Can you imagine a more idyllic spot?

Nestled along the beach in Lamu, new buildings were springing up, probably for hotels.  Whitewashed, the buildings had intricate Swahili details, reflecting the island’s Africa and Islamic heritage.  Although it’s not always good when tourism brings expats to an island, tourism and Lamu seem to be good bedfellows.  In fact, the increasing interest in renovating homes on Lamu has reinvigorated the woodcarving trade.  A few years ago it was difficult to find someone to carve doors in the traditional style.  Today nearly every renovated beach house and hotel has traditionally carved wooden doors- you can see them in this picture.

As you can see the water is fantastically blue, but unfortunately rather warm as well.  It was a bit like soaking in a salty bathtub!  Despite it’s gorgeous beaches, Lamu’s real attraction is it’s culture.  A mix of Islamic, Africa and Arabian cultures, the island is a beautiful example of globalism.  We enjoyed talking with the locals and hearing a bit of their stories, many families have been on the island for hundreds of years.

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It would be hard not to choose Lamu if you are looking for an idyllic beach destination with some cultural activities.  Although we took the bus there, it was a long and bumpy ride from Mombassa and you’ll probably be better off with the flight.  We spent several days on the island, soaking in the exotic yet comfortable feel.  I think Lamu competes with any of the Mediterranean vacation spots such as Majorca holidays.