Surrounded by a string of idyllic beaches, Malindi is a laid-back town on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast. It famously hosted Vasco da Gama's fleet in 1498 after he was turned away from Mombasa and has since become a popular tourist resort thanks to its sun-drenched lifestyle and marine park.

Things to do

Begin your visit at the whitewashed pillar marking the spot where Vasco da Gama came ashore, then see the oldest Portuguese chapel in East Africa, built by Vasco de Gama himself. You can learn about the Mijikenda tribes that inhabit the region at the Malindi Museum Society, which is also home to a rare coelacanth that was discovered in the nearby waters.

If you want to explore the Malindi Marine National Park, there are several scuba dive stores in town where you can hire equipment and join boat-based dive trips, most of which also offer snorkelling excursions. Surfing is also possible north of the Eden Roc between May and October, together with kitesurfing when the wind conditions are right.

After something more leisurely? Spend a day lazing on the white sandy beach that stretches to the north of Malindi’s pier or stroll amidst the orchids and Spanish moss in the Hanging Gardens. A short drive south takes you to the picturesque fishing village of Watamu and the Gede Ruins, the remains of a once-influential Swahili-Arab trade settlement.

Getting around

Just five minutes’ drive from the town centre, Malindi Airport is a convenient gateway and has regular flights to Nairobi, Mombasa and Lamu. Moi International Airport is around 2.5 hours away in Mombasa. Buses travel through Malindi on the highway that connects Mombasa and Lamu while tuk-tuks and boda-bodas (motorcycle taxis) are the main means of getting around town.