Must Do Things in Mombasa, Kenya

The culturally and historically rich region of Mombasa is a must-see destination for travel lovers. Here, tourists can have a number of unique experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. a lifetime. Here are top 10 things that every traveler in Mombasa must do! 

• Learn about history

Insight into the social, political, religious, and economic histories of the British, Portuguese, and Arab settlers of the area can be gained from exploring the magnificent Old Town. Visitors can go shopping, sample the delectable cuisine, or take guided walking excursions to study the complex architecture. One can take a trip to Fort Jesus and see 16th Century Portuguese military architecture, or go to the Omani House to see the Omani and Swahili displays.

• Enjoy a beach holiday 

Mombasa has many stunning beaches, with white sands, lush greenery, and scenic views of the Indian Ocean. Tourists can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, picnics, diving, spa holidays, deep sea fishing, surfing, boat rides, mangrove walks, yoga, snorkeling, and beach games such as volleyball and football. Top beaches include Bamburi, Nyali, Diani and Gazi beach. Tourists can explore the stunning underwater world and find marine animals such as crabs, starfish, stone fish, sea urchins, and sea turtles, as well as the colorful and extraordinary coral reef. 

• Visit an amusement or water park

At Shanzu, tourists can go-karting, paintball, archery tag, ziplining, or a bike tour, and end the visit with delicious snacks or a proper meal at the restaurant. Mombasa marine national park is an amazing tourist spot as one can enjoy exciting activities such as windsurfing, water skiing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Wild Waters is a must-see park for tourists as they can enjoy water slides, and water sports. The food courts offer delicacies from all over the world, and one can visit the coffee shop. 

• Take a day trip to Tsavo east national park

Tourists can visit Tsavo East, one of the biggest and most beautiful national parks in Kenya. It features beautiful landforms like the Latta Plateau and the white water Lugard Falls. The park is home to a huge variety of animals, and more than 500 different species of birds. The park is famous for Tsavo lions, a population whose adult males often lack manes entirely. 

• Visit Mamba Village Centre

This is the largest crocodile farm in Africa, as it is home to over 1000 crocodiles. It is also home to Big Daddy, a large Crocodile that is over 100 years old and weighs around 800kgs! Here, tourists can also enjoy horseback rides, visit a botanical garden, or observe a great aquarium which has a wide variety of colorful fish and water plants.

• Visit a temple

Mombasa is home to several temples (mandirs) for its Hindu population. One can explore the temples with a guide, and can see artifacts, idols, and paintings. The Shree Kutch Satsang Temple is the oldest mandir of Swaminarayan Hinduism outside India. One can also go to the New Dwarika Dham Temple and visit the nearby vegetarian restaurant. 

• Enjoy Nature

Shimba hills is one of the largest coastal forests in East Africa, and is one of the top-rated spots for tourists. Rich in flora and fauna, it is home to animals such as the African elephant, Sable antelope, elephant shrew, bushy tailed mongoose and fruit bats. It is also excellent for bird watching as tourists can spot Spurfowl, Croaking Cisticola and Zanzibar Red Bishop. One can also go to Nguuni Nature sanctuary, home to stunning wildlife including giraffes, elands, oryx, and waterbucks, as well as beautiful birdlife. The wetlands have small lakes where tourists can enjoy bird watching, while the grassland offers scenic views of the greenery. 

• Feed the giraffes at Haller Park

Haller park is a nature park in Mombasa where tourists can enjoy watching animals such as zebras, hippos, waterbucks, giraffes, tortoises, bushpigs, elands, oryxes, cape buffalos, snakes, monkeys, antelopes, and crocodiles. It is also home to a variety of fish, birds, insects and plants. Tourists can enjoy the extraordinary experience of feeding the giraffes!