Lamu Travel Guide

Lamu is a town in Coastal Kenya. Its old town is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Lamu is vastly different from most cities in Kenya, most particularly due to the small number of motor vehicles and corresponding traffic. Culturally, Lamu also differs from interior of the country as it has retained its historic character as the oldest continually inhabited town in the country and one of the most important Swahili settlements.

Lamu town on Lamu island is most easily reached by air atManda Airport, either directly fromNairobi(Jambojet and Fly 540 from Jomo Kenyatta airport; Safarilink and Air Kenya fly from Wilson Airport),Mombasa(Mombasa Safari Air), orMalindi(Jambojet and Fly 540). The airport is on Manda Island opposite the main village necessitating a five-minute boat ride. This short trip should not cost more than Ksh 200, while Shela is Ksh 1500 (1200 if you negotiate).

The main forms of transport are boats andboda-boda(motorcycle taxis). Theboda-bodacan take you between Shela and Lamu if you want to avoid the 45-minute walk in the heat. They cost Ksh 100-150 during low tide, and Ksh 250-300 during high tide (2025). If you ride with two passengers you can get a little discount.

Lamu has had a poor safety reputation over the years due to the threat of the al-Shabaab terrorist organisation based inSomalia. This reputation is somewhat unfair. Lamu Island and Lamu town itself has never been attacked; rather the terrorists tend to attack the villages in the eponymous Lamu County (although sometimes they simply emerge out of the forest to give impromptu sermons to the villagers) and the terms get conflated by the media. For all intents and purposes, Lamu Island is safe from

In order from least to most peaceful, you can book hotels in Lamu city, Shela village, or the beach in Kipungani at the eastern end of the island. Kipungani is quite remote, but very romantic.