Kenya’s biggest tourist magnet is of course its exotic and rich national parks but many tourists also arrive in the country to spend a beach vacation in its gorgeous city of Mombasa. This beautiful city is fast becoming the most visited tourist destination in the whole of eastern Africa. The city is located on the eastern coastline of Kenya along the Indian ocean and has the perfect settings for a relaxing vacation. The biggest tourist magnet is of course it’s marvelous beaches which are some of the softest and whitest in the region and the hotels of Mombasa provide excellent facilities that are unmatched in the eastern Africa.
This historical city was built in the 16th century and its colonial era architecture is another of its attraction. The city was first colonized by the Arabs traders that made it a major center of the slave and spice trade. In the era of colonialism they lost the city to Portuguese while later on the city fell to the British who were in control until the independence of Kenya in the 20th century. The city has its own airport and there are a few flights available to it from Europe but most of the tourists prefer taking a cheap flight to Mombasa because of the higher frequency of the flights to it. You can hire a car from Nairobi to take you to Mombasa but there is also a bus service available that connects the two cities. As said earlier Mombasa has some of the best hotels of the country and there are plenty of them so you can choose one according to your taste and budget.
The historical importance of Mombasa was because of its strategic position that made it a large slave trade center and the best place for observing the symbols of this trade is the 16th century’s Fort Jesus. The large prison cells and torture chambers will provide you with an idea about the horrors that the slave of that era were facing. If the sole purpose of your arrival in the city is relaxing on its gorgeous beaches then head to the famous Diani Beach. It is the most frequently visited beach of the city and there is good reason behind its fame. This long beach has white and soft sand that stretch for miles and there are plenty of deserted places along its length for getting a full body tan.
The exciting water sports of Diani makes it even more attractive to the tourists. The lukewarm and clear coastal waters at Diani are perfect for swimming and snorkeling. If you are a scuba diving enthusiast then you can hire the required equipment from your resort and head to the deep sea in a boat for a memorable diving experience as there is abundance of marine life and reefs in the area. Diani is gorgeous but it can get a little too crowdie for the liking of some tourists if that’s the case with you then head to Tiwi an equally beautiful beach with a lot more peace and tranquility.
