UNESCO has honored Lamu as a “World Heritage Site.” Our staff is happy to organize dhow trips and other local activities.

  • Take a dhow trip to the Takwa ruins, former home to the people of Shela village
  • Snorkel on the coral reefs off Manda Toto Island
  • Catch fresh fish from a dhow, which your crew will grill for you on the beach
  • Windsurf, bodysurf, sail and waterski
  • Visit Lamu’s outdoor cinema
  • Watch a local football match
  • Explore the narrow streets of Lamu town with its ancient fort, its wood carvers, juice bars and donkeys
  • A 45-minute walk from the town (or 15 minutes by motor boat) brings you to the sleepy village of Shela. This is where the beach begins and the complexities of life end. Even the beach is simple, just a 12 kilometers swathe of shining sand lapped by a balmy sea. To sail the archipelago is to discover. Beautiful beaches, glorious seascapes, ancient ruins, fishing and scuba refuges.
  • The Lamu Museum is a small gem, housing a collection of Swahili artifacts, jewelry and crafts unequalled anywhere else. The two most important items in its collection are the Siwa – ceremonial horns; one, made of ivory, belonged to a former sultan of Pate (an island in the archipelago) the other is from Lamu itself. As befits a maritime community, the museum houses a collection of sea-going vessels and marine tackle and there is a wonderful model of the rope sewn vessel known as mtepe.

Day Trips

  • Kiwayu Island: A few years back this remote island at the northern end of the Lamu archipelago gained a reputation as a retreat for the rich and famous. It boasts an idyllic beach, fabulous snorkelling on the coral reefs and peace and quiet. Our hotel staff can organise transfers by plane from Mombasa, Malindi or Lamu, or by motorboat from Lamu. From Kiwayu Island it is possible to visit the wildlife sanctuary at Dodori or the beautiful Kiunga Marine National Reserve.