An old town and deserted beach
We added a trip to Kenya’s coastal island of Lamu at the last minute. While we had initially not planned to go to Lamu because of safety concerns, once we were in Kenya discussions with other travelers convinced us that the guidebook had overstated the danger. But in addition to describing the scurry issues Lonely Planet talked up the beauty and romance of Lamu. After we visited, it was clear the book had overstated that, too.
Lamu from the water
The Flight
The flight to and from Lamu was one of the highlights, even if it was nerve racking. The Safarilink plane was minuscule – by far the smallest commercial plane I’ve flown on. All bags (including carry ons) were weighed and distributed. The pilot was also our flight attendant, giving the pre-flight briefing by turning and shouting. There was no door, curtain, or other barrier between the pilots and us, making it feel like we were in the cockpit – viewing the instruments and panels as we flew.
All aboard!
While cool initially, by the end I thought the set up gave us a little too much information. We got to see all pilot activity that, while I’m sure is common, did not lead to confidence in our pilots: the pilot more concerned with viewing Facebook on his phone than the pre-flight checkup; the co-pilot dosing off during the flight; the pilots’ blindness in the clouds; and most troubling, the loud “TRAFFIC! TRAFFIC” alarm when an approaching plane got too close.
The plane that the computer thought was going to hit us… banking away a little too close.
The town
We were a bit shocked upon arrival to Lamu. The guidebook sold the town as being untouched by history, a way of seeing Zanzibar before it was commercialized. We found it to be very different from Zanzibar. Instead of a relaxed island atmosphere, Lamu town was bustling, its small car-less streets filled with people shopping and donkeys being rushed through at high speeds.
The streets of Lamu Town.
Playground in the middle of Lamu
Walking down a narrow street
A fisherman happy to show off his catch
Without cars, donkeys are the main form of assisted transport in Lamu. They are everywhere, as is their shit. We were stunned at go fast they were ridden through the streets, and yet never saw an accident. Both the island and town of Lamu are much smaller than their Zanzibar counterparts, and as a result the town – even beyond the tourist areas – felt crowded.
Loading up a donkey
People rode the donkeys everywhere, even on the beaches
Jami and a donkey
It was fascinating to see the combination of African, Arabian, and Indian influences in the town, which did feel stuck in a world a few centuries ago. Common Kenya dishes were combined with Indian curries at restaurants decorated in Arabian/Islamic arches and carvings. Lamu is nearly entirely Muslim, and nearly every local woman wore coverings over her head and body, with many opting for a veil over the face as well. Far more conservative than other Islamic cities I have visited, such as Istanbul, it was a shock and slightly uncomfortable to walk down streets with many pairs of eyes staring at you through swaths of black material. An eye-opener to how non-westerns must feel in our cities.
Mzungu women, with their uncovered faces and swimsuit straps showing, definitely stood out.
The most well-know aspect of Swahili culture in Lamu is the carved door. Many Lamu homes and businesses have extravagantly-carved wooden doors that are easy to miss, but spectacular once you start looking for them.
Door in Lamu
Door in Lamu
The only non-Muslim part of the town was its barracks for the federal police, who like the rest of Kenya are heavily Christian. A local “beach boy” slyly pointed it out for us at the edge of the town, noting that it has the best prices of beer in town (not that it had much competition).
The beach
The highlight of our stay in Lamu was the day-long dhow ride. Dhows are the ancient sailboats used up and down the East African coast. It was awesome to ride on them, seeing the locals use similar tactics as modern sailboats to tack back and forth to our destination. But instead of complicated pulleys and ropes, the dhow uses a simple but effective single mast and sail (and some elbow grease). The only disconcerting issue was that the dhow had to be continually bailed out.
Sailing on our Dhow
Just hanging out…
Just hanging out…
Our dhow ride was oversold as a fishing trip, but without the fishing it was still great. We “parked” on a nearby beach that was far more upscale and basically. deserted. South of Lamu Town, these beaches (such as Sheila Beach) were a world away from Lamu. While less chaotic, they lacked the old world charm, as most of the buildings were modern hotels or restaurants for tourists.
Boats on Sheila Beach
All in all, Lamu was a fascinating destination, but not the quiet or relaxation we were expecting.
The Lamu waterfront
Jami getting hena