Lamu Archipelago

The Lamu Archipelago is a beautiful string of six islands in the Indian Ocean close to Kenya's northern coast. The six islands that make up the Lamu Archipelago are: Lamu, Manda, Pate, Kiwayu and Manda Toto.

The largest islands are Pate, Manda and Lamu, and Lamu Town is the largest settlement on the archipelago.

The Lamu Archipelago is well known for its archaeological and historical sites, like Manda Town and Shanga on Pate Island. Excavations at these sites have unearthed new aspects of old Swahili history and culture.

The Chinese fleet of explorer Zheng He is rumoured to have harboured at the Lamu Archipelago, and perhaps even to have lost a ship in the ocean roundabout. If this is true then the island chain was among the fleet's westernmost ports of call.

Getting There

Flying is the best way to reach this region of Kenya and there are daily flights to Lamu. The airport is located on the neighbouring Manda Island from where you will be collected by your hotel or lodge and transferred by boat across the channel to Lamu town (10 minutes), Shela Village (20 minutes) or further afield (up to 45 minutes).

What to See and Do

• Walking tour of Lamu old town with a local guide - approx. 3 hours.
• Visit the Museum and Old Fort in Lamu town which have been nicely restored and have some fascinating displays
• Go shopping for beautiful clothes, kanga's and kikoys, leather work, carved wooden furniture, and silver jewellery
• Hang out in the famous Peponi's Bar in Shela Village on the water
• Dhow sailing trips to the Takwa and Manda Ruins on Manda Island
• Snorkelling between the months of November and March when the water clears and the wind drops
• Swim with dolphins form Kizingo between November and March
• Walk the 14 km beach to Kipungani village - the less athletic can hire camels - and have lunch at Kipungani Explorer Lodge
• Kayaking trips into the Mangroves

History

The island has a long history and by the 1500s it was a thriving port, exporting timber, ivory, amber, spices and slaves. When the Portuguese arrived, it surrendered without a murmur and in the mid-1800s it became a subject of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, which nominally controlled the whole coastal strip until Kenya became independent in 1963.

Until the 19th century dawned, Lamu's economy was hinged on slave labour and with the abolition of slavery it declined rapidly. That is until the advent of tourists. In the 1960s Lamu was up there with Katmandu as a hippy hangout and it has since been taken over by a much more sophisticated but still rather bohemian traveller who have bought the old villa's and restored them to their original grandeur.

Click here for more information on Kenya's beaches.

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