Sally Intercontinental Travel Ltd. (S. I. Travel)
Tel/Fax:(+44) 020-8-451 6817 Tel: (+44) 020-8-451 0777
Website:http:// www.sitravel.cwc.net- -Email:  s.i.travel@cwc.net
Retail Agent for ATOL Holders ;No. 2866/1275 ABTA /IATA Holders 

KENYA  NORTH COAST HOTELS  &(DIVING)

---

The Kenyan Coast

---



ARRIVING IN MOMBASA

You can arrive at Mombasa from Nairobi on the night train, by car or fly from city.

For getting to the coast, the train journey between Nairobi and Mombasa is one of the highlights of Kenyan travel: you should try and make at least one journey between the capital and the coast with Kenya Railways. The early (all stations) train allows more time to gaze out of the windows by daylight: from Nairobi you will see the Nairobi National Park and the game on the Athi Plains: from Mombasa, the steep climb from jungly coast to arid semi desert.

Arriving by car or bus, you will cover 500 kilometers of beautiful terrain. Buses to Mombasa are considerably cheaper than the train and services go by day as well as night.

By air, the flight is approximately an hour long, and you arrive some 12 kilometers from the city center at Moi International Airport on the mainland.

MOMBASA

Mombasa holds a sense of community that other major cities lack, and is physically tropical in a way that could hardly be more different from Nairobi ? the capital. Mombasa is the slightly indolent hub of the coast ? a faded, flaking, charming city that still, despite its gentle sprawl, feels like a small town that is also great. Mombasa, Kenyaís second largest city, is a tropical center par excellence: steamy, lazy but ready, at any moment to burst into colourful life. All around there are superb beaches.

Mombasa is actually an island and is connected to the mainland to the west by causeways, to the north by a bridge and to the south, by a ferry. It is intricate and its streets wriggle deceptively. At its most appealing heart is Old Town, a maze of lanes, mosques and cramped elderly houses sloping gently down to the once busy dhow harbour. Fort Jesus, an impressive reminder of Mombasaís complicated bloody past still overlooks the Old Town, from where it once guarded the harbour entrance. It is now a national monument and museum.

                                               

Within easy walking distance and cluttered all around the town, is the twentieth-century Mombasa: wide streets, refreshing lack of high ? risers, and a surprising number of open spaces. Even here, in the commercial center of one of Africaís busiest ports, the atmosphere is relaxed and congenial. Rush hours, urgency and paranoia seem to be the capitalís problems, not Mombasaís. And the gaping, marginal slums that one expects to find outside African cities hardly exist here.

Along Moi Avenue are the famous immortal double pair of elephant tusks: these adding great character to the main street of the town.

Ethnicaly, Mombasa is perhaps even more diverse than Nairobi. Asian and Arab influence is particularly persuasive, with fifty mosques and dozens of Hindu and Sikh temples lending a strongly oriental flavour. Still, the largest contigent speak Swahili as a first language and it is the Swahili civilization that, more than anything accounts for Mombasaís distinctive character. For up country settlers, Mombasa and the coast have long represented "sea level and sanity" ? a holiday break from grind of making a living in the Highlands.

As a tourist town, Mombasa doesnít go out of its way: indeed, its best quality is its lack of presentation. It is principally a port and increasingly an industrial city with a major oil refinery and a cement factory.

You may not be able to resist the lure of the beaches for long, but the seedily romantic port city deserves time unless you are in a big hurry: there are few places in the country with such a strong sense of identity.

Principal resort areas are Diani Beach, the stretch of coast north of Mombasa from Nyali to Mtwapa: Watamu and Malindi. The rest is virtually untouched. These areas of the coast represent little more than sun, sand and sea.

Most obviously, the beaches are the backdrop for one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world, rated in the top three (with Australiaís Barrier Reef and the Red Sea) by experienced divers. With even the most limited equipment, easily hired almost anywhere, you can, corny as it sounds, enter another world. The most spectacular sections are far to the south of Wasini Island and, north, between Watamu and Malindi, each enclosed in marine national parks.

A string of islands ? Wasini, Funzi, Chale, Mombasa itself, Lamu, Manda, Pate, Kiwaiyu runs up the coast, all of them worth visiting and some required destinations. The entire coast is littered with ruins of forts, mosques, tombs and even whole towns.

Arab architechture has a major influence on the coast and youíll especially feel it in the north around Lamu, an idyllic island setting which should definitely be visited.

Flights are also available to Malindi and Lamu.

With its long tropical beaches and dramatic wildlife parks, Kenya has an exotic tourist image. Justifiably, for this is one of the most beautiful lands in Africa and a satisfying exciting and relatively easy place to travel ? whether on a short holiday or an extended stay.
                    


---


Language
Kenyaís main languages are Kiswahili and English. English tends to be predominant in the urban areas: higher education and Parliament get by almost exclusively by it, and the media use it heavily.

               One word you will probably hear everywhere is: "Jambo", meaning, Hello!!

Lodgings

Mombasa offers a variety of lodgings depending on the price bracket, and the hotels in the coast tend to be good value for money. Cheaper lodgings are usually located in the town center, whilst for a higher price bracket you will generally get a good hotel on the beachfront.

Eating, drinking, nightlife
Mombasa is well supplied with a variety of restaurants: ranging from very exclusive to the more reasonable ones. The cityís chief delights are cuisine involving fish, coconut, chicken, rice and beans, incorporating spicy Asian flavours.

There are also several restaurants that serve international cuisine.

As you stroll around the beautiful town, you will find several corner cafes, hole-in-wall juice bars and confectionery shops.

Also highly characteristic of Mombasa are the Indian pan shops, often doubling as tobacconists and corner shops. A "pan" is a mildly narcotic desert, chewed and sucked but not swallowed, consisting of your choice of sweet spices, chopped nuts and vegetable matter, syrup and white lime, all wrapped in a hot-sweet, dark green betel leaf. It tastes exotic!

Bars are located all over town: however, as the tourist hotels are outside the towns so are the flashiest discos. Several hotels have live bands playing with dance shows: this drawing a large crowd.

If you donít want to join the throngs at the clubs, walking with a local Person after dark is generally safe in the Old Town and along the main roads. Around the Old Town, you will still come across coffee sellers selling their thick black "kahawa" from traditional high spouted jugs.

Shopping
Mombasa is also a cheap place to buy the fabrics the coast is famous for. Check out the latest "kanga" designs in Biashara Street. Some of the home-produced patterns are so good they are beginning to make an impact worldwide!

Biashara street also houses shops selling household goods, bags, mats, baskets and several other locally made items.

Strolling on Moi Avenue, you will see the more expensive boutiques, electrical shops, shoe shops, bookshops and tour operator offices.

Old Town is devoted to gift and curio shops, and the emporiums are over-whelmingly luxuriant in their display.

Further along the north is Bombolulu: a visit to this cultural center is a must, where physically disabled people are employed to create exquisite works of African art and furniture.

Weather
The weather pattern is that January and February are hot and dry, while from March to May it is hot and wet (the long rains). From June till October the climate is warm and dry, while from November to December Mombasa experiences the "short rains".

The main tourist seasons tie in with the rainfall patterns: the most popular periods are December and January and July and August.

July and August are probably the best months overall for game ? viewing. October to January are the months with the clearest seas for goggling ? especially November.

The rainy seasons should not deter travel unduly: the rains come only in short afternoon or evening cloudbursts. The land is strikingly green and fresh, even if the skies are cloudy. There are bonuses too: in the lack of tourists, hotels and car hire prices are reduced.
 


---


Deep Sea Fishing

Kenya's coast attracts a large number of international tourists who enter in Deep Sea Fishing contests, hosted by local and international organizations. Reef Hotels can make available the equipment and expertise for enthusiasts who are interested in this sport.

Diani is ideal for the fisherman who just wants to do one or two days of fishing for 4 hours each. Shimoni and Pemba are the places for big game fishing and are the proud owners of many world record catches. Marlin, sailfish, barracuda, and tuna (depending on the season) are just some of the fish to be caught.

45 minutes south of Diani you can find the Shimba Hills National Reserve, whereby you get a glimpse of some wildlife e.g. leopards, elephants, antelopes, buffaloes, birds and plain game. It is also the home of the almost extinct sable antelope; this species breeds only in this region.

Heading further south towards Shimoni lies a wonderful spot for dolphin spotting on an island that provides good vantage points overlooking the dolphins playgrounds: a place where dolphins meet people and dreams become reality!

 

Manta Reef Lodge, Pemba Island and Shimoni Reef Lodge have some of the finest snorkeling possibilities along the East African Coast. All of this combined with a possible safari make it an excellent combination - both outstanding and unique.
 
 

More information on Mombasa can be obtained from:

The Mombasa Coast Tourist Association
P. O. BOX 995996, Mombasa, Kenya.
Tel: 254- 11- 225428
Located near the tusks on Moi Avenue.
Open Monday to Friday, 8am ? noon, 2-4.30pm: Sat 8am ? noon.
E-mail: mcta@africaonline.co.ke

---

Click here for the SOUTH COAST HOTELS

2.

3. Club Sun n' Sand  5***** (DIVING)
 

Location: In a delightful secluded setting on Kikambala beach, 17 miles north of Mombasa and approximately one hour's drive from airport.

Accommodation: 285 air conditioned rooms in swahili style buildings. Standard rooms have one double and one single bed, bath, shower, balcony or terrace and overlook the gardens and pool. Deluxe rooms are as standard only larger and have a fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and face the sea.

Facilities: Club Sun n' Sand has a choice of restaurants and bars, 3 swimming pools and various sporting facilities ( see what's included' ). Other water sports such as scuba diving and glass bottom boat trips can be arranged locally at extra charge. There are two shops, a hairdresser and a shuttle bus service to Mombasa.

Opinion: A deservedly popular hotel on a beautiful stretch of beach. Club sun n' sand is a great choice for those who enjoy a variety of activities in a relaxed and informational atmosphere.
 

Location: 30 miles north of Mombasa in 40 acres of tropically landscaped gardens, the Mnarani Club is perched on a cliff on the south side of Kilifi with its own small sandy beach on the creek estuary.
Approximately 45 minutes drive from the airport.

Accommodation: 84 simple yet attractive, air conditioned rooms, each with telephone, tea and coffee making facilities, bath or shower and balcony or terrace. Garden rooms are in bungalows overlooking the gardens. Creek rooms are in one and two storey buildings, are larger, furnished to a higher standard and all with bath. They face towards the creek out to the Indian Ocean.

Facilities: The restaurant, bar, television lounge and small shop are in the main thatched pavilion which also houses the reception area. The principle feature of the hotel is the stunning free- form pool with views of the creek out towards the Indian Ocean. There is a beach bar on the beach which is reached by a steep flight of steps., and a PADI dive centre. Big game fishing can also be arranged at extra charge. Occasional evening entertainment is held.

Opinion; A charming first class hotel with a friendly, sophisticated atmosphere- an ideal getaway for the discerning traveller. Children under 16 are not permitted.
                                                    

Location: On a fine attractive beach at Nyali, 4 miles North of Mombasa and 30 minutes from the airport.

Accommodation: 212 rooms, air- conditioned, with balcony or patio, telephone, mini bar and en suite bathrooms. Garden wing rooms are in the original part of te hotel. Palm wing are larger and nearer the beach.

Facilities: L'Ornagerie main restaurants fir Half Board guests. Also the Mvita Grill and Le Bistro (at these two, half board guests receive a credit towards their meal.) There are five bars including Parrots Beach Bar and the style of a classic English pub, Harry's bar. There is an ice cream parlour, pool side pizzeria and a selection of boutiques. For a small local charge, guests may use the hotels shuttle bus to Mombasa town. Golf is available at the nearby Nyali Golf course, with green fees payable locally. There is also a nightclub and casino. There are two pools, a children's pool, flood lit tennis courts, snooker room and a massage and beauty parlour. A comprehensive water sports centre provides FREE use of wind surfers, canoes, and Mini sail sailing dinghies. Regular evening entertainment includes live bands and dancing and casino.

Opinion: Probably the best known hotel on the Kenya coast, retaining much of its old world charm, while offering modern facilities in delightful surroundings.

Prices are based on Half Board.

 
  SILVER STAR HOTEL 2*  Mombasa, Kenya -

Location: A palm fringed cove at Nyali, approx. 4 miles north of Mombasa.

Accommodation: 120 air -conditioned rooms with twin beds, balcony or patio, and en-suite shower with wc. The two wings of the hotel from a horseshoe, enclosing pleasant shady gardens. Most rooms look towards the sea.

Facilities: Pool deck overlooking the beach, pool side bar and grill, main restaurants, bar , a selection of water sports and indoor games, 2 floodlit tennis courts, a small gym and a boutique. There is regular evening entertainment and the"Starion Night -club". The hotels and gardens are raised above the beach on a small cliff, and access to the pool and beach is by private steps.

Opinion: Well managed, in a convenient location with good standards throughout (not suitable for those with walking difficulties).
 

Location: On Bamburi Beach, 8 miles north of Mombasa and 30 minutes from the airport.

Accommodation: 286 spacious rooms, each with a Queen Size bed and one single bed. All are air-conditioned, with en-suite bathroom & wc, telephone, TV and balcony or patio.

Facilities: Two main restaurants for half board meals, one for each wing of the hotel; an Italian Pizzeria and coffee shop, "La Pergola", "the Sher E Punjab Indian Restaurant, The Bahari Grill and the Suli Suli seafood Restaurant offer a wide choice of meals on an a la carte basis; bars range from the informal beach bar to the night club, including the Msafari Bar, open 24 hrs. There is variety of sports - on land and water - including windsurfing, sailing, tennis, squash, and scuba diving. The hotel also boasts a fitness and beauty centre which includes a gymnasium, sauna, massage, Jacuzzi and hair salon. There is regular evening entertainment.

Opinion: A well run medium class hotel: consistently popular, with a pleasant, relaxed, atmosphere and good facilities in a convenient location. 

7.  TURTLE BAY BEACH CLUB --5*(DIVING)

Location:  In 10 acres of grounds in watamu National Martine Park, with a glorious stretch of sandy beach. Turtle Bay is 75 miles north of Mombasa -transfers take approximately an hour and a half.

Accommodation: 150 rooms with air conditioning, bath, shower, balcony or terrace. Standard rooms are in the original wing of the hotel and over look the gardens. Superior rooms are slightly smaller but newer, and set in cottages throughout the grounds. Ocean front rooms are furnished to a higher standard and are situated in a two storey building close to the beach.

Facilities:Main restaurant serving buffet style meals and an a la carte restaurant, choice of bars, snack and barbecue area. Sporting facilities include tennis, bicycles and various water sport. Unguided and guided snorkelling trips can be arranged locally marine park entrance fees apply, currently USD6 per person per day.  Please Note: that between the months May & September snorkelling may not be possible due to strong trade winds and seaweed on the beach and inside the reef, there is also a hairdressing, shopping area and beauty parlour.

Opinion:  A member of odyssey resorts International.Turtle bay beach beach club offers something for everyone, whether it's a lazy holiday soaking up the sun or action packed days joining the many varied included activities!
 

Location: On Bamburi Beach in 22 acres of grounds, 8 miles north of Mombasa and 30 minutes from the airport..

Accommodation: 340 sea or pool facing rooms, most with twin beds, all with en-suite bathrooms, individually controlled air- conditioning, telephone, safe and balcony or patio. Deluxe rooms are larger, have a mini- bar, satellite TV and overlook the Presidential pool.Standard rooms overlook the grounds toward the pool.

Facilities: Standing in 22 acres of well tended gardens, the hotel has 3 free-form form swimming pools and a children's pool, games room, 4 floodlit tennis courts, a gym and a wide selection of water sports including jet ski, windsurfing and catamaran sailing. Scuba diving may also be arranged from the hotel. There are 5 bars and 4 restaurants including the Pavilions main restaurant where Half Board guest take Breakfast and Dinner. Other restaurants include Minazi and the Lido Grill. Regular evening entertainment include local dancers, acrobats and live music, while night owls can enjoy the Rhythms Night-club and Disco.

Opinion: A spacious well managed hotel offering high standards of service and comfort in delightful surroundings. The all Inclusive option is great value!

Child Reduction: 20%.

Location: Situated in lush tropical grounds on the sandy beach at Shanzu, 12 miles north of Mombasa town and 45 Minutes drive from the airport.

Accommodation: 166 rooms, all with bath, shower, air conditioning, mini bar, telephone and balcony or patio. Village rooms are in Lamu style houses and make up an original part of the hotel. Garden rooms are newer, more spacious and have TV. Suites, which are also suitable for families, are available on request.

Facilities: A choice of restaurants and bars, including a swim -up pool bar and complimentary tea and coffee are served throughout the day. In addition to the main swimming pool, their is a children's pool, and FREE water sports include windsurfing (excluding instruction) and an introductory scuba lesson. Snorkelling, Glass bottom boat trips and scuba diving courses can also be arranged from the hotel. The hotel also has a shop, fitness centre, squash and tennis courts, and operates a regular shuttle bus service into Mombassa town. Regular evening entertainment includes local music and dancing.

Opinion: part of the prestigious Serena Hotel group, the attractive Serena beach is probably the best hotel along the beach -it's traditional architecture, beautiful gardens & superb Kenyan hospitality make it highly recommended. 

Amboseli Safari (3 nights)

high standards and the opportunity to view a wide variety of game

Taita Hills (1 night), Amboseli (1 night), Tsavo West (1 night)

Day 1 Morning departure for Hilton Lick Safari Lodge.Have lunch before your afternoon game drive in Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.

Day 2 After breakfast drive via Emali to Amboseli, arriving in time for lunch at the Amboseli Serena Lodge (see picture page 110). Afternoon game drive with the chance to see some of Kenya's largest elephant herds. This evening enjoy a special bush dinner followed by overnight at the Amboseli Serena Lodge.

Day 3 Early morning game drive before returning to the Serena for breakfast. Continue to Kilaguni in Tsavo West National Park, arriving in time for lunch. Afternoon game drive followed by dinner and overnight at Kilaguni Serena Lodge

Day 4 Return to Mombasa, with game viewing en route out of Tsavo West National Park.