LAMU TRAVEL GUIDE 2024

Lamu is an island in Kenya part of the Lamu archipelago, famous for being the oldest Swahili settlement in East Africa. The island is the perfect destination for those seeking to connect with the local culture. There are plenty of things to do in Lamu island from walking in some of the best white sand beaches in Kenya to stroll through the streets of Lamu Old Town.

In this guide to Lamu island. I will describe some of the best activities to do in the island and will share some photos and a video of my experience so that you can have a taste of my experience and hopefully will help you to plan your trip to this hidden gem in East Africa.

LAMU ISLAND VIDEO

Find here a video of my visit to Lamu island. The video includes a walk through Lamu island Old Town, a visit to an artists gallery and a trip to the floating restaurant between Lamu and Manda islands.

WHERE IS LAMU ISLAND

Lamu island is an island on the North coast of Kenya, just 100 km from the border with Somalia.

Lamu island is part of the Lamu archipelago. The main islands in the archipelago are Manda, Pate and Lamu island.

Find here a pin with the Lamu island location.

HOW TO GET TO LAMU ISLAND

You can either get to Lamu by plane, flying to the domestic airport in its neighboring island Manda. There are daily flights from Nairobi, Mombasa and Malindi.

Once on Manda island you can charter a boat to Lamu. There are also public boats but just getting a boat for yourself is pretty affordable and the price is negotiable.

Other option is taking the local bus or driving a car to Mokowe. From Mokowe you can charter a boat or take the public boat to Lamu Old Town. Please take into account that no cars are allowed in Lamu island so if you come by car you will need to leave your car behind in Mokowe.

The bus ride from Mombasa is pretty long and has several stops along the way but it can save you quite a lot of money. I personally did the bus ride from Mombasa without any problem. You will see a lot of Maasai villages on the way there on both sides of the road as well as Baobab trees.

THINGS TO DO IN LAMU ISLAND

WALK THROUGH THE LAMU OLD TOWN

Lamu Old Town is the oldest and best preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa and it was declared a World UNESCO heritage site in 2001.

Lamu Old Town is a maze of narrow streets. There are buildings of Arabic, Persian, Indian and African influences.

Many of the buildings were made of coral stones and it features the famous Omani doors that you can also find in Stone Town, Zanzibar. Some of the land in the Lamu Old Town was reclaimed from the sea.

Lamu Old Town was built just with the help of monkeys as no motor transportation was allowed in the island until very recently (a few motorbikes are allowed nowadays).

I highly recommend doing this walk with a guide. It will help you finding the hidden corners of this enchanting place and you will be supporting the local community that it is very much in need.

VISIT THE LAMU FORT

Lamu Fort was built between 1813 and 1821 with Omani assistance

The fort is located close to the Lamu Old Town market and it is used for celebrations, such as weddings, nowadays.

The views are pretty stunning from the last floor, so do not forget your camera.

GET TO KNOW THE ISLAND HISTORY IN THE LAMU MUSEUM

The first thing to do in Lamu island should be visiting the Lamu museum. You will learn a lot about the history and the culture and it will help you understand much more what you see when walking around.

The Lamu museum is one of the largest and most authentic ethnographic collections of the Swahili culture.

The museum features a collections of artifacts collected in the different islands of the Lamu archipelago and it will transport you into the past when the Lamu was ruled by Oman.

The museum is located in the Lamu waterfront and a visit will take you around two hours if you go into detail reading all the panels.

GO FOR WALK TO SHELA BEACH

Shela is a village just located 3 Km from Lamu Old Town. You can walk through the coast from Lamu to Shela, through the Corniche path, or otherwise charter a boat and once you get there have a long walk at the beach.

Shela beach is a 12 Km long white sand beach. You can have a long walk at the beach and climb to its dunes. The beach is always pretty deserted and it is a perfect place to unplug. Walking along Shela beach one of the best and more relaxing things to do in the island.

You can see some donkeys walking at the beach with its owners.

Please be aware, the currents can be pretty strong when swimming so always check before getting too deep in the water.

VISIT THE TAKWA RUINS IN MANDA ISLAND

The Takwa ruins are an 18^th century abandoned settlement situated in the South on Manda island.

The ruins can be reached by boat in 45 minutes from Lamu town. It is a nice half day trip that you can combine with a walk along the Manda island coast.

WATCH THE SUNSET FROM A DHOW

This is one of the more typical things to do in Lamu island. You will enjoy a relaxed trip and picturesque scene of wooden dhows while the sun setting turns everything around you into orange shades.

VISIT AN ART GALLERY

There are several art galleries in Lamu island where local artists live and get busy painting and doing other kind of activities.

One of the most popular art galleries in Lamu island is the Lamu island space station.

GO SHOPPING

There are several boutiques with beautiful Kenyan hand made clothes and earrings and all other sort of things in Lamu Old Town.

If you are looking to do some quality shopping in Kenya, take at least a couple of hours to check the several shops in Lamu Old Town

TRY SOME COFFEE AT DULCE TORO

This little café with its quaint terrace in the heart of Lamu Old Town is a nice initiative taken by some Spanish people to educate and eradicate poverty in the island.

Young people get educated on coffee matters to later be able to work in Kenya or other countries in the hospitality industry.

Their coffee is the best you can find in the island and it is the perfect place to unwind while your cultural visit to Lamu town.

VISIT THE MOSQUE

The Riyadha Mosque in Lamu island is one of the longest functioning and most influential Islamic institutions in the Swahili world.

The mosque is located in a big square and the building is a very good spot for photography.

GO FOR A DINNER TO THE FLOATING RESTAURANT

One of the coolest things to do in Lamu island is to go at sunset time to the floating restaurant and have some drink watching the sunset and then have a dinner.

The place is not that big so it is better to call before to book your spot, mostly if you are a big group.

They have a nice menu, pretty affordable, considering that they need to bring everything by boat from the island.

LAMU MARKET

The Lamu market is the perfect place to observe people and the local life. Located just on on of the sides of the “Old Fort” you can find a delicious selection of fruits and vegetables.

MATONDONI

Matondoni is a local fishing village and dhow building place. It is around 8 km from Lamu Old Town by boat

Dhows production is decreasing due to increased usage of speedboats. Do not miss the chance to observe this long held Swahili tradition while it is still alive.

KIPUNGANI

Kipungani is a fishing village where you can observe the local life. One of the typical things of the village life is the weaving of the coconut mats by woman, called makeka.

DONKEY SANCTUARY

Donkeys are essential to the Lamu daily life. In fact until very recently they were the only mode of transport in the island.

The donkey sanctuary is located on the waterfront of Lamu Old Town and it is where injured or sick donkeys are taken care of.

WHERE TO EAT IN LAMU ISLAND

Sunsail Restaurant– This was my favorite restaurant in Lamu island. It is the most affordable restaurant in the sea front area and you can have many fish dishes. It has a very nice terrace on the first floor where you can have a nice dinner while feeling the marine breeze. The restaurant belongs to the Sunsail hotel.

Sailors Joint – This local seafront restaurant in Lamu Old Town has a grill outside where you can order fresh fish from the day. They have lobster sometimes, but it can be a bit pricey for a local restaurant. The food is still delicious and very fresh.

Bushgardens – This restaurant is also located in the Lamu Old Town sea front and it offers local fish dishes at a very affordable price.

Police Cantine: This restaurant is a bit lost in the heart of the Old Town but if you ask the local people they will help you getting there. This is the place where the police eats and food and beer are the cheapest in the island. They also have pool tables for a game. Please be aware photos are not allowed in this restaurant as most of the guests are policemen.

WHERE TO STAY IN LAMU ISLAND

I stayed my whole stay in Lamu of ten days in Jannat house in Lamu Old Town. I checked accommodation in Shela village but accommodation was very expensive and not really in good conditions.

Jannat house is a nice place with swimming pool patio and excellent service in the heart of Lamu Old Town.

MORE PHOTOS OF MY STAY IN LAMU ISLAND

LAMU ISLAND FAQs

IS IT WORTH VISITING LAMU?

If you are looking for an authentic off the beaten path cultural travel in Kenya Lamu will for sure not disappoint you.

It has also very nice beaches but in my opinion the island is more of a cultural experience than a beach destination as the beaches in the Southern coasts are more spectacular.

In summary, yes Lamu is worth a visit, and you will learn and experience the Swahili culture in depth in this stunning Kenyan destination.

IS IT SAFE TO GO TO LAMU ISLAND?

Even if in most travel advisory boards it is advised not travel to Lamu island due to the possibility of terrorist attacks, I did have a very safe experience while I visited Lamu and there were quite a lot of other tourists in the island.

HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD YOU SPEND IN LAMU ISLAND?

I would allocated around 4 or 5 days to get to know all the main attractions in Lamu island.