Malindi, a town situated 120km to the North of Mombasa, is among the top tourist destinations in the East African coast. With a 155km coastline, Malindi has beautiful beaches with a nice panoramic view of the Indian Ocean. Tall palm trees dot the tropical beaches in Malindi, swaying tirelessly in the wind as if to depict the endless holiday fun activities you can undertake in this Kenya coastal town, a true sun and sand paradise.



Malindi town was founded by Arab traders in the 13th Century as their main trade centre along the Indian Ocean. At that time the economy depended on fishing, hunting, agriculture and salt collection. By 1498 when Vasco da Gama reached Malindi, the town had already become both a kingdom and a wealthy town. The then inhabitants of the town comprised Arabs - the ruling class, Africans and a few Indians. And because of the region's monsoon winds, Malindi became an important port in East Africa as it formed the base from which places all over the Indian Ocean could be reached.

Malindi's splendor was however overtaken by that of the neighbouring town of Mombasa in 1593 after the construction of the Portuguese Fort Jesus. Many traditional buildings survive in Malindi among them a mosque and a palace placed right on the beach that attracts numerous tourists.

Tourist attractions in Malindi mainly relate to the tropical water and beaches and the Watamu and Malindi Marine Park. These national parks were established in 1968 and are the first of their kind in Africa; offering an ideal day trip for divers and snorkellers alike. The coral gardens present in the Watamu and Marine parks abound in multi-coloured fishes that can be seen ducking in and out of the coral kingdoms.

Another major tourist attraction in Malindi are the Gede ruins, which are the remains of an abandoned 17th century town. In 1927, the ruins were declared historic monuments, leading to a lot of excavation activities that eventually revealed a great mosque, a palace, and pillar tombs in this ancient town.

Northwest of Malindi is the Marafa Depression, locally known as Nyari and popularly known as Hell's Kitchen. Nyari is an extensive series of sandstone gorges and sheer gullies- a unique landscape that has become part of local folklore.

Malindi town is renown as a haven for lovers of gourmet dishes with its restaurants, hotels, coffeehouses and other eating places offering a wide range of cuisines ranging from local flavors to international cuisines. The area residents mainly comprise of the local Swahili people and a number of Italians investors who have transformed the town into a reputable tourist destination. Their friendliness and welcoming attitude among others is a charm that cannot be rivaled in any other tourist destination the world over. More than half of the local population thrive directly or indirectly from tourism.

The East African coast is generally hot and humid throughout the year. The long rains around Malindi are experienced from April to July and the short rains from October to November. The mean daily temperature is around 22 degrees Celsius low and 30.5 degrees Celsius high, and the best months to visit Malindi are December to April.

Getting to Malindi both by air and by road is quite easy. The town has an airport which several Kenya airlines use for daily scheduled flights to and from Malindi. Malindi airport also serves many chartered flights. You can therefore fly into Malindi from Nairobi, Mombasa or Lamu, or you can use the many buses and matatus from Mombasa to Malindi in the North coast. Most hotels and tourist resorts in Malindi can also arrange vehicle transfers for you.