KenyaPlus — homeCulture and history
Narrow lanes between coral-stone houses: Lamu moves at its own unhurried pace, and that is exactly the point. Time slows down here.
KenyaPlus's own description. The facts below come from the sources shown.
Photo: Sila101 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Lamu Old Town, on Lamu island, is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Its buildings are made of coral stone and mangrove timber, along narrow streets, and the town has been continuously inhabited for over 700 years.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
The Lamu Cultural Festival is held for three days between November and December each year. The county also hosts the Maulid Festival, a Swahili food festival and a yoga festival.
Source: The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
Dates change each year — check before you book.
Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Culture and history
A 16th-century Portuguese fort and the old town beside it.
Where: Mombasa
Photo: LutzBruno · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Culture and history
A lost Swahili city of coral stone, swallowed by forest.
Where: Watamu · Malindi
Photo: Ruslik0 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Culture and history
A Portuguese explorer's landmark on the shore at Malindi.
Where: Malindi
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