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Imagine snacking on crispy crabs and crab samosa as you take in the sunset on the most beautiful beaches. Malindi town is 120 km Northeast East of Mombasa. It sits stately on the banks of the Galana River.

Do you fancy amazing seafood, camping by the beaches, snorkeling, boat rides, and starry nights on the balconies of luxurious hotels and resorts, Malindi should be your next destination.

Come Travel Kenya has put up mind-blowing travel itineraries that allow you to turn Malindi inside out, experiencing the town’s epic tourist locations that will leave you sweetly satiated on your vacation.

Ranging from exotic beaches, pristine clear waters, marine parks, historical richness, archeological sites, Swahili cuisines, and rich Swahili cultures, Malindi town will give you the trip of your life.

Below are the top 15 places to visit and things to do on your trip to Malindi town:

Malindi Marine National Park

The marine park is next to Malindi Beach. It has exquisite marine resources with a prolific marine life. The fringing reefs, coral gardens, and mangroves are a breathtaking sight. Here you can snorkel, go for the glass bottom boat rides, and camp on Malindi Beach. If you are looking for an extreme marine experience, then the Malindi Marine National Park is your place.

Watamu Beach

Watamu Beach is pristine. The white sands, turquoise water, and landscapes look like they were pulled from a novel.  Many people come to swim sunbath and windsurf. You can also camp on the beach and have a romantic picnic in the sunset.  This is the perfect love spot.

Watamu Marine Park

This is home to over 600 fish species. It is the first aqua park in Kenya. The marine park is a splash of color and aquatic explosion. No one can describe how beautiful Watamu Marine Park is using words, you have to see and take it in.  Come Travel Kenya has special packages for Watamu. Come and feed turtles and dugongs.

Gedi Ruins

Gedi is in the depths of Arabuko Sokoke Forest. It is believed to be an archeological site and a settlement of the Swahili tribes in the 13^th century. The ruins are rich in mystery and have been a great archeological site for years.

Arabuko Sokoke National Park

This is the largest dry coastal forest in East Africa. The forest is a venue of mysterious cultural practices and is home of so many animal species. Here you will find a good number of exotic bird species. Come; let us plan a nature walk or camping in the forest.

Mayungu Public Beach

Pristine waters. Crystal white sands. They say the waters of Mayungu have a calming therapeutic effect. The beach is a public one and sometimes there will be many people on the beach. Mayungu is very picturesque. It is 8 km south of Malindi. You can go for walks along the beach or set up a group camp here.

Marafa Hell’s Kitchen

Also known as ‘Nyari’ meaning broken by itself. The heat is what makes it a hell’s kitchen. At Marafa, sacred mysterious rituals take place and if you are the kind of person, attracted to the paranormal phenomena, a slice awaits here.

Normally, it is a naturally artistic site, curved out of sandstones. The most beautiful sunsets are in this mini-canyon.

Mida Creek

We are talking about a whopping 32 Kilometers wide inlet. All aqua fun is found here – boating, fishing, and snacking on crabs and crab samosas. Feeding sea turtles is an adventure of its kind.  Dinner at the Crab Shack restaurant –is the ultimate experience.

Bio Ken Snake Park

The largest reptiles in East Africa are found in this research center. It is also the largest snake park in East Africa. If you want an overflow of adrenaline, Come Travel Kenya has a dose for you.

Takwa Ruins

This is a well-preserved 14th to 15^th Century town. History enthusiasts have enjoyed being here. It is a curious place, scenic and rich. You will take the most beautiful pictures of history in this place.

Vasco Da Gama Pillar

This is the most visited place in Malindi. The Vasco Da Gama Pillar is a historic symbol. It stands in the most scenic place in Malindi. When at the pillar you can have a breathtaking view of the entire Malindi town. If you are looking for landscapes that strike your creative juices into an overflow, the Vasco Da Gama Pillar is the place to be.

The edifice stands erect and made up of coral stone and topped by a star made of Lisbon stone.

Kipepeo Market

Come buy butterflies and moth pupae at Kipepeo Market. In my opinion, this market is home to organic everything. They sell organic honey and silk. Fashion enthusiasts, designers, and dressers of high-profile personalities have yet to explore this silk market. Everything on this market is organic and from the Arabako Sosoke Forest.  If you do not want to buy anything, you can take pictures of the beautiful and exotic butterflies.

The Falconry

Let us talk bird! The Malindi falconry is home to falcons, eagles, hawks, and more than 200 exotic bird species. Pack a camera and a telescope, besides the courage to have an eagle perch on your arm. Did I mention that the oldest owls reside here? The 200-year-old tortoise is also a resident of the Malindi falconry. At the falconry, you will have a chance to check out some of the largest reptiles in Kenya.  There is a snake chamber here as well.

Portuguese Chapel

The St. Francis Xavier Chapel is more than 500 hundred years old. It is both the largest and the oldest in East Africa. Vasco Da Gama himself, on the seafront of Malindi, built it. The location of the chapel gives you a chance to have the most scenic view of Malindi town. Its humongous presence is both awe-striking and mysterious. The feeling you get while in the chapel, can only be experienced, not described with words.

Malindi Museum

The Malindi Museum is home to ancient music and artwork. The galleries display the art that will take you back into the early centuries. You will not believe how the Swahili and Arabs created music in those days. The Malindi Museum is home to rich history as well. Fashion enthusiasts have previously found inspiration in the Malindi Museum.

Malindi is a richer slice of Mombasa. If you are looking for luxury, exotic moments, beautiful experiences, landscapes, and the best weather, reach out to Come Travel Kenya. Your days in Malindi will be planned for you. You do not know the beauty of life until you have been to Malindi: Karibu Malindi.

The post 15 Spectacular Places And Things To Do In Malindi first appeared on Come Travel Kenya.

The post 15 Spectacular Places And Things To Do In Malindi appeared first on Come Travel Kenya.

Diani Beach:

Diani Beach, located south of Mombasa, is famous for its pristine white sands and clear turquoise waters. It offers a range of upscale resorts, boutique hotels, and beachfront villas, making it a favourite among luxury travelers. Diani is classy, and the services here are stellar.

Watamu Beach:

Watamu, situated North of Mombasa, is known for its beautiful coral reefs and marine life. It’s an excellent destination for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts. Luxury resorts and private beachfront accommodations are available.

Malindi Beach:

Malindi is another popular coastal town known for its stunning beaches. It offers a blend of Italian and Swahili cultures and has upscale resorts, golf courses, and great dining options. You can fly to Malindi from Mombasa. This is the epitome of class.

Chale Island:

Chale Island, near Diani Beach, is a private and exclusive getaway. The Sands at Chale Island is a luxurious resort offering an idyllic escape with beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and lush forests. This is a perfect spot for romantic getaways. Create a memory with your loved ones here.

Manda Island:

Located near Lamu, Manda Island is known for its exclusivity and privacy. It’s home to high-end resorts like The Majlis and Manda Bay, offering an oasis of tranquillity and serenity.

Bamburi Beach:

Bamburi Beach, just north of Mombasa, is known for its soft sand and is home to several luxury resorts. It’s a great place for water sports and beachfront relaxation. Play beach volleyball with your peers and buddies here.

Tiwi Beach:

Tiwi Beach is a quieter and less crowded option near Diani. It’s known for its peaceful atmosphere and pristine shores. Since it is a private property, you get exclusive services and the privacy you need. You can find luxury beachfront cottages and lodges here.

Kenya’s coastal region offers a range of options for travelers seeking a luxurious beach experience. Come Travel Kenya is here to plan your coastal tour.

The post 7 Beaches You Must Visit While In Kenya first appeared on Come Travel Kenya.

The post 7 Beaches You Must Visit While In Kenya appeared first on Come Travel Kenya.

As a Kenyan who really enjoys various cuisines from all over the country, I find the Swahili dishes very specific in their flavors, aromas, and visual appeal. Spice is what defines Swahili delicacies.

Here are the top five Swahili dishes you might enjoy sampling out…

1. Pilau

Every Kenya ceremony is usually crowned with pilau. Pilau is also served in typical Swahili restaurants. You can find it in other hotels but if you are particular about the right flavors and distinct aroma of every spice used, then you better try it out in a Swahili restaurant.

Pilau is rice, simmered in broth,  fried pieces of meat, potatoes, onions, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, special pilau masala, cumin, cinnamon, and other spices. It is a highly spicy dish.

Vegans can opt for Vegetable pilau with green peas replacing the pieces of meat and the flavors will still be intact.

You can enjoy pilau with Kachumbari salad and a tall glass of chilled fresh juice.

1. Mchuzi Wa Pweza

This is one popular delicacy, especially for men, so they say. Octopus soup is a special delicacy in the entire coastal region, not just in Kenya.  

This piqued my curiosity and when I tasted the thick load of flavor, it was heavenly. The preparation is everything and you can only eat octopus soup in a credible restaurant as you will be advised by your travel agent. 

I wouldn’t mind feedback from a man who has tried it…

1. Beef Biryani Rojo

I could say this is to the Kenyan Coast what Jollof Rice is to West Africa. People go to Mombasa  just to taste biryani. What attracted me was the mastered yellow grains of rice with dashes of green coriander. I found it hard to devour that plate of beauty.

Be sure to order Biryani, served with a special sauce that can only be prepared very well by a Swahili chef.

1. Mahamri/ Chapati With Coconut Mbaazi

Mahamri is specially deep-fried spiced dough, with an extra touch of cardamons and mbaazi is cowpeas cooked in coconut milk. Well-prepared mbaazi in coconut milk is a heavenly scoop of thick and creamy sweetness. 

You dip the mahamri in the creamy coconut thickness and savor it. For me, it was the popping of cowpeas escorted by the aroma of cardamons at the back of the mouth.

You can enjoy mahamri with the mixed spicey Kenyan white tea too on a chilly morning or evening.

1. Viazi Karai/ Bhajias With Tamarind Sauce

These pieces of hot magic can make a cloudy boring day very bright. It’s always the crunch when teeth sink in. These spiced potatoes, coated with colored and spiced wheat flour paste, are my favorite snack. Tamarind sauce also known as Ukwaju, adds tanginess to the crunchy pieces.

These can be a meal accompanied by grilled fresh fish filets or chicken.

 These are just too five of my favorite Swahili delicacies. In a typical Swahili restaurant, you have a chance to taste various creative combinations and you will realize that even the simplest of delicacies will leave your taste buds exploding with a desire for more.

Five Quick Recipe Hacks of Swahili delicacies.

If you like cooking for yourself, here are a few simple recipes for the Swahili dishes you can easily prepare while camping or in an Airbnb. 

How to cook Pilau

Ingredients 

Rice, meat, oil, potatoes, garlic, ginger, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, red onions, broth.

Recipe

1. In a large non-stick pot, add oil, meat, and chopped onions. Fry till onions turn brown.
2. Add the garlic and ginger paste
3.  Add whole potatoes
4. Add pilau masala mix.
5. Add rice, mix then add broth.
6. Cook at low heat.

Served with kachumbari, salad, and pili pili sauce(Swahili)

How to cook Beef Biryani Rojo

Ingredients

Boneless beef, Garlic, ginger ,biryani spice blend, stock , vegetable oil, tomato paste , plain yoghurt, food color, biryani rice potatoes red onions.

 Recipe

A). Beef biryani rojo

1. Deep fry round chopped red onions the allow cooling
2. Deep fry whole boiled potatoes, and set aside.
3. Boil beef together with ginger and garlic until all water is drained.
4. Fry with oil till brown then add fresh onions, and simmer.
5. Add tomato paste, and simmer
6. Add the fried potatoes then add the plain yogurt and allow to simmer
7. Finish with fried onions and seasoning to taste.

 B). Biryani rice

1.  Rinse the rice
2. Boil on high heat then allows it to steam on low heat
3. Add the different types of food colors.

Serve while hot

Prepared mostly in Swahili wedding ceremonies.

How to cook Viazi Karai 

Ingredients

Flour, chili powder, cooking oil, salt, tomato sauce, ukwaju, and bell pepper.

Recipes

1. Peel potatoes then boil in garlic and mixed spices powder for ten minutes.  
2. Prepare paste( water, flour, chili powder and salt)  
3. Cut potatoes into round shapes then mix in the paste.  
4. Heat the cooking oil.  
5. Deep fry

Serve while hot.

Served with: tomato sauce, ukwaju sauce, pili pili sauce

The beauty of Kenyan dishes lies in the diversity and originality of their preparations. Keep checking for more cuisines from other parts of the country.

WRITER:  Emily Wekulo

The post Try Out The Following Savory Swahili Cuisines first appeared on Come Travel Kenya.

The post Try Out The Following Savory Swahili Cuisines appeared first on Come Travel Kenya.

It’s written in the good book, that at the beginning the world was formless. The Spirit of the Lord was hovering on water…

There is a mystical feeling that comes with water. The way land merges with water, the rise of the sun behind a lake, the setting of the same as it intimately dances on the ocean, the beauty of islands, the scent of the salty or fresh breeze, the green of moss and algae,  the royalty of the oceanic blue and the entire vastiness of hydraulic beauty.

Kenya offers you the best experience when it comes to visiting places with large water bodies.

If you are a fish – a fan of water sports ranging from kayaking, surfing, sport fishing, marine study, swimming among others this is your read. If you are the kind that is into the mystery of endless waters and you enjoy staring into waves or just watching the sun take a deep dip in the lake,  keep reading. If you are into boating and floating bars and restaurants go on reading. If you are just the kind that loves watching people enjoy water, still this is your read.

The Indian Ocean makes the coast the most populous tourist attraction in Kenya, but it’s just one of the many places you can visit for a similar or better experience. Lake Victoria is also a common place for many water lovers who stop at Kisumu and forget that there are many other islands and bays to be seen on the Lake. Some of The Rift valley lakes are attractive and commonly visited. But then there are havens that offer you something different from these  popular places.

Below are the top mystic aquatic tourism destinations in Kenya that are unique, never congested and are rarely thought of by many. You may want to start creating a bucket list…

Lake Turkana

You hear someone visiting Lordwar and the first thing that pops in your mind is how they are going to be safe from bandits. The desert has got much to offer and Lake Turkana is one of them. This is the world’s largest Alkaline lake, the home of the monstrous Nile Crocodile. Whoever said Lavethan is extinct…  I can bet it’s in Lake Turkana.

Someone said visiting here is like discovering a whole new planet starting from the people, I mean the El molo, the landscape, the heat… you know the kind that makes you feel vapor leave your body and the refreshing Eliye Springs.

They say, Lake Turkana is a shy yet majestic lake that you see from a vantage point as you approach it, and it unfolds slowly till it pours its whole self in your face and you might gasp for breath in its beauty. Not mentioning the active volcano that sits at its center like some god’s throne.

There is a bonus of Lake Logipi, an extension of Turkana down at Suguta Valley. This can’t be described in written, gather your clique and plan a journey to the desert.

Glacial Lakes of Mount Kenya

Lake Ellis is the most picturesque, breathtaking place you want to camp on mount Kenya. This gave me an insight of why monks who live on the Himalayas live long. If I were a man, I would propose to my lady here. The magical fantasy,the intense quiet, the serenely pure atmosphere around it, and the fact that you are on top of a mountain… makes you a demigod.

One can hike to Ellis or drive in a 4WD since the terrain gets rockier as you go up.

To get to Lake Ellis, you go through the Chogoria Gate to  Mount Kenya. That means you travel from Nairobi to Meru then get an affordable pass at the Chogoria Gate, and proceed to your haven.

There are other glacier Lakes like Rutundu, Michaelson, Longhikes, Alice and Lake Hohnel but Ellis is the most beautiful in my opinion.

Here camping, ice swimming, fishing, photography and sky watching can be done. You might want to be fully equiped with warm clothing and pray that it’s all sunny when you visit. You will never. Forget the experience.

Lake Magadi

This is the only lady lake in Kenya… it’s pink. Not only with Flamingos but with soda! It is said to have this apocalyptic kind of beauty. Besides the wildlife and birds, the hot springs top the pink pudding. It’s a one day stop you can make to steam off after a long week of work.

Lake Kenyatta

Who even knew this exists? Well, it does. In Lamu, Mpeketoni. It’s a freshwater lake quenching thirst for these soft spoken people, buffalos, gazelles and hippos. Isn’t this synonymous to paradise?

The scenery is breathtaking! Bird watchers have a spot and swimming, boating, kayaking can be done here as well. It’s a private place to retreat alone or with the person you can sit next to and say nothing at all but still feel the love.

Lake Baringo then to Lake Bogoria

You might be wondering why I am merging the two, these are like twin lakes. When you visit one, you will definitely grow a desire to visit the other. The journey to Lake Baringo will heal you before you touch the vast waters of this enomouse lake. The heat, the rustic nature of the place, the people… it is like traveling through time to the past. The first time I visited it felt like the 18th century.

Here, all sorts of boating, watching crocodiles, camping, interesting bird life and interacting with various cultures including the Tugen, Jemps and Pokots is on the table. There are nice hotels around and the nearest town is Margat.

Lake Bogoria is popular for its hot springs. Bathing in the lake is said to have a healing effect. This is a tour in the sun and can be made in a day or two.

Simbi Nyaima

Ever heard of the myth of Simbi Nyaima and how it was formed? The old lady who came to a chief’s party to beg for food and was turned down? Yes, she left but sent rain that washed away every breathing creature save for one kind woman who lived to tell the tale. And that’s how Simbi as it was previously known was turned to Simbi Nyaima.

Simbi Nyaima is located in Homa Bay in Karachuonyo, near Kendu bay. This is small gem tucked away in the depths of Kenya, with a distinct scent and a home of flamingos.

This sounds like an invitation to swim with ghosts!

Besides Lake Victoria, You can ease off to Simbi Nyaima to enjoy a less busy lake time.

You can go fishing at your convenience, go for boat rides, have dinner on a boat and just watch the sun rise from the lake.

In conclusion, every visit to a nicely hidden or less busy lake just stirs my spirit to freshness. It rejuvenates and gives this feeling of new strength. Try it out, and share your experience.

Emily Khalayi Wekulo.

The post Experience The Beginning on Kenyan Waters first appeared on Come Travel Kenya.

The post Experience The Beginning on Kenyan Waters appeared first on Come Travel Kenya.