KILIFI

A pretty town on the banks of the Kilifi Creek, Kilifi is home to arty/yachtie communities who have snatched up the land alongside the lovely creek and gather in the evenings to drink and tell their stories.
For many years the only means of crossing the creek was by ferry, but a bridge was built which is not as much fun, but more practical. Not that many people stop in Kilifi, but it is worth breaking your journey to look at the Mnarani Ruins.

GETTING TO AND AROUND NORTH COAST

Regular buses and Matatus service the North Coast Highway. Services are less regular north of Malindi. Taxis can be found in any town, or at most hotels or resorts

Jumba la Mtwana

Located approximately 30 kilometers north of Mombasa city on Kenya's northern mainland, this site represents the remains of a 13th century Swahili settlement.
Abandoned about a hundred years after its foundation, Jumba can still boast magnificent standing remains of domestic houses, mosques and tombs. The domestic houses are rich in carved niches and arched doors, forming part of the decorative motifs. Its name literally means "large house of the slave".
A stroll through the ancient ruins provide a sense of what life must have been like over 600 years ago, when it was a home of Swahili fishermen, craftsmen and merchants who traded precious products from the African interior with their maritime trading partners from India and Arabia. Excavations at the site, the most recent being in 1991, have revealed numerous artifacts including decorated local pottery and shell beads, imported Chinese and Islamic ceramics, and glass beads. Located on a beautiful stretch of sandy beach, among giant boabab trees and rich foliage, Jumba is a popular venue for residents and tourists alike.

Facilities: Small site museum, ticket office, cold sodas, shower and toilet facilities, beach.

North Coast Beaches
The coastline North of Mombasa is a world of enthralling history and natural beauty. The coast is lined with pristine palm fringed beaches, and the calm inviting waters of the Indian Ocean. The beaches are broken by the wide mouth of Kilifi Creek, whose azure waters are a popular port of call on the international yachting circuit.
The beaches of Nyali, Vipingo, Kikambala and Shanzu are home to a wide range of World Class resorts with fine cuisine and services. The peaceful beach havens of Mtwapa and Takaungu offer an ideal escape from the outside world, with endless deserted beaches.
The offshore reefs are alive with coral, myriad fish, sea turtles and dolphins. Both outer and inner reef walls offer world class diving with spectacular coral gardens and drop offs.

Mnarani

The ruins of the Swahili settlement of Mnarani are located on the south bank of the Kilifi Creek on Kenya's north coast. Among the ruins are a magnificient Pillar Tomb, which was recently dismantled and carefully reconstructed to avoid potential collapse.