The Kenyan coast, with its natural white sands, coral reefs, beautiful fish and warm ocean waters is a Paradise to behold. Its people have a rich historical culture and are very friendly. Some of the highlights that you would expect to see are the south and north coast beaches, Malindi and Watamu, Lamu town and the famous Tsavo National Park and Reserve. If i only had two places to tour, i would visit Malindi and The Tsavo National Park.
1. Malindi is located on the Northern side of Mombasa. To reach there, you can use public transport, tour operators shuttle buses or you can fly directly into the Malindi Airport. It is a hospitable place, the residents are warm, friendly and welcoming. It’s history goes beyond the arrival of Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese sailor in 1498. Prior to the Portuguese invasion, it had been occupied by Chinese and Arab traders. The Europeans invaded the town later on in the century. These mix of cultures brought with them a wide range of food recipe and cuisine, which has since been blended with the local flavors.
Among the most notable tourist attractions in this town are; Watamu Beach – The white sand beaches and the coral reef along the Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve are touted to be one of the best in the world, making beach tourism the top foreign exchange earner in this town. Malindi Museum – The building was bought from the Bohra community by the government in 2004. It is intended to showcase the history and the cultural dynamism of these multi-ethnic town. Takwa Ruins – This was originally a Swahili trading town, started in the 15th century and abandoned 200 years later due to constant attacks of the people who lived there by the residents of Pate Islands. Arabuko-Sokoke Forest – A really tiny piece of natural forest on the Kenyan coast covering 420 square kilometers. This forest is rich in flora and fauna and is specially known for its butterfly, bird and mammal population.
2. Tsavo National Park is the largest and one of the oldest park in Kenya with a total area of 22,000 square kilometers. Its proximity to the coast makes it easy to access from both mombasa and Nairobi. The park is located 200 kilometers south of Nairobi on your way to Mombasa. The Mombasa-Nairobi highway divides it into two parts namely, Tsavo East and Tsavo West. The popularity of this park begun during the construction of the Kenya – Uganda railway in 1898. During this period, the man-eating lions killed about 135 railway workers.
Today, this park is famous for its large variety of wildlife found within the area. The big cats such as the leopards, cheetah and the lion are easily spotted hunting for their prey. A long the Mzima springs and in the Crocodile camp situated in Tsavo East, large crocodiles are seen basking on the sun. This is the only place in the world where you can see the red elephants. There are about 11,600 red elephants recorded in this area. The elephants are not born red, it is the red volcanic soil that permanently coat their skin red.
The Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary located in Tsavo East is a haven for spotting the black rhinos. This sanctuary was built to protect the rhino population from poaching. Other animals commonly seen in this park include the giraffe, zebra, buffalo, yellow baboon, hyena, warthog, jackal, mongoose, kudu, and the hippo. This is also a birds paradise. In fact over 500 birds have been recorded here. There are other immigrant bird species seen in this area between November and December.
Tsavo National Park consists of semi arid grassland, savannah, scrub land, rocky outcrops, plains, rivers, lakes, fall and craters. Within this park, the Athi and Tsavo rivers converge to form the Galana river. These rivers provide sufficient water for wildlife.
