Mombasa

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People playing soccer, Fort Jesus, Mombasa, Kenya, Africa

Getty Images/Aurora

Overview

Mombasa, a melting pot of languages and cultures from all sides of the Indian Ocean, waits like a decadent dessert for travellers who make it to Kenya's coastline. Having more in common with Dakar or Dar es Salaam than Nairobi, Mombasa's blend of India, Arabia and Africa is uniquely enchanting, and many visitors find themselves falling for East Africa's biggest and most cosmopolitan port.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Fort Jesus

Mombasa

This 16th-century fort and Unesco World Heritage treasure is Mombasa’s most visited site. The metre-thick walls, frescoed interiors, traces of European…

Spice Market

Mombasa

This market, which stretches along Nehru and Langoni Rds west of the Old Town, is an evocative, sensory overload – expect lots of jostling, yelling,…

Mandhry Mosque

Mombasa

Founded in 1570, Mandhry Mosque in the Old Town is the city's oldest, and an excellent example of Swahili architecture, which combines the elegant…

Old Law Courts

Mombasa

Dating from 1902, the old law courts on Nkrumah Rd have been converted into an informal gallery, with regularly changing displays of local art, Kenyan…

Tusks

Mombasa

Giant replicas of elephant tusks form two arches above Moi Ave, welcoming visitors to the city. Next to them are Uhuru Gardens, a tranquil, green space of…

Holy Ghost Cathedral

Mombasa

The Christian Holy Ghost Cathedral is a very European hunk of neo-Gothic buttressed architecture, with massive fans in the walls to cool its former…

Jain Temple

Mombasa

This Jain temple caters to believers of Gujarati origin, and the ornamental interior, with niches filled with brightly painted figurines of deities, is…

Lord Shiva Temple

Mombasa

Mombasa’s large Hindu population doesn’t lack for places of worship. The enormous Lord Shiva Temple is airy, open and set off by an interesting sculpture…

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