Mombasa has a long, rich history dating back over 1500 years when it started as a trading port. The Portugese explorer, Vasco Da Gama, landed here in 1498 and established a Portugese colony at the coast. Arabs from Oman later took over the city, leaving their mark on the region. Mombasa has a vibrant Swahili culture. There are a range of hotels to the north and south of Mombasa, known as the North and South coast respectively.Mombasa has a long, rich history dating back over 1500 years when it started as a trading port.The Portugese explorer, Vasco Da Gama, landed here in 1498 and established a Portugese colony at the coast. Arabs from Oman later took over the city, leaving their mark on the region.Mombasa has a vibrant Swahili culture. There are a range of hotels to the north and south of Mombasa, known as the North and South coast respectively.

                                                                           Fact File on Mombasa:

  •  Altitude: Sea Level - 100mts: Location: South East Coastline of Kenya.
  •  Access from Nairobi: 500 kms by road &1 hour flight. Airport : Mombasa International Airport
  •  Facilities : 4 lodges and several camp sites
  •  Attractions: Fort Jesus, Mamba Village, Bamburi Nature Trail, Gedi Ruins.
  •  Access: Several international airlines fly to Mombasa from US,Europe and Asia.
Hotels and Beach Resorts in Mombasa: Mombasa Hotels are some of the best in the world, known for their high standards of service and quality. Mostly located on the white sandy beaches along the Kenyan coast, the beach hotels offer many facilities and a range of restaurants on site.

                                   

                                                                         What to see in Mombasa:

  •   Fort Jesus :Fort Jesus is a monumental piece of architecture built in the 16th century by the Portuguese. It has aa museum that displays various artifacts from the era where Mombasa served as a transit point for the slave trade and commodities. Its interior comprises of torture rooms and prison cells where slaves were kept in captivity before being traded. Weapons such as canons, which were used to defend the fort from invading foreigners as well as rioting locals, can be seen both inside and outside of the fort.

 

  • Mamba Village :Situated in Nyali, The Mamba Village is East Africa’s largest crocodile farm with over 10,000 crocodiles. Mamba Village is a very renowned tourist attraction in Mombasa. It combines crocodile farming, conservation, and ecosystem friendly quarry. Other activities within the Mamba Village are camel riding, horse riding and a unique "a la carte" restaurant specialized in game meat e.g. Croco-meat, Ostrich, Zebra, among other delicacies.

  • Bamburi Nature Trail : The largest animal sanctuary in Mombasa, Bamburi Nature Trail boasts of an large variety of animals. A walk around the trail is the ideal way to look at the various animals found within. The trail was a result of an unusual attempt to rehabilitate a giant quarry. There is a large number of bird species, several hippos, crocodiles, antelopes and giant tortoise.

 

  • Mombasa Tusks :The Mombasa Tusks are symbolic representations of entrance into the heart of the Mombasa town. They were built to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth to the town in 1952, lying directly on the path from the port to the town. Ivory was considered to be an exquisite commodity during the time, and in essence the tusks were meant to embrace the Queen and the British Empire into the town and within its social structure.

 

 

 

source : http://www.shoortravel.com