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The little-known island of Lamu is one of Africa's most delightful surprises. Like Zanzibar, but with less tourists, Lamu is a Unesco world heritage town with a fascinating history and today a vibrant Swahili culture.

Here you'll swap snarling lionesses and elephants stampeding across the burnished planes for paradisiacal beaches and the languid pace of a tropical island. You'll discover jewels like Shela Beach, one of the world's loveliest; the fascinating history of mediaeval Old Town and the richness of Swahili culture.

There are rolling dunes, endless beaches, tiny villages nestled among coconut and mango plantations and dhows plying the turquoise the waters. The Old Town began as a 14th century Swahili settlement, which over the centuries has become richly layered with varied influences, from the Portuguese explorers to the Turkish traders and the Omani Arabs, to create a uniquely fascinating culture.

Life in Lamu is peacefully bustling, with some 14000 inhabitants and the thousands of donkeys that ferry them and their goods about Lamu Town - there are no cars anywhere on the island. Everyone has plenty of time to get around to everything that really needs to be done - anything that doesn't really need to be done, well, we'll worry about that later. Just take the villagers' advice and kwenda pole pole - slow down and take it easy. You won't find it too hard in this Blackberry-free society, where the clutter so common to the wealthier parts of the world is pleasantly absent.

A stay in Subira House is the perfect way to get to know Lamu. The charming and comfortable seven-bedroom historic home is heritage listed, has a beautiful garden and plenty of cool places to relax and enjoy the tropical breeze as you thoroughly accustom yourself to Lamu's gentle pace.

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Subira House is a 200-year-old coral stone house which was built by the once-governor under the Sultan of Zanzibar and has been carefully preserved by its current Swedish owners. Lamu Town itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site and Subira House is on Lamu Convservation Society's preservation list.

Rooms

Food

The House can prepare simple meals for breakfast and dinner - just ask on arrival.

There are a few small restaurants in town, some catering to the Western palate and several traditional Swahili ones. Two elegant European-style restaurants with bars that serve alcoholic drinks are in town. Lamu is a predominantly Muslim culture and alcohol does not have a large place in social life for the people here.

Features & Facilities

The wonderful Jelani works to help you arrange your needs and organise activities during your stay. He can pick you up at the airport and organise tours of the town, as well as sailing trips or a dhow safari, snorkelling at Manda Toto or longer trips by sea.

Local Info & Activities

Islam is the dominant religion here in Lamu, and you'll wake to the sound of the 22 mosques singing out the call to prayer. The inhabitants of this tropical island are laid-back and friendly, but it's still important to be aware of and respect their muslim traditions.

There is plenty to do on the island, from wandering through the mediaeval streets and admiring the beautiful architecture to learning some new history at the Lamu Museum, to taking a dhow safari - a dhow is a traditional sailing boat - to nearby islands and reefs. You can snorkel, dive, explore local markets, feast on lobster and mangoes and generally indulge in all that a tropical holiday offers. Shela Beach is spectacularly beautiful and the ever-changing sand dunes offer gorgeous sunset views.

insider tips

The rainy season in Lamu is generally May / June although you could add a week or two at each side, to be safe.

Diving and snorkeling are best when the seas are clear after August / September. Christmas and New Year is the peak tourist season.

Sustainability

Subira house is a 200-year-old coral stone house which was built by an important "liwali" - the governor under the Sultan of Zanzibar. His family resided in the house until the beginning of 1970. It is on the list of grade-one houses marked for preservation by the Lamu Conservation Society. The building is both architecturally and historically of great interest.

Subira House is owned by Christina and Paul Aarts, Swedes who also own Dala Floda, an eco-hotel in Sweden which is featured by the Good Travel Co. They are working to make Subira House as eco-friendly as possible.

Perhaps due more to Lamu's basic infrastructure than anything else, the house is quite energy-efficient - there are no energy-sucking mod-cons like air conditioning, and with only seven rooms, the house maintains a modest environmental impact.

Getting There

Lamu is situated in East Africa just a half hour boat trip off the Kenyan Coast.

To reach Lamu by bus, catch a bus from Mombasa (6 hours), Malindi (4hours). Tawakal is the recommended bus company.

NB: In the past, Somali bandits have been known to hijack buses between Mombasa / Malindi and Lamu. It's worth checking with locals before you take the bus and find out whether this practice is still common.

Alternatively, flights operate daily from Nairobi (1 hour) and Mombasa (40 minutes). A boat from the airport to Lamu Island takes about half an hour.

Adventurous travelers should consider chartering a Dhow and crew from Mombasa or Malindi and sailing all the way to Lamu.

Visit our Transport section for flights, hybrid car rentals and train bookings.

Rates & Bookings

Want to avoid cancellation fees? Visit our Insurance section for information on travel insurance.