Lamu is Kenya’s oldest living town and is located just south of the Equator. It is found on Lamu island and was one of the original Swahili settlements along the coast of Eastern Africa.
Lamu was founded in the fourteenth century, and has numerous examples of Swahili architecture, and is also described on the UNESCO World Heritage List as “the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa” and is thus protected.
Lamu Island has been a port of call for traders for centuries and was also on the main Arabian trading routes. It has a dark and tortured past as it was once a centre for the slave trade (until its abolition). Lamu’s population as a result is largely Muslim and ethnically diverse.
It is still a port and its waterfront is busy and bustling with dhows. The streets of Lamu town are very narrow and cool and the people laid back. Due to the narrowness of the streets, cars, lorries etc are not allowed. Donkeys are the main form of transport and bicycles are used too.
The streets are enclosed by unique stone townhouses which date back to the early 18th Century.They have heavy carved, wooden front doors that have iron studs, with inner courtyards that offer much needed shade. The doors are very elaborate as they indicate the owner’s status and wealth.
Lamu is not really a tourist area so you won’t find many souvenir shops and most shops are geared towards the local inhabitants. One of the best beaches is about a 30 minute walk north of the town and is called Shela Beach and has a lovely white sandy beach and clear turquoise sea.
Lamu offers accommodation to suit all pockets. Transport by road to Lamu is fairly safe although it is becoming less so as time goes on. It is however long and very tiring as the roads are not great. The journey from Mombasa takes about seven hours and includes the boat ride to Lamu Island. Flights are also readily available.
You won’t find the latest conveniences here,except at the hotels and it does sometimes feels like you’ve been transported back in time. But it’s history, charm, and hospitality, when combined with all the natural beauty of its tropical setting, make Lamu a wonderful and welcoming place, well worth a visit.
Once a center for the slave trade, the population of Lamu is ethnically diverse. Lamu was on the main Arabian trading routes, and as a result, the population is largely Muslim. Due to the narrowness of the streets, automobiles are not allowed – the city is easily explored by foot, bicycle, or, as many locals favour, donkey.
There are several museums, including the Lamu Museum, home to the island’s ceremonial horn (called siwa); other museums are dedicated to Swahili culture and to the local postal service. Notable buildings in Lamu town include:
- Lamu Fort: Fumo Madi ibn Abi Bakr, the Sultan of Pate, started to build the fort on the seafront, to protect members of his unpopular government. He died in 1809, before the first storey of the fort was completed. The fort was completed by the early 1820s.
- Mnarani Mosque
- Riyadha Mosque: Habib Salih, a Sharif with family connections to the Hadramaut, Yemen, settled on Lamu in the 1880s, and became a highly respected religious teacher. Habib Salih had great success gathering students around him and in 1900 the Riyadha Mosque was built. He introduced Habshi Maulidi, where his students sang verse passages accompanied by tambourines. After his death in 1935 his sons continued the Madrassa, which became one of the most prestigious centers for Islamic Studies in East Africa. The Mosque is the centre for the Maulidi Festival, which are held every year during the last week of the month of the Prophet´s birth. During this festival pilgrims from Sudan, Congo, Uganda, Zanzibar and Tanzania join the locals to sing the praise of Mohammad.
- Donkey Sanctuary: Since the island has no motorised vehicles, transportation and other heavy work is done with the help of donkeys. There are some 2000-3000 working donkeys on the island. Dr. Elisabeth Svendsen of the The Donkey Sanctuary in England first visited Lamu in 1985. Worried by the conditions for the donkeys, the Sanctuary was opened in 1987. The Sanctuary provides treatment to all donkeys free of charge.