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Mombasa
City in Mombasa County, Kenya

Mombasa

Mombasa is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean.

Plan a trip to Mombasa→From Nairobi

It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. Buildings in the Central Business District are blue and white, representing the Indian Ocean. It is the country's oldest and second-largest city after Nairobi, with a population of about 1,208,333 people according to the 2019 census.

Get in

Getting to Mombasa

Mombasa is an important node for all forms of transportation. It is the end of the Trans-African Route 8 from Lagos and of the railway to Uganda. It has an international airport, Moi Airport, and one of Eastern Africa's most important ports, Kilindini, which is also the main port for goods to Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.

  1. 01
    Moi International Airport

    The airport in Mombasa has been renovated and has increased the frequency of flights in and out of Mombasa from European cities.

  2. 02
    Bamburi Airport

    The budget carrier Air Kenya Express operates charter flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Bamburi Airport.

  3. 03
    Mombasa Yacht Club

    Kilindini Harbour (starboard after Cap Likoni), +254 733 610754.

  4. 04
    Mombasa Water Sport

    Tudor Creek (port side after Cape Makawaiwe).

See

Worth seeing

Considering Mombasa's action-filled history, surprisingly there are only a handful of sights. The nature and a slew of different activities is what makes Mombasa interesting for visitors. In addition to these, there are a couple of sights within 20-30 km north, west and south of Mombasa. These are listed under #Go next.

  1. 01
    Fort Jesus

    Fort Jesus is the most popular destination in Mombasa.

  2. 02
    Fort St Joseph

    Close to the golf course near Mama Ngina Drive, this ruin is probably the oldest fortress on the island built by Arabs.

  3. 03
    Old

    Along Tudor Creek north of Fort Jesus, these districts make up the original city.

  4. 04
    The tusks of Moi Avenue

    The tusks were built in 1956 to welcome Princess Margaret, who was visiting Mombasa town.

  5. 05
    Leven House

    In the 19th century this building was the headquarters of the British Navy's anti-slavery campaigns in the region.

  6. 06
    Holy Ghost Cathedral

    The neo-Gothic building right in downtown is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa and a visible landmark.

Do

Things to do

Even as the 13½ km of white sand beaches along the coast would tempt you to do nothing but bathing in the sun and the sea, Mombasa also offers other kinds of activities. All beaches in Kisauni offer camel rides and on Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach in Bamburi you can rent bikes too. There are also guided walks on the beaches. There are 3 main beaches north of Mombasa.

  1. 01
    Wild Waters Amusement Park

    Water amusement park with 15 different toboggans.

  2. 02
    Mombasa Marine National Park and Marine Reserve

    For divers the main attraction is the Leven coral reef in the Mombasa Marine National Park and Marine Reserve.

  3. 03
    Bouccaner Diving

    Mount Kenya Road, Nyali (in Voyager Beach Resort), +254 728 999225, info@buccaneerdiving.com.

  4. 04
    Peponi Divers Mombasa

    Mount Kenya Road, Nyali (in Bahari Beach Hotel), also for WhatsApp), diving@peponidivers.com.

  5. 05
    Bigfish Sports Fishing

    Tours include fishing equipment and cold drinks.

  6. 06
    Deep Sea Fishing

    Single and multiple day fishing tours on the ocean.

Eat

Where to eat

Mombasa is a cosmopolitan city with Arabic, Chinese, European and Indian influences, and this can be seen in the local cuisine. Many local dishes include coconut, for instance waly ya tui (basmati rice with coconut milk), kuku wa kupaka (chicken with coconut milk) and mahamri (coconut donuts with cardamom).

  1. 01
    Cafe Mocha

    Tea salon, pastries, ice cream and free Wi-Fi.

  2. 02
    Pistacchio Café

    Ice cream and coffee bar that also serves buffet lunch.

  3. 03
    Ratna

    Nyali Road, Kongowea.

  4. 04
    City Mall

    Malindi Road, Nyali, +254 711 415415, info@citymall.co.ke.

  5. 05
    Kongowea Market

    Kongowea market is one of the largest in Kenya with over 1500 stalls and an area of 4.75 ha.

How locals move

Getting around Mombasa the local way

  • Get inThere are three ways to get to Mombasa by boat: by private boat, cruise ship or ferry.
  • Get inSome companies offer cruises that call at Mombasa: If you are arriving overland from the south, you need to cross the river by taking the Likoni Ferry.
  • Get inNumerous taxis and minibuses are also available for onward journeys.
  • Get inThe major player in transportation in Mombasa City is Matatu, which are mostly 14-seater minibuses, and are quite popular amongst the residents.
  • Get aroundThe closest equivalent are the aforementioned matatus (minivans) of which there are about 3500 (licensed ones have stickers on the windshields) in the city.
  • Get aroundA matatu ride starts from Ksh 20 just to go 500m (2018)but count on paying double if you want a vehicle which conforms to the traffic legislation.
  • Get aroundFor the more adventurous there are tuk-tuks (motorized trikes with a cabin for the passengers) and boda-bodas (bicycle taxis).
  • Get aroundThe price for a tuk-tuk ride is Ksh 50-100 and boda-boda around Ksh 50.

From Wikivoyage: Mombasa, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.