kemo
Senior Member
- Dec 21, 2016
- 186
- 212
Kenya is no doubt a beautiful country endowed with breathtaking and magical scenery. In my years of growing up, I had an opportunity to extensively tour different parts of Kenya and witness a couple of natural wonders and unparalled beauty. I spent a good part of my earlier years in Kenya’s capital Nairobi and only heard about Mombasa until late junior school when the chance finally presented itself for me to visit and have a first-hand account of what the city had to offer.
Mombasa is located in the South Eastern Part of Kenya bordering the Indian Ocean and is a city of different faces. As Kenya’s second largest city, the city hosts a major seaport, international airport and a wide variety of tourist attractions.
As you can expect, just like others who had been here before me, Mombasa city was spectacular; I instantly fell in love. The few days I had to spend with my classmates on my first trip here were never enough; there were so many places to go, so much exciting things to do….. I was reluctant to leave but I had to. On my subsequent trips, I came to truly appreciate the rich Mombasa culture and appealing weather.
As they say, life always has unexpected turns; Though I wished to live in Mombasa one day, I never knew this city was going to my home in the years to come. Let me be frank, I don’t regret being here; whether you’re coming to Mombasa city for the first time or you’re a frequent traveler, there’s always something new and exciting to do.
Over the years, the city has experienced major transformations save for the hot and humid weather that has always been here; if you are afraid of hot and humid climates, you’ll need a lot of adjusting. Below is a summary of Mombasa City and its neighborhoods; I have also included some of the most breathtaking photos.
Mombasa CBD
Navigating around Mombasa city may be difficult for visitors; First, most of the smaller streets and alleys are unmarked and getting around can be extremely confusing. Good news is that there are plenty of rickshaws (tuktuks) practically everywhere you look around; you just need flag one down and tell the driver where you are going (fare is typically a single dollar or 100 Kenyan shillings) within the city; at times fare is as low as 50 Kenyan shillings if your destination is nearby and along the same street. If you’re going out of the city, discuss and agree on a price first before setting off.
Moi Avenue is famously known for the giant elephant tusks. Here, we call them “mapembeni” or “pembe mbili”. Moi Avenue is also known for numerous eateries, tour firms, shopping stalls, car dealers, banks etc and runs all the way to “Docks” (entry of the port).
Nyerere Avenue begins at the iconic TSS Towers roundabout and runs all the way to the Likoni ferry crossing joining Mombasa Island to the South Coast. Notable landmarks you’ll see along this road include Biashara Bank building, Imaara, Pandya Memorial Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital, Likoni Towers and Nakumatt Likoni complex.
Nkrumah road begins at the Holy Ghost Cathedral Catholic church junction and sneaks its way through the city centre all the way down to Fort Jesus (a major historical site in Mombasa city) and gateway to Mombasa’s old town (a tourist magnet part of town rich in Swahili history and culture). The streets hosts several offices, embassies, universities and the Mombasa Anglican Cathedral.
Digo road is one of Mombasa’s busiest streets that links Mombasa CBD with the North Coast. This road begins at the CFC Stanbic bank roundabout that serves Moi Avenue, Nyerere Avenue and Nkrumah Road. There are several public bus stops for those travelling to the North Coast of Mombasa connected to the island by Nyali bridge.
Plenty of food eateries including open air Swahili food joints, fast food joints, No Maneno Bazaar (a famous Mombasa shopping complex), the general post office (Huduma Centre), Bima Towers, Banks and Supermarkets such as A-One, Tusky’s Digo and Budget supermarket are all located on Digo Road. From here, you can take a ‘matatu’ (Local word for 14-seater public transport vans) to North Coast neighborhoods such as Bamburi, Shanzu, Bombolulu, Kisauni and Mtwapa. Likewise, you can easily connect with public transport either way to Likoni Ferry or Docks.
