Matondoni
A fishing village on the northwest of Lamu Island, famous for hand-building and repairing traditional dhows, and reachable by donkey.
Villagers still build and repair dhows by hand, using timber and iron nails, and half-finished hulls can often be seen on the beach. You can reach the village from Lamu town by donkey or on foot in about 2 hours (around 8 km), or by boat through the mangroves. Watch the sunset in the village, then sail back by dhow. The village is conservative, so greet people before visiting workshops or taking photos, and a small tip is appreciated.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Kipungani
- Swahili House Museum
- Riyadha Mosque
- Lamu Fort
- Lamu Old Town
- Lamu Museum
- German Post Office Museum
- Lamu Donkey Sanctuary