Malindi town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the coast of East Africa. Situated 120km north of Mombasa, Malindi has a 155km coastline dotted with beautiful tropical beaches that provide a nice panoramic view of the Indian Ocean. Tall palm trees tower at the edges of the extensive Malindi beaches, swaying tirelessly in the tropical breeze as if to depict the unending holiday fun activities available to you in this Kenya coastal town.
Malindi town was founded by Arab traders in the 13th Century as their main trade centre along the Indian Ocean. At that time the economy depended on fishing, hunting, agriculture and salt collection. By 1498 when Vasco da Gama reached Malindi, the town had already become both a kingdom and a wealthy town. The then inhabitants of the town comprised Arabs - the ruling class, Africans and a few Indians. And because of the region’s monsoon winds, Malindi became an important port in East Africa as it formed the base from which places all over the Indian Ocean could be reached.
The Portuguese finished the construction of Fort Jesus in Mombasa in 1593. From that time, Mombasa overtook Malindi in splendor and importance. Several traditional buildings of that era still exist in Malindi and are among the town’s tourist attractions. These include a mosque and a palace constructed right on the beach.
Malindi’s tropical beaches and waters, together with the Watamu and Malindi Marine Parks are the area’s main tourist attractions. The national marine parks were the first of their kind to be established in Africa, in 1968, and are a haven for divers and snorkelers. The coral gardens in the marine parks host plenty of multi-colored fishes that you can easily see in these coral kingdoms.
Gede ruins are yet another major tourist attraction in Malindi. The ruins are the remains of an abandoned 17th century small town. Since being declared a historic monument in 1927, a lot of excavation work in Gede ruins has been done, revealing a palace, ancient pillar tombs, and a great mosque.
Marafa depression, an extensive area northwest of Malindi, has a unique landscape made up of series of sandstone gorges and large gullies. There are several local myths about this area, which is also popularly known as Hell’s kitchen, or Nyari by the local community.
Malindi has earned a reputation as a gourmet’s haven, with the restaurants, coffeehouses, and hotels in Malindi providing a wide array of local and international cuisine. The town’s residents include the local Swahili people, plus a considerable number of investors of Italian descent. Together, the residents have ensured that Malindi remains one of the most welcoming and most friendly tourist destinations in the world. More than 50% of the Malindi population relies on tourism either directly or indirectly.
Weather at the East African Coast is generally hot and humid all the year round. In Malindi, the long rains fall from April to July, while October to November is the short rains season. Daily average temperatures range between 22 degrees and 30.5 degrees Celsius. For a tourist, the best time to go to Malindi is from December to April.
Getting to Malindi is quite easy both by road and air. Although some visitors fly directly to Malindi, the main gateway to the north coast is Mombasa. Malindi airport has daily scheduled flights to Mombasa, Nairobi and Lamu and it also serves Private Charters. There are regular buses and matatus along the North coast and most hotels and resorts in this area can arrange vehicle transfers.
