The magnetism of Malindi

By Allan Olingo

Malindi?is at the strip of idyllic tropical beaches offering tourists a range of world-class resorts and quiet relaxing hideaways, in an area diverse with rich history and a predominant Swahili culture.

Also known as ‘Little Italy’ because of its large number of Italian residents, Malindi has come up as not only a beach resort but also a commercial centre. Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama landed there in 1498 and erected a monument that still stands.

Connected through a domestic airport and a highway to Mombasa on one side and Lamu on the other, Malindi has numerous beaches and a rich marine life that  attracts visitors.

The nearest small town to Malindi?is Watamu, a small seven-kilometre peninsula that has been ranked amongst the ten best beaches in the world. Watamu boasts of the Watamu National Park, which is part of a complex of marine and tidal habitats.? It is enclosed by the Malindi Marine National Reserve, which also encloses Malindi Marine National Park.

The Mida Creek is also another tourist hot spot because of its forest that has a high diversity of mangrove species. These provide refuge to a variety of both resident and migrant bird species.

As a tourist, the activities you can engage in within Malindi include wind surfing, snorkelling, water skiing, sunbathing, swimming, diving and glass bottom boat rides. Malindi also boasts as a bird watcher paradise in Watamu.

Malindi has a variety of beach resorts and hotels amongst them the Coral Key Beach Resort, Diamonds Malindi Beach, Hemmingways Watamu, Scorpio Villas, Diamonds Dream of Africa, Turtle Bay, Sandies Tropical and Beach Hotels, Woburn Residence, Kilili Baharini, Kajama Beach Resort, Ocean Front Beach Hotel and many others.

The costs of accommodation within resorts vary and it costs as low as Sh4,000 within the town motels and as high as Sh40,000 a night in the exclusive resorts.

The Gede Ruins,an ancient walled city is also within this area.  It is a place of great mystery, an archaeological puzzle that continues to engender debate among historians.
To this day, despite extensive research and exploration, it’s not clear how the town of Gedi and its people, once billed as powerful, with a population of over 2,500, disappeared.

Built in the 13th century, the ruins of Gedi include many houses, mansions, mosques and elaborate tombs and cemeteries.