Kenya Beach Holidays
The Kenyan coast is a vibrant mix of unspoilt, white sandy beaches, colourful sea life and fascinating winding medieval streets. Further south, sea turtles and dolphins swim amongst the coral whilst lush rainforests, abundant with wildlife, are situated a little further inland. Tourism is relatively low key, populated by friendly small villages.

To the north of the region, there are a number of deserted beaches and several luxury resorts. This is a favourite area for divers, who enjoy exploring the wrecks hidden beneath the calm blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

Weather
The summer season for the Kenyan coast runs from December to March, with winter running from July to August. However, there is rarely any significant temperature fluctuation and you can normally expect temperatures around the low to mid 80s. However, regular sea breezes ensure pleasant, cool relief. There can be significant rainfall, usually experienced from March to May and November to December.By Day
Who couldn’t be tempted by watersports in such beautiful surroundings? Apart from the traditional snorkelling and diving, Kenya has embraced more modern pastimes including windsurfing, kite surfing and sea safaris, although most resorts offer their own activities, many focusing on the beach.By Night
Most hotels offer a wide variety of entertainment including local bands, discos, acrobatic shows and dancers.Top Attractions
• Lamu – Kenya’s oldest town, dating back to medieval times. Includes museum and donkey sanctuary
• Fort Jesus – now a museum, set in Mombasa town
• Gedi ruins – remains of an Arab-Swahili town
• Malindi Marine National Park – take a glass-bottomed boat out to the coral reef
• Kenya Falconry – set in Malindi. See birds of prey, tortoises and chimps
Events
Lamu Cultural Festival (1/11 – 30/11), Mombasa Carnival (1/11 – 30/11), Kenya Music Week (11/12 – 14/12, MTV Africa Music Awards (10/10)Local Flavours
As you may expect, fish, fruit and vegetables all play a large part in Kenyan cuisine. Spicy stews and slow roasted meat are also a speciality of the region, as is ugali, a stiff porridge which is broken off and used to soak up juices. For those who aren’t keen on indulging in traditional fare, however, there are of course a range of chain takeaways and restaurants spread throughout the region.History
A regular haunt of Arab visitors since the first century AD, the Kenyan coast attracted both Arabs and Persians, who had established settlements here by the eighth century AD, building up an impressive trading industry. However, the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, swiftly followed by Oman and then British missionaries meant that the administration of Kenya was to change hands several times over the next three hundred years. The British Empire took over direct rule in 1895, which signalled the beginning of the construction of the Ugandan Railway, running from Mombasa to Kisumu. On December 12, 1963 Kenya became an independent nation.Size & Location
A series of bays interspersed with headlands, Mombasa is the largest town in the region, second in size only to Nairobi. Covering 82, 816 sq km, the region is well equipped with usable roads, due in part to the importance of Mombasa’s commercial centre. Population of the area is around 2.5 million people.