Che Shale

Top choice in Malindi


Three kinds of people make their way to this camp on Mambrui Beach, 25km north of Malindi: kitesurfers, foodies and tranquillity seekers. Choose between three types of bandas (thatched-roof huts), all crafted from local materials: basic (shared loo outside), beachfront (king-sized bed, relaxation space on the porch) and luxury (even snazzier). The excellent restaurant's mangrove crab dishes are unique on the coast.

Kitesurfing, stand up paddle boarding and other activities on offer, there’s a huge thatched bar and playfully irreverent riffs on the ‘coconut-chic’ thing, and you can tour owner Justin's organic mangrove crab farm. Pickups from Malindi can be arranged.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Malindi attractions

1. Malindi Pier

8.48 MILES

This long tongue flicks out into the Indian Ocean. It's a low-key highlight of a stroll along Mama Ngina Rd. On weekends, families wander arm-in-arm and…

2. Malindi Museum

8.59 MILES

Part of the Malindi Historic Circuit, this moderately interesting museum has some displays on underwater arachaeology along the Kenyan coast. Upstairs,…

3. House of Columns

8.63 MILES

This building is a good example of traditional Swahili architecture and contains a peculiar exhibit on marine ecology – on the first and only coelacanth…

4. Portuguese Church

8.78 MILES

This thatched-roofed church gets its name because Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama is reputed to have erected it in the 15th century, and two of his crew…

5. Vasco da Gama Pillar

8.93 MILES

More impressive for what it represents (the genesis of the Age of Exploration) than the edifice itself. Erected by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama…

6. Malindi Marine National Park

11.18 MILES

The oldest marine park in Kenya covers 213 sq km of powder-blue fish, organ-pipe coral, green sea turtles and beds of Thalassia seagrass. If you’re…

7. Marafa Depression

14.85 MILES

One of the more intriguing sights inland from the north Kenyan coast is Hell’s Kitchen or Nyari (‘the place broken by itself’). About 30km northeast of…

8. Kipepeo Butterfly Farm

17.37 MILES

Visit this butterfly centre on a Friday morning, and you might spot exotic pupae being packed for export to the UK and USA. The farm pays locals to…