17 must-try experiences in – and on the way to – Mombasa
Mombasa – you have blown my tiny little mind!
Mombasa is closer than you think…
I recently flew to the coast – with a few hours stopover in Nairobi. Here are the muzungu’s 17 recommendations on how to fly, where to stay, what to eat, and more!
1. Fly Jambojet to Mombasa via Nairobi
Our journey to the coast started with an early morning flight (and an even earlier Uber) from Entebbe to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Nairobi courtesy of Jambojet, who now fly twice daily seven days a week between the two East African capitals.
The best way to book flights is online (TIP: book well in advance for the best prices). Scroll down to the bottom of this blog for more information on Jambojet’s flight schedule and contact details.
Early morning check-in at Entebbe International Airport
Jambojet fly twice daily – seven days a week – between Entebbe and Nairobi
All set for take-off! Ugandan bloggers @MumaKeith and @Oleebranch
I’m always delighted when I learn the captain of our plane is a woman 🙂
“Above the clouds, the sun is always shining”
Time for one last update before the plane leaves the tarmac at Entebbe…
THUMBS UP! At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, a heat sensor automatically scans all incoming passengers for Ebola and Marburg Virus
We passed a day sightseeing in Nairobi, Kenya. (Jambojet has five flights a day from Nairobi to Mombasa so if you just want the beach, simply hop on the next flight). Other coast resorts served by Jambojet are Malindi and Ukunda (Diani).
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2. Eat breakfast at Four Points by Sheraton, a hotel that overlooks both the JKIA runway and Nairobi National Park
Breakfast time found us on the outdoor terrace of the Marketplace restaurant of Four Points by Sheraton, a high-class hotel in a unique location.
Smart, charming – and excellent coffee. Meet the barista at the Marketplace Restaurant at Four Points JKIA, Nairobi
Very snazzy interiors! The Marketplace Restaurant, Four Points Nairobi
Four Points by Sheraton incorporates many innovative design features: the vertical ‘vegetation wall’ in the business lounge has to be seen to believed.
Reception, Four Points JKIA by Sheraton
See the runway from your room!
The open-air swimming pool looks into the park. (Didn’t I tell you it was unique?)
The Tazama Rooftop Restaurant at Four Points JKIA is a funky urban space / beach bar by an open-air swimming pool
Whether you are a safari goer or a plane spotter, you’ll love staying at Four Points JKIA. (Rooms are soundproofed so you aren’t disturbed by the planes). I could imagine staying here for business meetings between flights. The hotel caters for tourists, walk-in guests and corporates. A traditional king room is $200 a night.
Tel +254 (0)709760/000 or +254 (0)20 642 4000. Visit the Four Points JKIA web site for more info.
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3. Take a safari game drive in Nairobi National Park!
Nairobi is the only African city where you can go on a game drive. Here’s my blog about my first safari in Nairobi National Park.
All the colours of the rainbow – a pair of Little Beeeaters, Nairobi National Park
It was fun to be able to fit in a morning game drive before our early evening Jambojet flight to Mombasa.
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4. Eat lunch at ROAST by Carnivore in Karen
Hard to believe I was a vegetarian for so many years! Lunch was a big meaty feast at ROAST by Carnivore, at The Hub Mall in Karen. ROAST is little sister to Nairobi’s famous Carnivore ‘game meat’ restaurant.
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5. Hop on the flight to Mombasa
Woo hoo! THE COAST is calling me! We took the evening flight from JKIA to Mombasa’s Moi International Airport.
Small, but noisy! Tuk tuks driving on a street off Haile Selassie Avenue, Mombasa
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6. Soak up the nautical theme at Voyager Beach Resort, Nyali, north coast Mombasa
Morning sun shines through the palm trees at Voyager Beach Resort, Nyali, Mombasa North Coast
As we entered the gates of Voyager Beach Resort, Nyali Beach, north coast Mombasa, the escari raised his trumpet to sound a fanfare to welcome us on board. The resort’s fun nautical style is apparent throughout: rooms are known as cabins, floors are decks and the staff dress in naval uniforms. The theme continues as the Voyager ‘docks in a new port’ every day, meaning the resort takes on the menus – and more – of the new destination. One day the Voyager docked in Mexico; another day we docked in Mombasa for Swahili breakfast and dinner. Local fabrics adorn the dining room to complete the look.
Cheers from Voyager Beach Resort, Nyali Beach, Mombasa where the barman made me a cocktail to match the colours of my dress! How’s that for cute?
Voyager Beach Resort is the ideal location for all-inclusive family holidays on the coast. (It’s the kind of place I LOVED as a kid!) Think kids’ activities, yoga classes, live music, theme nights, family shows, activities for teenagers, watersports centre, gym, three swimming pools, tennis courts and four bars. One night we watched the brilliant Mombasa Roots play live as the ‘Activation Team’ (resort staff dressed in yellow T-shirts with a big letter A on them) got guests moving and a grooving on the dancefloor – (there was some classic Dad Dancing on display too!) Voyager is a mixed crowd of Kenyans and other Africans, Europeans and a few Americans. There’s a super relaxed vibe.
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7. Contemplate the colours (and your morals) at the Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple
A technicolor start to our morning. Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, Haile Selassie Avenue, Mombasa Island
What a way to start our day… gazing at the gorgeous colours of the temple’s painted walls and doors put me in a fantastic mood. Take a closer look and many of the images are rather scary: dire predictions about how thieves, drinkers and even meat eaters will be ravaged in hell. (These graphic warnings did not put us off enjoying everything that Mombasa had to offer us however!)
The temple is on the main road. There’s no charge to enter (and no guide) but it’s a cracker. If you admire temples, there is another one within walking distance.
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8. Stop for a selfie with ‘Pembe za ndovu’ Mombasa’s giant elephant tusks
“Are those tusks from a real elephant?” Asked my 8-year-old nephew. Diary of a Muzungu at ‘Pembe za ndovu’ Mombasa’s giant elephant tusks
Pembe za ndovu is the Swahili name for Mombasa’s famous elephant tusks that form a M shape across Moi Avenue. Selfies here are the classic “look at me, I’m in Mombasa” shot.
According to my Uber driver, Mombasa’s tusks (thin sheets of metal) were erected in 1956 by a European. He got the date right. The European was Princess Margaret of Great Britain who visited that year. Does the M stand for Margaret or for Mombasa?
Mind the traffic while posing for your selfie – Moi Avenue is a busy road.
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9. Taste local snacks on Mama Ngina Drive
At the madafu (coconut water) stand on Mama Ngina Drive with @MumaKeith. Trying local foods is one of my favourite parts of traveling
Mama Ngina Drive is famous for the freshly fried kachri ya muhogo cassava crisps and chilli washed down by madafu coconut water – the perfect combo!
Watching the cassava crisps being freshly fried on Mama Ngina Drive. We visited mid-week. It’s very busy here at weekends
You can pick up tourist souvenirs and trinkets on Mama Ngina Drive. (I doubt you should buy the seashells and many countries won’t allow you to take them through customs). This makes thought-provoking reading: You might want to think twice before buying a seashell souvenir.
I’d avoid the rather dilapidated toilets in the Mama Ngina heritage building if you can. (The blue and white building looks like a lighthouse). The place is clean enough for the mere 10k KES entry but toilet doors don’t seem to lock.
From Mama Ngina Drive, you can watch the non-stop flow of human traffic embarking and disembarking the Likoni Ferry that connects north and south coast Mombasa. As we watched the tens of thousands of people pass by, you might imagine they are running to catch an Underground train in London or the Metro in Paris.
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10. Pretend to be a commuter: take the Likoni Ferry
Panoramic view on board Likoni Ferry, Mombasa, with @oleebranch
The July weather had us running down the slope in the rain to catch the ferry from Mama Ngina Drive across to Likoni. Pedestrians travel for free; cars, tuk tuks, and heavy lorries pay a small fee. Men on bicycles ship jerry cans; women carry bundles of produce for the market; small trucks are loaded with goats.
“Beware pickpockets” reads the sign!
As soon as the Likoni Ferry fills up, it sets off for the other side of the creek. The journey lasts just a few minutes but gave us a chance to look upstream to the Port of Mombasa and downstream to the Indian Ocean. The Likoni Ferry may not be on every tourist’s itinerary but it does give you an insight into the everyday lives of the people of Mombasa.
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11. Step into 500 years of history with a guided tour of Fort Jesus
Despite numerous trips to – or should I say through – Mombasa, this was my first time to visit Fort Jesus. Entry fees to Fort Jesus are 400 KES (local price) or 1200 KES (muzungu price!) plus guide fee, which is negotiable.
Schoolkids running past the cannons at the entry to Fort Jesus
At Fort Jesus we met up with Jamila Hassan El-Jabry of the award-winning Life in Mombasa blog. With us are Ugandan bloggers @MumaKeith and @Oleebranch. PHOTO @NdeithiHeritage
Our guide Dunga recounted the history of Fort Jesus. In 1498, Vasco de Gama – with a Christian cross emblazoned on his sail – first passed the Kenyan coast en route to India. In 1593, the Portuguese invaded and built Fort Jesus as a military garrison.
Click on this photo to read more about Fort Jesus on the National Museums of Kenya web site
Keith looks across to English Point, the promontary of land on the edge of Mombasa Harbour
Beyond the heavy cannons, the Fort Jesus’ small museum records the history of conquests and sieges by the Portuguese, Arabs, Omanis and British. On display are pottery, old stamp collections and beautiful artefacts from Persia, Oman and China. The Omani Museum showcases modern displays in an ancient building. I wish I’d paid more attention. (Next time I’ll leave my camera behind and just take my notebook…)
Life in Mombasa blogger Jamila has written extensively about Fort Jesus
The areas open to the public are small enough to make Fort Jesus an easy trip of half a day or less. Visit early morning when it is not too hot. Afterwards, drink some fresh tamarind juice under one of the ancient trees on the main road.
Mombasa is a melting pot of African, Arab and European influences. Nowhere is this more evident than in Fort Jesus.
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12. Explore the Old Town of Mombasa on foot
The Old Town of Mombasa is an interesting mix of narrow streets and Swahili architecture. Hire a local guide to scratch below the surface of this UNESCO-listed city. I adored the antiques and knick-knacks in the Gallery Shop, one of many curio shops. I could have spent all afternoon browsing!
More a gallery than a shop, I adored everything I saw there! AJ Gallery is a few metres from Forodhani Restaurant
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13. Enjoy the ocean breeze at Forodhani Restaurant
Forodhani’s quiet location is five minutes’ walk from Fort Jesus, next to the Old Port, with a panoramic view of the Indian Ocean and English Point, a small promontory of land on the north coast opposite Fort Jesus.
Mutton biryani, tamarind juice and the almost obligatory kachumbari (chopped tomato and onion salad). Forodhani Restaurant, Old Town Mombasa
Beyond its setting, the restaurant is nothing special to look at, some plastic tables and chairs, no table decoration. Since I was in a Muslim city, I decided to try a mutton biryani; it came in a spicy tomato sauce with plenty of meat. I also ate a delicious lamb kofta sausage. According to my Kenyan travel companions, the standards were not as good as before. Service was average and staff attention was minimal but lunch was pretty affordable (and the restaurant worth visiting simply for the view and the cool breeze!)
Across the water is English Point Marina, a state of the art luxury development that looks across to Fort Jesus.
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14. Chill on a sunset dhow cruise and dine at La Marina Restaurant, Mtwapa
A dhow before dinner…
Our sunset cruise along the inland waterways of Mtwapa Creek left from the jetty at La Marina, where our enthusiastic hostess Alice took our dinner orders and organised my preferred tipple of Kenya Cane rum for our cruise boat’s bar. The leisurely cruise was a calming tonic after our day exploring the city of Mombasa. Our small group had the whole creek to ourselves that night. Oh the starlit sky!
Pretty by day, romantic by night…
The candlelit, open air palm tree terrace at La Marina Restaurant is a romantic setting on the edge of the creek. (I feel relaxed just remembering that night). Dinner was exquisite: calamari in a creamy sauce for me, followed by grilled suli suli Kingfish. Other seafood options were octopus, sushi, baked oysters, king prawns and grilled lobster. I’ve always loved seafood (even more now that I live in land-locked Uganda and visits to the coast are such a treat!)
La Marina Restaurant is a short drive north from Nyali. Call +254 (0)723 223737 for bookings. For the full romance, watch the sun going down aboard a traditional Arab dhow.
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15. Feed the giraffes and crocodiles and meet a 200 year old tortoise at Haller Park
During Mombasa’s hot months, there’s no place I’d rather be than here underneath the trees. What a gift Haller Park is!
Haller Park deserves several entries in this list of things to do in Mombasa as there are so many activities you can take part in, from physical exercise to animal feeding to educational tours.
Be there at 11 o’clock or 3 o’clock to take part in the giraffe feeding. Crocodiles also get a little snack every day at 4.40 pm. (They have their main feed of 10 kg of meat just once a month).
Watching the kids at giraffe feeding time was even funnier than watching the giraffes!
Opportunistic monkeys sit beneath the giraffes waiting to catch discarded pellets
There were shrieks from our group as we passed through the reptile enclosure. Many of the snakes had been rescued from local homes. I don’t mind snakes but felt rather nervous when the Puff Adder eyeballed me. That snake has a mean reputation!
You realise you are in a rather unusual place as soon as you see the giant tortoises extend their heavy necks for a scratch. It’s tempting to want to ride one, but isn’t that heavy shell enough of a burden? Haller Park’s tortoises are believed to be between 150 and 200 years old
The tiny legs of the giant millipede are very ticklish!
During the 1950s, the Haller Park site was a Bamburi Cement quarry. Thanks to the vision of a certain Dr Haller, the barren quarry site was reclaimed for the environment: it is now a popular location for biking and running the nature trails, and school trips, thanks to Lafarge Eco Systems (a subsidiary of Bamburi Cement).
Halima from Lafarge Eco Systems took us on a super tour of Haller Park
Haller Park opened to the public in 1984. The transformation from barren site to lush woodland is phenomenal and gives me hope for the future.
Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to meet Owen the hippo and Mzee, his giant tortoise buddy! When Owen was stranded after a tsunami, he was rescued by Kenyan villagers. To everyone’s amazement, the orphan hippo and Mzee, a 130-yr-old tortoise, became inseparable. Photos of their friendship made them worldwide celebrities. Their friendship has spawned a web site, a book and even a Broadway musical.
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16. Admire the multi-coloured starfish on a glass-bottomed boat ride and snorkelling adventure
I never knew starfish came in so many colours! Orange, red, blue, brown and grey were clearly visible as our boat motored along the coast.
No starfish were harmed during the production of this blog … meaning all starfish were returned to the sea…
Glass-bottomed boats depart from Nyali Beach below Voyager Resort
Low tide on the reef at Nyali Beach
A big ASANTE to Cynthia and Ndeithi for organising our amazing trip
The highlight of our afternoon was anchoring in shallow water and walking to an exposed sandy ledge of the reef to explore the crevices of the rock pools for sea urchins, starfish and shellfish.
Kenya Wildlife Service manages the country’s protected areas. In addition to the cost of the boat ride, you’ll need to pay the Mombasa Marine National Park entry fee if you want to snorkel.
Snorkeling, scuba-diving lessons, big-game fishing, windsurfing and canoeing and dhow safaris can all be arranged from Voyager Resort.
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17. Taste Nyali nightlife!
First stop: a cocktail at one of Voyager Resort’s four bars. Make mine a Margarita please!
Next stop Tapas Cielo lounge bar for a Johnnie Walker /DJ night. Eddy Kenzo and Sauti Sol videos made a perfect night of it at Anuba Lounge.
Cocktails at Anuba Lounge, Nyali, Mombasa
I wish I’d stayed longer in Nyali. I get the feeling that Mombasans are very like Ugandans – they’re easy going and love to party!
More about Voyager Beach Resort, Nyali Beach, Mombasa
We were so caught up in sightseeing in Mombasa, I’m not sure I did the Voyager’s facilities justice. It’s the perfect base for family holidays, with an extensive programme of activities, sports, entertainment, shows and tours for all ages. However, research for this blog forced me to sample the bars – at least!
The Lookout Bar, above Nyali Beach, Voyager Resort
My favourite was the Lookout Bar (above the beach) and the small Harbour Bar near the restaurant. Go find Raymond – he’s an award-winning cocktail maker!
Voyager caters to many tastes: European, Indian, African and more. While most meals are served buffet-style in the main restaurant, Voyager’s Minestrone Restaurant has an Italian à la carte menu (included in the all-inclusive price).
The Smugglers’ Cove restaurant is hidden in a coral cave! The food was superb (and Voyager residents get a 20% discount there).
Whole grilled lobster. Our seafood experience at the high-end Smugglers’ Cove restaurant was exceptional
Welcome Voyager Charlotte 🙂
One of Voyager’s three swimming pools
The balcony of my deluxe room looked onto gardens of palm trees, just 50 metres from the beach. It was perfect. The room had aircon, TV (did I even switch it on?), fridge, a good size safe, a powerful shower and plenty of complimentary toiletries. Voyager has 234 cabins, of various styles, each with its own balcony.
Click here to read more about Voyager Resort or call +254 (0)202136984 or email [email protected]
More about Jambojet
“Share that bad feeling with this bag” – well our flights were so smooth, this was surplus to requirement!
I flew from Entebbe to Nairobi and on to Mombasa with Jambojet. Book flights online and enjoy some superb prices aboard brand-new planes. Jambojet’s prices are the most affordable around. If you’ve flown between Kampala and Nairobi and wondered “why on earth is it so expensive?” Try Jambojet instead. If you’ve ever taken the bus between Kampala and Nairobi and longed for an easier option, you now have it.
Did you know you can fly twice daily to Nairobi from Entebbe from just $106? If you book early enough, you can do a round trip for under $250 (including taxes). Flight time from Entebbe to Nairobi is 55 minutes. Compare this to ten hours or more on the bus!
I’ll definitely be flying Jambojet on my next trip to Kenya
Jambojet offers cheap flights between Entebbe and Nairobi (if you book in advance!) Here are their daily flight schedules between Entebbe and Nairobi:
Morning flights
Nairobi (NBO) to Entebbe (EBB) departs 09.10 arrives 10.30. (Flight no. JM8520).
Entebbe (EBB) to Nairobi (NBO) departs 11.00 arrives 12.20. (Flight no. JM8521).
Evening flights
Nairobi (NBO) to Entebbe (EBB) departs 17.30 arrives 18.50. (Flight no. JM8524).
Entebbe (EBB) to Nairobi (NBO) departs 19.20 arrives 20.40. (Flight no. JM8525).
Jambojet is a ‘no frills’ provider, meaning you pay for any drinks or eats you consume on board
Want to chill on the coast?
Jambojet can fly you to Mombasa, Malindi or Ukunda (for Diani) from Nairobi for rates starting from $42 one way. (Again, book early at www.jambojet.com for the best deals).
You can also book tickets at Jambojet offices or by contacting:
Uganda sales +256 706 534 545 [email protected]
Kenya sales +254 (0)711024545 / 0734104545 / 020 3274545 [email protected]
Are you looking for cheap flights from Entebbe to Nairobi?
Sign up to Jambojet’s free e-newsletter for a chance to win a return air ticket to Nairobi!
Follow Jambojet on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.
Jambojet is a low-cost airline that operates from Nairobi to Entebbe and to Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi, Ukunda (Diani) and Wajir. In 2016, it set a regional record by handling over two million customers in less than two years of operation.
Thanks to everyone who made this amazing trip happen! Visit the Diary of a Muzungu Facebook page to see more photos from Mombasa.
#TugendeVoyager #TugendeKenya #JambojetHolidays #JambojetInUganda
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