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A dhow – or traditional Arab sailboat – cruises around the tip of Lamu island. Dhow rides are a popular activity on this Indian Ocean island.

Laze Over to Lamu

By Joseph J. Schatz

LAMU, Kenya – Hundreds of miles from the safari scene, just off the northeastern coast, Lamu is a dramatically difference slice of Kenya.

In addition to being a tropical island with beautiful, rugged beaches and mangrove forests, Lamu is home to the oldest Swahili settlement in East Africa, dating back to the 14th century, with a mix of Arabic, African, Portuguese and Omani influences. Lamu town, the hub of the island and a former slave-trading outpost, is a UN-designated World Heritage site.

Mostly Muslim, the island is also remote. Lamu island, part of the larger Lamu archipelago, is only accessible by ferry (most visitors fly from Nairobi to the airport on nearby Manda island), and there are only three cars on the island, belonging to the district commissioner and the local hospital.

Like the rest of Kenya’s tourist industry, Lamu suffered a serious blow when the country’s disputed December 2007 election exploded into ethnic violence, even though the island itself remained peaceful. But with a power-sharing deal in place and the country now at peace, things are looking up, with reservations filling up quickly, local hotel owners said.

Lamu made a perfect destination for a July 4 getaway from the landlocked Zambia, where we live and work. After getting off the plane, we jumped on a motorboat that took us 20 minutes to our first Lamu destination – the small beach village of Shela, and made our way to Banana House, an airy four-level guest house with striking neru walls (made of cement and Indian pigments) and locally carved “pili-pili beds” in the heart of Shela village. We rented two rooms, between which was an open-air common area with a dining table and chairs with a great view of the sea.

There are only a handful of restaurants in Shela, so we took up our hosts’ offer to have the house cook prepare our dinner – one of the best decisions we made the whole trip. Food quickly became a centerpiece of our stay – each morning, we’d leave money with the cook, who would buy fresh fish, crab and lobster from the local fisherman and cook them up with ginger sauce (and at bargain prices by Western standards). In addition to seafood, Lamu is a haven for freshly-made coconut, passion fruit, mango, pineapple and other juices.

From Banana House, we walked along the shore for about 10 minutes, past the high-end Peponi Hotel, until we reached the huge sand dunes, which marked the start of more than 12 kilometers of uninterrupted sandy beach. No resorts or hotels – just sand, water and, of course, the occasional donkey-herder.

After three nights in Shela, we took a boat back to Lamu town (it’s a 45-minute walk or a $2 dollar boat ride), where we spent our last night. No trip to Lamu would be complete without visiting both Lamu town and Shela, but beyond that, it depends on your taste in traveling. If you’re more inclined towards a unique, laid-back beach vacation, plan to spend more of your visit in Shela. If you’re eager to explore the nooks and crannies of centuries of Swahili culture in Lamu’s cramped, bustling streets, more time in Lamu town makes sense.

Lamu town features several historical sites, including Lamu Fort and Lamu Museum, and several good waterfront restaurants. But the biggest attraction of Lamu town was wandering aimlessly through its endless narrow corridors, taking in the centuries-old architecture and the local comings and goings.

By the end of our stay, we had the feeling that everyone on the island knew who we were – and were anxious to make us feel welcome, right up to the men who arranged an impromptu (and somewhat harrowing) 15-minute boat ride back to the airport in heavy waves on a rowboat powered by what appeared to be a lawn-mower engine.

Indeed, just as compelling as the beach, the food and cultural sights were vibes not always present in coastal destinations – the sense we weren’t just visiting a visiting a tourist attraction, but rather, a living, breathing community.

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How to Get There

Getting to Nairobi is likely to be the most expensive part of your trip. From the United States, flights to Nairobi start at about $1,200. From within Africa, Kenya Airways flies from Nairobi to Lamu Airport on Manda Island for about $300. Fly 540, a local low-cost airline, also flies to Lamu Airport.

Flights also arrive at Lamu from Mombasa, Diani Beach and Malindi.

Most hotels include the cost of a boat transfer from the airport to Lamu town or Shela. If they don’t, the price is only a few dollars.

Where to Stay

Like the rest of Kenya, Lamu has two high seasons, which run from mid-December to the end of February, and mid-July through mid-September. Most hotels and guest houses are closed in May and June. Many prices are negotiable during the low season. Both Shela and Lamu town offer a variety of lodging options for travelers of varying budgets – though Lamu town has more for budget travelers.

Visitors may want to note when the Muslim holy period of Ramadan falls before they travel – during this period of fasting, most restaurants are closed during the day.

Shela

Banana House: A relaxed, beautifully appointed guest house offering spacious rooms, verandas and views of the ocean, set back in Shela village. With notice, lunch and dinner can also be prepared by the cook at the house. Contact.

Peponi: The most costly option on Shela, all of the Peponi’s rooms have ocean views. The hotel is located right next to the beach, and houses a restaurant. Contact.

Kijani House Hotel: Set back from the waterfront, Kijani offers several rooms with ocean views, two pools and a restaurant. Contact.

Stopover Hotel: The large white Swahili building right on the waterfront, you can’t miss the Stopover, which offers five rooms, pili-pili beds and a nice restaurant downstairs. Contact.

Lamu Town

Amu House: Spartan but inexpensive and friendly.

Lamu House: The highest-end option available in Lamu town, Lamu House has spacious rooms with balconies overlooking the ocean, and offers inexpensive wireless Internet access. Lamu House offers special discounts to international development workers – $75 per person – during the low season. Contact.

Stone House: Set back amid the winding alleyways of Lamu Town, Stone House offer interesting architecture and reasonably-priced rooms. Contact.

What to Do

Lamu offers plenty of activities for beach-lovers and history buffs alike.

In Lamu town, historical and cultural attractions include Lamu Fort, Lamu Museum, the Lamu German Post Office, the Swahili House Museum and a donkey sanctuary.

Waterfront restaurants include Hapahapa Restaurant, which offers great Swahili-style seafood – the prawns curry was particularly good.

The main attraction in Shela is the beach, though from either Lamu town or Shela, you can easily arrange fishing tours or evening cruises on traditional wooden dhows either through a hotel or from one of the several beachside salesmen you will undoubtedly run into (booking through a hotel is the better bet in terms of cost and quality).

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Joseph J. Schatz is a freelance journalist based in Lusaka, Zambia. He has written for the Associated Press, the Christian Science Monitor, the Washington Post and the Lancet, and also teaches journalism in Lusaka. Prior to moving to Zambia in 2006, Schatz was a senior writer with Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C.