TRAVEL KENYA'S NORTH COAST: MALINDI
FUN FACTS ABOUT MALINDI TOWN AND WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT.
So, last Christmas holiday like everybody else I took a trip out of town to spend time with family and friends. I decided to visit Malindi a small but popular town in Kenya’s coast to be with my sister since she wasn’t travelling home for the holidays. Much to my surprise I was amazed by the beauty of this quaint little town. For starters it’s not like any of the other coastal towns I have visited before such as Mombasa, Kilifi and Diani. So I decided to find out more and here’s what I learned:
Beginnings
Like the origin of most coastal towns in Kenya, Malindi
was founded by Arab merchants around 13th Century. This, as
always gave rise to the Swahili culture and settlement as we know it today (intermarriage
between Arabs and Africans) in Malindi.
With the opening up of this region through trade, lots
of explorers started streaming in from overseas the most prominent ones being
the Portuguese, the Chinese and Europeans.
The arrival of the renown vasco da gama in the 15thCentury
to sign a trade agreement with the leader (by then called Sultan) of malindi began
a friendly relationship with the Portuguese leading to its growth as a Centre
of Portuguese influence at the coast. They built a Monument to mark this treaty
(the vasco da gama pillar). During this period the ivory and slave trade was
booming and it continued for 3 centuries. Slavery was later abolished in 1873. This
however only lasted until the 18th Century when they lost control of
the town due to declining business. To which they transferred their
headquarters to Mombasa Town after the construction of Fort Jesus leaving the
Galla people to take control of Malindi town.
Malindi was re-established by the Sultan of
Zanzibar in the 19th century free of slave trade. It later developed
into a tourist Centre in the 20th century with the arrival of
European travelers who were vacationing. Today Malindi’s greatest tourist
population is the Italians a vast majority of whom have settled.
Enough of the History lesson, so what’s fun about
this town?
A) The city outlook
As an old town, Malindi retains
much of its initial infrastructure most notable is its narrow winding streets with many
shops. A walk through the town in the evening on these narrow streets is very refreshing.
 |
| narrow streets Malindi |
B) The historical attractions
Though a small town Malindi is rich in historical and cultural heritage left behind from the centuries of external civilization and influences. Be sure to visit the Vasco Da Gama memorial pillar, Malindi museum to explore the culture and history of the coastal people, Gede ruins-a 12th century Swahili town that was mysteriously abandoned in the 16th century and never resettled, there is a 15th century Portuguese chapel that is still in use today. Additionally there are the pillar tombs believed to have been built as burial grounds for Portuguese settlers, most exciting you can also see an original bowl from the Chinese Ming Dynasty.
Though a small town Malindi is rich in historical and cultural heritage left behind from the centuries of external civilization and influences. Be sure to visit the Vasco Da Gama memorial pillar, Malindi museum to explore the culture and history of the coastal people, Gede ruins-a 12th century Swahili town that was mysteriously abandoned in the 16th century and never resettled, there is a 15th century Portuguese chapel that is still in use today. Additionally there are the pillar tombs believed to have been built as burial grounds for Portuguese settlers, most exciting you can also see an original bowl from the Chinese Ming Dynasty.
Another interesting feature is
hell’s kitchen known among the locals as nyari (sacred depression).A hot
sandstone canyon. The name comes from the high temperatures for which it is
famous, consequently no tours are taken during the day.
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| Gedi ruins |
C) The beaches
Who doesn’t like a relaxing walk on the beach or a nice cool dip in the heat of the sun? Well, Malindi doesn’t disappoint. A popular weekend relaxation spot is the pier; the water is not very clear on this side due to the silt deposits from R. Galana making the water to appear brown and sand to look like it has gold specks. However this is no reason not to take a dive and have fun.
(sorry for video quality 😉😉)
Who doesn’t like a relaxing walk on the beach or a nice cool dip in the heat of the sun? Well, Malindi doesn’t disappoint. A popular weekend relaxation spot is the pier; the water is not very clear on this side due to the silt deposits from R. Galana making the water to appear brown and sand to look like it has gold specks. However this is no reason not to take a dive and have fun.
(sorry for video quality 😉😉)
D) The
marine park
Is a favored site with tourists vising Malindi offering lots of water sports and marine life attraction. A definite gem for marine life enthusiasts.
Is a favored site with tourists vising Malindi offering lots of water sports and marine life attraction. A definite gem for marine life enthusiasts.
E) Serenity
Malindi is a nice place for those looking to have a second home.
Malindi is a nice place for those looking to have a second home.
Do you like to get away from the
busy everyday life on occasion? the serene environment of the affluent neighborhoods located along the beach in the suburbs of this quaint town are the perfect spot to get a holiday home.
F) The culture
The vibrant culture of this place is as exciting as it gets with a mix of Swahili, Italian and African.
The vibrant culture of this place is as exciting as it gets with a mix of Swahili, Italian and African.
Due to the European and Italian
influences on the town, it has some of the best fine dining restaurants in the
region such as La griglia restaurant, casino Malindi. Lush villas and fancy
discos are also a common occurrence.
Photo courtesy of @karennikiwe
Have you traveled to the kenyan coast, tell us your experiences in the comments section below.To like,share or both hit the like button👇!!
Love Muchly,
Liz😍😍
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