Malindi town, located 120km north of Mombasa is one of the most popular tourist destinations along the East African coastline. Malindi has a 155km coastline that boasts idyllic beaches offering panoramic views of the Indian Ocean. The extensive beaches are a paradise of sun and sand and are fringed with towering palm trees that sway tirelessly as if to portray the unending fun that abounds in the Kenyan coastal town.
The town of Malindi was founded in the 13th Century by Arab traders as the principal commerce center along the Indian Ocean. Agriculture, fishing, salt collection, and hunting were the main economic activities at that time. By 1498, the year Vasco da Gama arrived in Malindi, the town had already grown into a wealthy kingdom with Arabs as the rulers. Other Malindi residents included the Africans and a few Indians. The area's favorable monsoon winds made Malindi a vital port town in East Africa, from which to reach other places in the Indian Ocean.
When the Portuguese built Fort Jesus in Mombasa in 1593, Mombasa overcame Malindi in splendor and importance. Today, many traditional buildings of that era are still some of the tourist attractions in Malindi. They include a mosque and a palace built right on the beach.
Tourist attractions in Malindi mainly relate to the tropical water and beaches and the Watamu and Malindi Marine Park. These national parks were established in 1968 and are the first of their kind in Africa; offering an ideal day trip for divers and snorkellers alike. The coral gardens present in the Watamu and Marine parks abound in multi-coloured fishes that can be seen ducking in and out of the coral kingdoms.
Another major tourist attraction in Malindi are the Gede ruins, which are the remains of an abandoned 17th century town. In 1927, the ruins were declared historic monuments, leading to a lot of excavation activities that eventually revealed a great mosque, a palace, and pillar tombs in this ancient town.
Northwest of Malindi is the Marafa Depression, locally known as Nyari and popularly known as Hell's Kitchen. Nyari is an extensive series of sandstone gorges and sheer gullies- a unique landscape that has become part of local folklore.
Malindi town is renown as a haven for lovers of gourmet dishes with its restaurants, hotels, coffeehouses and other eating places offering a wide range of cuisines ranging from local flavors to international cuisines. The area residents mainly comprise of the local Swahili people and a number of Italians investors who have transformed the town into a reputable tourist destination. Their friendliness and welcoming attitude among others is a charm that cannot be rivaled in any other tourist destination the world over. More than half of the local population thrive directly or indirectly from tourism.
The East Africa coast generally has a hot and humid weather all the year round. From April to July, Malindi experiences the long rains, while the short rains fall from October to November. Mean Daily temperatures range between 22 degrees and 30.5 degrees Celsius. The best months to visit Malindi are from December to April.
Visitors to Malindi can get there easily both by road and by air. Mombasa is the main gateway to Malindi in the north coast, with several buses and matatus operating the Mombasa to Malindi route. Many airlines in Kenya operate daily scheduled flights to Malindi from Nairobi, Mombasa, or Lamu. Malindi airport also serves many chartered flights. Most tourist resorts and hotels in Malindi do also organize vehicle transfers for visitors.
Article Source: http://www.alltopinfo.com
Andrew Muigai is the Managing Director of Africapoint.com, an online travel agency that provides reservation services for Hotels in Mombasa and Malindi and Flights from Kenya among other Africa travel services.
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