Kenya Coast

White-sand beaches and Swahili old towns on the Indian Ocean: Mombasa, Diani, Watamu–Malindi and the Lamu Archipelago, a seaside retreat after a safari.

This region is defined by whole counties and includes the five counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu, which is the former Coast Province minus Taita-Taveta (the Tsavo area is grouped with Nairobi and the south, following safari convention).

Highlights: Mombasa's old town and Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese (a UNESCO World Heritage site); on the south coast, the white sand and colobus monkeys of Diani Beach, and dolphin watching at Wasini Marine Park off Shimoni; on the north coast, Watamu Marine National Park, the Gedi ruins, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Malindi's Vasco da Gama Pillar; and Lamu Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage site) with its donkey-filled lanes, dhows and the laid-back village of Shela.

Classic itinerary: 2–3 days on safari in Tsavo or Amboseli, followed by 3–5 days on the beaches of Diani or Watamu; culture lovers can fly to Lamu for 2–3 nights.

Getting around: the Madaraka Express standard gauge railway from Nairobi to Mombasa takes about 5 hours, or you can fly to Mombasa, Malindi, Ukunda (Diani) or Lamu. Note: for the northern part of the Lamu Archipelago near the Somali border, check security advisories before traveling; dress conservatively in Muslim areas.

Destinations

Itineraries