Places to visit in Mombasa

Places to visit in Mombasa : Mombasa has a flat landscape typical of a seaside town. Mombasa is a town that is mostly located on Mombasa Island but also reaches the mainland. Two creeks, Port Reitz in the south and Tudor Creek in the north, divide the island from the mainland.

Mombasa is situated on Mombasa Island and extends to the neighbouring continental shorelines. Kilindini Harbour and Tudor Creek are the two creeks that divide the island from the mainland. The Kenya-Uganda Railway runs alongside the Makupa Causeway, which connects it to the mainland to the west, the Likoni Ferry to the south, and the Nyali Bridge to the north. By connecting them to the ocean, the port benefits both Kenya and the interior nations. The northwest suburb of the mainland known as Chaani is home to Moi International Airport, which serves the city.

Mombasa Island

Kizingo: This is regarded as Mombasa’s premier residential district. Kizingo is home to the Mombasa State House, Provincial Headquarters, Mombasa Law Courts, and Municipal Council. In addition, Kizingo is home to the Government Training Institute (GTI) Mombasa, the Aga Khan Academy, Aga Khan High School, Serani Primary School, Serani High School, Santokben Nursery School, Coast Academy, Jaffery Academy, Mombasa Primary School, Loreto Convent, and Mama Ngina Girls’ High School.

Mombasa’s core business sector is close to Moi Avenue, Nyerere Avenue, and the TSS building roundabout. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and companies like banks (ABSA, I&M Ltd, Bank of India Ltd), insurance companies (Nomura Insurance Brokers, Masumali Meghji Insurance), and auditing firms (Anant Bhatt LLP, Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, Mazars LLP, Deloitte LLP, and PKF LLP) are situated here.

Kibokoni: An Old Town neighbourhood with Swahili-style buildings.

Baghani is home to Fort Jesus.

Englani: Between Kibokoni and Makadara, in the Old Town.

Kuze: An area of Old Town with architecture and culture from Swahili. Formerly thriving with Swahili people but now developing into a more global community.

Makadara: An region of Old Town where many descendants of former Baluchi troops who lived there before it became a town now reside. The name comes from the Arabic phrase “Qadru r-Rahman,” which translates to “Decree of (God) the Merciful.” Mostly a middle-class residential area.

 Ganjoni is also home to the second-largest dry dock in Africa, behind the one in South Africa.

Tudor: Another neighbourhood featuring homes and stores for the middle class. This neighbourhood is where the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) is located.

North Coast

The New Nyali Bridge connects Nyali, which is on the mainland north of the island and is likewise regarded as a premier and upscale residential neighbourhood. The “North Coast” region, where it is located, is home to various beachfront hotels. The upscale Old Nyali and the up-and-coming New Nyali are the two separate parts of Nyali. Nyali presently serves as a self-contained residential area for many residents, complete with two Nakumatts, a multiplex theatre, retail centres, banks, schools, and post offices. Residents no longer frequently need to cross the bridge to enter the congested Mombasa city centre because of this. The Nyali Cinemax complex, Mamba Village, Nyali Golf Club, and some of the most esteemed educational institutions in the Coast Province are all located in Nyali.

An estimated 106,180 people live in the 15 villages and two sub-locations that make up the heavily populated region of Kongowea. The majority of the population of the multicultural city of Kongowea is made up of migrants from the mainland who came to the area in search of work, particularly in the service and manufacturing industries. A percentage of the villagers work in the affluent neighbourhood of Nyali, which is close by. They are primarily employed as low-cost watchmen, gardeners, masons, and domestic helpers for new homes. The most well-known communities in Kongowea are Kisumu Ndogo, Shauri Yako, and Mnazi Mmoja. Despite being in a desirable location, many inhabitants endure harsh living circumstances, including inadequate sanitation, a high crime rate, and a lack of basic necessities like schools, clinics, and tap water.

Along the Malindi route, a distant township called Bamburi is reachable in fifteen minutes by car. The largest cement plant in East Africa, Bamburi Cement Factory, is located there. The Jomo Kenyatta public beach, often known as Pirates, and Haller Park, which has a nature walk and a wildlife conservatory, are further noteworthy landmarks in the region. Around 100,000 people live at Kiembeni Estate, which is also in the Bamburi region. The estate contains its own grocery store, a variety of retail stores, salons, and boutiques, as well as a number of establishments with alcohol licences. The Shilla Bar, Turkey Base, Stars Garden, and Sensera pub are among the places. Possibly Mombasa’s largest estate, Kiembeni is expanding even more quickly. Other areas include Shanzu, Mkomani, Bombolulu, Kisauni, and the well-known Mtwapa neighbourhood, which is already situated in Kilifi county but across the Mtwapa Creek.

The North Coast boasts a thriving entertainment sector that draws both locals and visitors.

South Coast

A ferry connects Mombasa Island to the lower-class and lower-income area of Likoni. Its majority Swahili and non-Swahili Bantu tribes are located south of Mombasa Island. The 1997 Likoni Riots were directed towards the ferry. By handling the majority of foot traffic and freeing up the ferries to handle vehicle and cargo traffic between Mombasa Island and the South Coast, the Liwatoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge was created and designed to relieve pressure on the Likoni ferry crossing.

Diani Beach is a beach resort area on Mombasa’s south coast, located over the Likoni Ferry. It is a popular resort for both domestic and foreign visitors and is situated about 36 kilometres (22 miles) south of Mombasa city on the continental coast. For travellers flying directly from Nairobi Wilson or any other airports and airfields in the nation, Diani Beach has an airport in the village of Ukunda.

Mombasa Mainland

Magongo is a remote township on the Nairobi Highway, about 20 minutes by car northwest of Mombasa Island. There are no functional water, sewage, or electrical services in this outlying community, and there is a general lack of infrastructure. The Mikindani Township continues to struggle with poverty, poor sanitation, and unemployment, all of which have resulted in poor health and safety standards for its citizens. There is a lot of substandard housing, from two-story, straightforward stone buildings to mud and earth houses with corrugated iron roofs. Due to a shortage of economic opportunities and industry, a large portion of the community works outside of the township, on Mombasa Island itself. Numerous small businesses, shops, and a few public primary schools are present. One particular school, Nazarene Primary, is well renowned for having a rotating volunteer teaching base from Western, primarily English-speaking countries. Between the city and Moi International Airport lies this tiny village. Additionally, the Akamba Handicraft Cooperative is based in Magongo. An outlying community on the mainland, Mikindani is located along the Nairobi Highway. It was constructed in Changamwe’s heavily industrialised areas and primarily houses the working class who either work in the industries, the island’s town centre, or the port at Kilindini harbour. Miritini is a remote settlement along the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway that is first developing as a suburban community.

The Kenya Oil Refinery Company facility, Chaani housing development, and the Kipevu power generation plants are all located in Changamwe, an industrial region that serves as the entrance to Moi International Airport. The district office and the chiefs who support the administrative division have administrative offices nearby. East of the Airport Road and east of the Kenya Port Authority are two adjacent estates known as Migadini and Chaani. Port Reitz, Magongo, and KPA border them.

A beach, oil refineries, housing developments, and other amenities may be found in the mainland suburb of Port Reitz. Port Reitz is home to both the Moi International Airport and the Port Reitz District Hospital.

Kenya’s coastline tourism is concentrated at Mombasa. Though a lot of people travel to the Old Town and Fort Jesus, Mombasa Island itself is not a major tourist destination. North of the city are the beaches of Nyali, Bamburi, and Shanzu. South of Mombasa are the beaches at Shelly, Tiwi, and Diani. These beaches have a number of luxurious hotels, while the more affordable ones are farther away.

The northern shoreline of Mombasa is renowned for its thriving 24-hour entertainment options, which include activities for the whole family (water parks, movie theatres, bowling, etc.) sporting activities (water sports, mountain biking, and go-karting), culinary options (restaurants serving a variety of specialties from Kenya, China, Japan, India, Italy, Germany, and other countries), and nightlife (bars, pubs, clubs, discothèques, etc.)

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