Looking for a short escape? visit Malindi
Photo Courtesy: Ocean Beach Resort & Spa Malindi
Malindi is one of the beautiful coastal towns in Kenya, steeped in rich heritage with several cultural and historic places to discover or re-discover. Its many beaches make the town an amazing setting for a perfect holiday or weekend getaway for lovers or families. Malindi has a wide variety of exciting activities due to its diverse landscapes and it is truly a paradise with serene beauty and unspoiled surroundings.
Watamu National Marine Park
Explore abundant underwater life at Watamu National Marine Park, Kenya’s first such park featuring over 600 species of colorful fish and other sea creatures. With coral reefs and gardens only about 300 m (984 ft) from the shore, you will encounter an explosion of colours during your snorkelling trip, both under and above the water–cultivated gardens, shambas, and bush housing shelter over 100 species of birds along the shore. You can spot turtles and dugongs as well. Sunbathe on white sandy beaches or go water skiing and windsurfing.
Marafa Hells Kitchen
Marafa-Hells Kitchen is a series of ragged sandstone gorges belonging to a local Giriama community. One can marvel at the strange and surreal natural shapes of naturally carved stone columns. Changing colours of this unusual sandstone mini-canyon have been the scene of many sacred rituals since ancient times.
Mida Creek
Mida Creek is a large saline lagoon and tidal creek merging with a huge mangrove forest. This UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve provides a safe haven for national waterfowl and a number of migratory species, including large flamingos and crab-plovers, greenshanks and sacred ibises. Spanning 1,600 hectares, these wetlands feature 11 types of seagrass and 33 seaweed species, as well six varieties of mangrove.
Vasco da Gama Pillar
Erected in 1498, Vasco da Gama Pillar helped the famous explorer, and many others after, to navigate their journeys. The limestone pillar bears a cross on top, made of stone from de Gama’s native Portugal. Photography enthusiasts can have some good snaps and can enjoy the wide ocean views.
Falconry of Kenya
Falconry of Kenya is a private zoo featuring a large collection of birds of prey and other animals. It has eagles, falcons, goshawks, owls, and peckers. Visitors, if interested, have the chance to carry some of them on your gloved hand. In addition to the collection of birds, the site has crocodiles, tortoises, monkeys, monitor lizards, and snakes such as green mambas, pythons, and cobras. Bird flight shows happen regularly, and visitors can also feed tortoises with bananas.
The Gedi Ruins
The Gedi ruins are one of Kenya’s great mysteries. Set in an idyllic location on the Indian Ocean, and buried deep in a lush forest, the town was thought to have been founded in the early 13th century, although hard evidence eludes most scientists. But what has really baffled researchers is the well-established town’s mysterious abandonment and incredible development.
The site rejects the assumption that Africa was far behind the rest of the world before colonialism. Gedi was considered a cosmopolitan urban setting, and archaeologists have found Ming Chinese vases, Venetian glass as well as other artifacts from all over the world.
Things to do in Malindi:
Other than visiting the enthralling tourism hotspots, the visitors can have a number of cool and adventurous activities in Malindi. Saffari, Scuba Diving, Surfing, Snorkelling, Camel Safari, Horse Riding on the beach are some of the activities one can indulge in Malindi.
The Malindians love to party and the town is famed for its vibrant nightlife. There are a number of night clubs and restaurants Malindi, which provide food and entertainment for the visitors.
Malindi holidays are the best time to relax and enjoy the company of your friends. The relaxed atmosphere of the town is so different from that of Nairobi and Mombasa, but it’s quite amazing.
How to reach Malindi:
The nearest International Airport is Moi International Airport, Mombasa. From Mombasa one can fly to Malindi airport in the center of the city or can reach there by road. It is about 132 kilo meters by road to reach Malindi from Mombasa.
Best time to visit Malindi:
The best months to travel to Malindi are August and September, that is, the driest ones within the cool season. In this period, the temperature is pleasant, even though there’s a lively breeze, which can make the sea a bit rough.