KenyaPlus — homeCulture and history
A simple white pillar on the shore marks one of the great voyages of the age of exploration. Pair it with Malindi's marine park and the Gedi ruins nearby.
KenyaPlus's own description. The facts below come from the sources shown.
Photo: Ruslik0 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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The National Museums of Kenya says the pillar was erected by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 1498 or 1499. It was gazetted as a national monument in 1935 and is managed by the National Museums of Kenya.
Source: The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) · checked 17 Oct 2026
The pillar is reported to be Malindi's most visited heritage site.
Source: The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) · checked 17 Oct 2026
Malindi is in Kilifi County, near the mouth of the Sabaki River, roughly 120 km north-east of Mombasa.
Source: The Eastleigh Voice (opens in a new tab) · checked 17 Oct 2026
Photo: N Beenay · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Coast and sea
Kenya's oldest marine parks at Watamu and Malindi.
Where: Watamu · Malindi · Diani Beach
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: Sila101 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · original
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Culture and history
East Africa's best-preserved Swahili town, with no rush at all.
Where: Lamu
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
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