Lamu, Kenya

View of Lamu town on Lamu Island, Kenya
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lamu,_Lamu_Island,_Kenya.jpg
Author: Erik (HASH) Hersman
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Lamu is a small town on the island of Lamu, which is part of Lamu Archipelago in Kenya. The archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean in the southeastern part of the country. Lamu town is a charming time-warped place where age-old tradition coexists with 21st century tourism. It is in fact Kenya's oldest continually inhabited town, and one of the original Swahili settlements on the eastern coast of Africa.

Lamu has been recorded to have existed since the 15th century. It was mentioned that ships of Zheng He's armada sank off the coast of Lamu Island in 1415, and evidence of this was proven by archaeological work recently carried out.

As with many coastal towns of Africa, Lamu survived on the slave trade in the 18th to early 20th century. Then it turned to other exports including ivory, mangrove timber, turtle shells, rhinoceros horns. However the construction of the Uganda Railroad in 1901 negatively impacted Lamu's economy, which rebounded only in recent times due to tourism.

Lamu Museum
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lamu_Museum.JPG
Author: Krg
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Donkey transport on Lamu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lamu_eseltransport.JPG
Author: Karl Ragnar Gjertsen
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Visiting Lamu

The island of Lamu is about 3 km (2 mi) from the port of Mokowe on mainland Kenya, and can be reached by ferry boat. The town is located on the northern shore of the island.

World Heritage Sites in Lamu

Lamu Old Town

Places of Interest in Lamu

Friday Mosque
The most striking landmark of Lamu, located in Shela village. It has an 18-m (59-ft) minaret climbed by a 58-step spiral staircase.br>
Harambee Avenue
The main street of Lamu town, lined with restaurants, shops and lodging houses.
Kipungani
Village on the southwestern coast of Lamu Island overlooking the channel. There is an upscale resort here, the Kipungani Explorer.
Lamu Donkey Clinic
Clinic established by the International Donkey Protection Trust to treat Lamu's working donkeys.
Lamu Fort
19th century fort that doubles as a community center and today includes the Environmental Museum.
Lamu Museum
Housed in the 1891 residence of the colonial governors, the museum displays artifacts related to local culture including traditional Swahili musical instruments, and provides an overview of the evolution of Lamu town.
Manga Island
Small island separated by a mile-wide channel from Lamu Island. Among the sights here include Takwa Ruins, the ruins of a Muslim village. Off the coast of Manga Island is Manda Toto, a small uninhabited coral island.
Matondoni
Small village on Lamu island reached on donkeyback with a cluster of brick and thatch village houses.
Peponi Hotel
The grandest hotel along Shela Beach.
Riyadha Mosque
The grandest mosque in Lamu, built in 1900 by Sharif Habib Salih. Pilgrims converge on it during the Maulidi Festival.
Shela Beach
The finest beach on Lamu. The snowwhite beach of Shela runs for 16 km (10 mi), offering splendid beach views of clear days.
Swahili House Museum
Museum occupying a restored 18th century house in Lamu town displaying period furnishing and deco.

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