Lamu
Swahili culture has changed little in the past few hundred years on the island of lamu. The only motorized vehicle on the island is owned by a government official, but plenty of donkey carts provide substitutes. Narrow, winding streets and a maze of alleyways add to the timeless atmosphere. Many travelers have compared lamu to a mini-katmandu.
The lamu museum has exhibits of swahili craftwork. Of the more than 30 mosques on lamu, only a few are open to visitors. The best beaches are at shela, a 45-minute walk or short boat ride from the town of lamu to the peponi beach hotel. Matondoni is a fishing village where dhows, fishing nets and traps are made. Numerous attractions also lie on nearby islands.
The best way to reach the island is to fly; day and overnight excursions from mombasa and malindi are available. The road from malindi is very rough and may be impassable in the rainy season.
Accommodation - first class: * peponi beach hotel, a pleasant beach resort, is located about one mile from the town °f lamu. All 25 rooms have facilities ensuite. * lamu palace hotel has air-conditioned rooms (50 beds) with ensuite facilities and is located 200 yards (200 m) from the jetty. Tourist class: * petley’s inn has been a landmark since the nineteenth century. The hotel has rustic atmosphere, and rooms with private facilities.