Lamu

If you are looking for and idyllic place, may I suggest Lamu? No cars, only donkies, maze like streets, secret passages, rooftops to relax and observe and plenty of places to explore and get lost on this tiny Island.. and an abundance of fresh fruit juice. If you like avocados, please please try the avocado shake, it’s surprisingly.. well.. DELICIUOS!

This island was truly remarkable! I stayed there for 10 days last summer in a beautiful house close to the beach. It was also right next to a mosque which made the 5am calls to prayer unforgettable. The dhows are so peaceful to sail on especially at sunset. There are so many beautiful shells lining the beach, and it is easy to find a spot where you are completely alone. I enjoyed the island night life even more than roasting on the beach and eating the fabulous fresh seafood. I went to a party on the beach one of the first nights complete with plastic containers acting as drums and the beauty of African singing voices. I often heard the title of this entry when saying I was tired and wanted to go home. “Hakuna kulala the night is still a baby!” I also went to a club that played lots of bob marley. The starry sky was the roof and everybody was getting down. There are quite alot of young men that fall all over themselves to be with you, but they’re harmless for the most part as long as you stand your ground chicas! People there will also teach you Swahili very willingly, definitely the best place to learn!

Beautiful Indian Ocean island of the Kenyan coast. Much underrated. If your considering a trip to Zanzibar, give Lamu a long hard look. Its a cheaper, prettier, less touristy alternative.

We probably never would have made it here on our own. Someone could not take a trip to Lamu so we ended up going instead. And I am so glad we did. It was very different from the other parts of Kenya we have been to. It had a definite Muslim character with several mosques in the main town of Lamu. The island is so small there is only one car. Everyone gets around by boat, by walking or by riding donkeys.

I would recommend this island to anyone!