Mombasa Kenya
9
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Emerald Waterways (1 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
At the Kilindini port terminal on the western side of the island, three or four kilometres from the old heart of the city. Allow about fifteen minutes by taxi or shuttle: both wait at disembarkation.
The citadel and the old town combine easily into a half-day on foot, with a local guide optional. Fort Jesus first, then the lanes of the old town through to Government Square. It is the densest and safest plan for a port call.
A fortress built between 1593 and 1596 on the orders of Philip II, guarding the entrance to the old harbour for more than four centuries. Its coral walls, laid out on Italian Renaissance principles, saw Portuguese, Omani and British forces pass through repeated sieges.
Yes, UNESCO inscribed it as an outstanding witness to the exchanges, and the confrontations, between Africa, Arabia and Europe. Inside, a museum displays ceramics, cannon and objects recovered from wrecks along the coast.
A maze of lanes where history shows on every threshold: massive wooden doors studded with copper, ornate balconies overhanging the street, facades weathered by salt air. Mbarak Hinawy Street leads 250 metres to Government Square, the old administrative centre opening onto the old harbour.
Wear clothing covering shoulders and knees to move comfortably through this old, largely Muslim quarter. It is a matter of respect as much as comfort, and it changes the quality of the welcome you receive.
Spiced coffee, kikoy cloth and carved wooden chests. In the markets, mangoes, pineapples and mountains of spices: cardamom for tea, cloves from the coast, ground blends for Friday pilau. Vendors are happy to explain how each is used.
Bargaining is part of the conversation and nobody takes offence: approach it with a smile. Bring small notes. The Kenyan shilling is the local currency.
Swahili cooking is as much to taste as to see: fragrant biryanis, fish grilled with coconut, ginger tea served in small eateries. That culture was born from the meeting of the African coast with traders from Arabia and Persia, and so was the Swahili language.
The morning. The humid heat rewards an early start and a bottle of water within reach. From the ramparts of Fort Jesus, the view then drops onto turquoise water where dhows lie at anchor, the wooden sailing craft that still link the coast to Zanzibar and Arabia.
