Lamu Old Town is the oldest continuously inhabited Swahili settlement in East Africa, founded in the 14th century and inscribed by UNESCO in 2001. Its lanes are too narrow for cars: transport is by donkey, on foot or by dhow.
The architecture is coral rag and mangrove poles, with inward-facing courtyards, plaster niches and the carved doors that gave Lamu its reputation. Much of it is still lived in rather than museum-preserved.
Shela village, a 40-minute walk or short boat ride away, has the long beach and most of the boutique guesthouses; Lamu town has the museums, markets and Friday mosque life.
Highlights
- UNESCO-listed Swahili architecture
- Sunset dhow sailing on Manda channel
- Shela's twelve-kilometre empty beach
- Lamu Cultural Festival and Maulidi