasa Town and the North Coast. Nightlife is very vibrant in Mombasa and in the village Mtwapa (15km north of Mombasa, called "the village that never sleeps"). 1 Jahazi Coffee House, Ndia Kuu Rd, ☏ +254 726 409436, jahazicoffee@gmail.com. Daily 8AM-7:30PM. Arabic teas and coffees served hot or cold, fresh fruit juices, snacks. 2 Casablanca Club, Mnazi Moja Rd, ☏ +254 722 867774. Daily, 24 hr. One of the largest clubs in Mombasa, open around the clock. It features two dance floors, four bars and a restaurant. Reservation obligatory. 3 Cheers, Malindi Road, Bamburi beach, ☏ +254 733 628986, cheersmombasa@gmail.com.
Emergency number: 112 Several countries have issued warnings that the city centre is not safe during the night, that car-jacking is widespread and that robberies after sunset at the beaches can occur. Use common sense and a healthy dose of scepticism for your surroundings. If you want to go out at night in pubs or restaurants always take a taxi, not on foot or motorbike taxi or tuktuk. As elsewhere in Africa it's badly regarded — if not outright prohibited — to take photos or film airports, banks, military areas, police stations, troops or police officers without authorization. In general you should ask people if you may take photos of them.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Mombasa typically sees ~27°C daytime highs and 21 rainy days.
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