{"id":2662,"date":"2024-01-10T20:56:24","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T20:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.afomastravels.com\/?p=2662"},"modified":"2024-01-23T22:46:12","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T22:46:12","slug":"lamu-travel-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.afomastravels.com\/lamu-travel-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Visit to Lamu: Lamu Travel Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Even before I actively wanted to visit Kenya, I\u2019d heard so much about beautiful Lamu. Several social media connections had posted pictures on a sunset dhow\u2014and honestly, I wasn\u2019t sure Lamu would be my kind of island. It seemed so remote, so far away, so still, so old. But one weekend on this slow-paced island changed my view. <\/p>\n\n\n

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If you\u2019re contemplating a visit to the Kenyan coast, put Lamu on your radar. This Lamu travel guide will provide all the information you need to make your trip a success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All You Need to Know About Visiting Lamu, Kenya<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of my best tips and answers to common questions about traveling to Lamu, Kenya:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where is Lamu located?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lamu is located on the Kenyan coast, close to the Somali border. It is one of the farthest coastal regions from Nairobi. Several small islands make up Lamu, including Lamu town, Shela, Manda (where the airport is), Manda Toto, and Pate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Lamu famous for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This region has several Unesco Heritage Sites, including Lamu Old Town. It is the most well-preserved Swahili settlement<\/a> in the East African region. Lamu is also well known for its dhows, a unique sailing boat, the unique Swahili cuisine, and the refreshingly laidback pace of life on the island.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\ud83e\udecf Fun Fact: There are no cars on Lamu Island. You’ll see plenty of donkeys, a few motorbikes, many boats, but no cars! Prepare to walk a fair amount.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to get to Lamu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The best way to get to Lamu is by taking a flight from Nairobi or Mombasa. We flew with Skyward Express, and the return flight cost 56,240 KES ($355) for two passengers. The flights were on time, and our return flight even arrived earlier than expected, but the plane was a bit stuffy, as some small planes with poor air conditioning can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also fly Safarilink or Jambojet, although Skyward tends to be cheaper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How many days should you spend in Lamu?<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Three days is the sweet spot. I felt like our 3-day stay was perfect, but if you really need to rest and recover or explore more than we did, you could do 5 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to do in Lamu, Kenya<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lamu is the perfect island to do little or nothing. I recommend plenty of rest, strolls, and dining out. If you want to do a teeny bit more, here are the things we did that I enjoyed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take a tour of Lamu Old Town<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not a huge guided tour person, but I do them when I know I\u2019ll gain more than just walking around on my own\u2014even though I inevitably get tired and bored before it\u2019s over. So, always take my guided tour reviews with a grain of salt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Despite the caveats, we did enjoy the first 30 minutes of our tour (it lasted two hours), and I would not advise walking around Lamu town on your own (although I did see a few tourists doing this). It\u2019s not exactly a well-mapped-out city, and with the cultural differences, I was afraid to offend or go somewhere I shouldn\u2019t be. I was glad to see the town with a guide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our guide charged us 2000 KES ($12), and the boat ride into the town cost us 1000 KES ($6). Our return trip was free because our hotel sent a speedboat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca1 Know Before You Go: We were surprised by how much donkey poop was on the streets of Lamu town. If you\u2019re super sensitive to smells, it might put you off. Also, bring a big bottle of water, especially if you\u2019re visiting in the summer months. It gets HOT!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop cute silver jewelry <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The best part of the tour for me was all the silversmith shops we visited. Sadly, I can\u2019t even remember the name of my favorite one (but it wasn\u2019t the popular Lamu Silversmith, although I did buy a ring in that store). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I bought the curved arrow ring at a silversmith’s in Lamu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Pop into as many as you can if you like jewelry. They sell genuine silver rings, earrings, anklets, necklaces, and other funky jewelry pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sail on a sunset dhow<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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This was the highlight of our trip! For 12,000 KES, we took a 60-minute sunset dhow from 5:30 PM till sunset. The price also included snacks (a plate of samosas), and our hotel sent us with a cooler of drinks charged to our room. It was such a relaxing experience, and our captain was just the right amount of chatty. I almost took a nap on the boat. Perfect experience!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stroll along the coastline<\/h4>\n\n\n
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We stayed on Shela Island and enjoyed strolling to Peponi\u2019s and other surrounding areas for lunch. Our hotel advised against going out after sundown for safety reasons, so we kept our dinner plans to the hotel restaurant. Breathe the sea air, browse the small shops, or take a boat to one of the other islands if you fancy an activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eat delicious Swahili food<\/h4>\n\n\n
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Fish curry from bahari shela<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

While the food scene on Lamu is nowhere near as bustling as Nairobi\u2019s (my favorite Nairobi restaurants here<\/a>), the one thing they do excellently on Lamu is Swahili food. So we gorged ourselves on curries while we were here. The samosas were also particularly good in Lamu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to stay in Lamu, Kenya<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I recommend staying on Shela since Lamu Old Town is not as scenic to me. Most of the hotels and nice restaurants are there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We stayed at Kijani Hotel<\/a> on Shela island, and we loved our time there. The food in the hotel restaurant was reliably good, and when Peponi\u2019s had no crab, Kijani\u2019s crab dishes were available. On our final night, we even ate whole lobsters!<\/p>\n\n\n

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If you want a more luxurious experience, two other options are Peponi Hotel<\/a> and The Majlis<\/a>\u2014the latter is on Manda Island. This means you\u2019ll need to take a quick boat to try out most of the restaurants on Shela. I hear you can also pay for day passes to the Majlis, but we never tried this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcdd Lamu Booking Tip: Wherever you decide to stay, be sure to book early especially in the high season (October-December) when the small hotels book up quickly.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to dress in Lamu<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Since Lamu is a largely Muslim island, you\u2019ll need to dress conservatively. This means no exposed knees or shoulders or super tight-fitting clothes for women, and especially in Lamu Town, men should not be shirtless. When on hotel property or on the hotel beachfront, you can dress as you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there alcohol in Lamu?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, there is alcohol in certain hotels. Peponi\u2019s serves cocktails, and we had beers and cocktails at our hotel (Kijani), too. However, when we visited Bahari Shela, the waiter told us they didn\u2019t serve alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to eat in Lamu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We ate at three restaurants during our stay. Here\u2019s what I thought:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peponi Hotel Restaurant<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This restaurant was highly recommended, but I found their meals mid at best and frequently disappointing. Interestingly, their starters are fantastic\u2014great spring rolls and tuna tostada (excellent, this one!), but their green curry (their curries were so watery — why?) and spaghetti bolognese (which they served in three separate dishes\u2014sauce, parmesan, and pasta) were MEH. I did enjoy their seafood vodka pasta and the location is unbeatable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The best things I ate at Peponis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The worst dish I had. Avoid the Thai curry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Kijani Hotel Restaurant<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I was pleasantly surprised by this little hotel. The food was mostly good. We loved the chili crab curry and the grilled lobster, and their drinks were always so nice. We had breakfast here throughout our stay, and the French toast and Spanish omelet were highlights for me. Most importantly, the service and attention to detail here won me over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bahari Shela<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This is located between Peponi\u2019s and Kijani and was great for when we arrived starving from Lamu Town and discovered we\u2019d missed the lunch hour at both hotels. Since it isn\u2019t a hotel, this small restaurant saved us. Their fish curry was excellent, and their fresh juices were refreshing on a hot day. I also had the best chapati on Lamu here\u2014perfect thickness and texture. No complaints!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Couple Other Lamu Travel Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bring cash:<\/strong> Like the rest of Kenya, most shops in Lamu are cashless, but when boat captains will need cash or Mpesa. I regretted paying with Mpesa because many small businesses in Lamu used the Family and Friends option on Mpesa, which means you pay an additional small fee for sending them money. Businesses using the Pay Bills or Buy Goods option can receive money with Mpesa at no charge to you. So bring cash. You can also withdraw money at ATMs in Lamu Town, which we ended up doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On safety: <\/strong>We met an American couple in Nairobi who\u2019d been discouraged from visiting Lamu for safety reasons. If you\u2019re worried about the same, I\u2019d say don\u2019t be. We saw so many Brits and French people on Shela, and they even took cheeky strolls after dark (which we were too scared to do) to get gelato at a nearby shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lamu is a warm island steeped in culture and tradition\u2014certainly worth a visit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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