The Coast of Kenya

Fridtjof on Diani Beach, just south of Mombasa

Two weeks ago - in the middle of Kenya's bloodiest month in years with several blasts on buses and in markets - we decided to go to the coast of Kenya for a little "well-deserved" beach vacation (#yolo). No but we had already booked the tickets, and made sure we traveled by road as little as possible, and stayed away from big gatherings of people, places of worship, markets, etc. This meant that we didn't get to see any of the 'real' Mombasa, which is Kenya's second largest city with a huge port that has served as a historic trading centre. Instead, we got to spend some time on the beach, which really wasn't all that bad (it was just like being on any beach in "syden"!).

The Indian Ocean

 The first stop on our itinerary was Kilifi, a small city on the coast just a bit north of Mombasa. We had been recommended this place by some friends who had been there and loved it, because it is a bit more quiet and not as touristy as some of the other places, like Nyali and Malindi. We stayed at a very hippie eco-lodge there, with no flushing toilets, outdoor bamboo showers, various crops around on the compound, and very basic, but 'cozy' accomodation.

The dorms. We were always a bit afraid it would rain in, as the walls didn't seem too water-resistent.

The shower 'facilities'

But of course, they did have a pool AND wi-fi

After a few days in what seemed like an eternity in the wilderness (the lodge was located far away from everything, except the village we had to pass through to get there), we decided to continue down the coast to Diani, a typical tourist destination, with plenty of resorts and a several miles long white, beach. We checked in at Diani Backpackers, which was less remote and only a stone's throw from the ocean.

 

 

 

Found this guy chilling on the beach

Diani was really nice, but it was low season when we were there, so a lot of the shops were closed, and we basically had the whole beach to ourselves - which was nice, but also a bit creepy... On top of that the British had evacuated a couple of hundred tourists from the area the week before we arrived, and the Germans evacuated all their interns while we were there, so the streets seemed even more empty than a scene from the Walking Dead.

Enjoying the view from our very own 'Lion King' rocks

Sunset with Tanzania and Kilimanjaro in the distance

All in all it was a relaxing get-away from the bustling noise of the city, although we were all glad to get back in one piece. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend anyone to go to the coast of Kenya!