Mombasa

We recently booked a last-minute holiday through Olympic Holidays, to Shelly Beach Hotel near Mombasa. We thought it was a good deal for one week all-inclusive, in a location that would guarantee the sun we were craving. Then the warnings started - 'what about the terrorist attacks in 2001, what about the begging and the poverty, what about this, what about that', and we began to have doubts. We read loads of reviews (thanks, dooyoo, for some of them) and left from Gatwick with mixed feelings. Landing at 5.30am on a Monday morning after a nine hour flight in the cramped surroundings of a charter flight is never going to leave you feeling ...  Read the complete review

My worst memory of Mombassa was the day we hired a boat to take us to the reef. A respectable looking guy approached us on the beach and offered to take us on a tour of the reef. I was keen on doing some snorkelling so we arranged to go that afternoon. We had mistakenly thought he was the official hotel boat operator but when we eventually found him it was at a different booking office. No matter, he seemed a decent chap and the boat looked OK. The price was right, and he'd agreed to take us to a good snorkelling site first, then on to the reef. On arrival at our first destination he dropped anchor, sorry, I mean he threw over a piece of rope, just long enough to ...  Read the complete review

And now for part two of my Kenyan experience – Mombassa! Mombassa is a port town – newly designated as a city (the President’s New Year present) – on the Indian Ocean coast. It is a bustling, vibrant place, sadly lacking in anything resembling the levels of cleanliness we are familiar with in our major cities. The Town centre is no safe place to be after dark for tourists, but is well worth a look round during the day. Just remember the golden rules – carry no valuables in obvious places, not even jewellery and keep money well hidden away. Take a taxi if you are not sure – it is better to be safe than to be sorry. But there is much to ...  Read the complete review

Born in kenya and lived there for 20 years is a great pleasure. mombasa is a paradise of kenya. Mombasa is Kenya's largest town exception of Nairobi which is a city. Mombasa has the only deepwater port. In many ways, it is the country's lifeline to the world. Once a scarcely developed island in a mangrove lined bay with dhows in the harbor. Mombasa today is crowded and busy with container berths at Kilindini on the west side of the island. The surrounding sprawls with industrial development . Mombasa today is separated into two spheres of influence. Mombasa holidays are accommodated at luxury beach hotels in the north and south ...  Read the complete review

Jambo, Massa, jambo…. These words are engraved onto the back of my hand carved native tribal mask, which was purchased from a market stall, on a dusty street in Mombassa. Of all the country’s I have visited, (over 70 if you include islands), this is the one I would most like to take Sherry, my wife to. Lets take a tour from the minute you arrive. The heat and humidity go hand in hand, and smother you as soon as you set foot in this glorious piece of Africa. Many an insect swarm around your almost anaemic complexion, licking their lips as they tie their bibs around their little necks for their first feed of your ...  Read the complete review