7 places in Mombasa Where You Can Experience Kenya’s Culture/Traditions

7 places in Mombasa Where You Can Experience Kenya’s Culture/Traditions

Whatever place around the world you are looking into travelling to, culture immersion should  be on top of your bucket list. There are diverse cultures all around the world and getting yourself into knowing, appreciating and being part of them will always make you an all rounded person as well as improve your cultural competence.

At Elective Africa, We understand how immersive experience makes better learning and that’s why we make sure that while you are on program with us, you take part in cultural immersion activities. In our Mombasa, Kenya location there are various places where you can visit and have a taste of the local culture all in different and unique ways. Here are some places you can visit;

• Tamarind Dhow Restaurant

Want to have a taste of the local cuisine? This is the place to go to. At the Tamarind restaurant there are two cruises, the lunch and the dinner cruise. Lunch at the tamarind dhow restaurant starts at 1pm where the cruise departs from the tamarind jetty at 1pm and returns at 3pm. At the lunch hour, lunch consist of delicious seafood platter with a selection of Kenya’s wonderful seafood or a prime Kenya fillet steak followed by fruit salad and rounded off with Kenyan coffee and halwa.

The Dinner cruise leaves the Jetty at 6:30pm starting with a ‘ dawa’ cocktail. The dhow sails towards Fort Jesus and back. You will enjoy seafood prepared in swahili style as you enjoy local music from the resident band. At 10:30, the cruise will go back to the Tamarind jetty

2. Bombolulu cultural center

Located 3 km North of the Nyali bridge, Bombolulu cultural center is basically a cultural project to support the physically disabled to empower them socially and economically to become fully integrated members of the society. The cultural center has 8 themed traditional homesteads and you will also get to enjoy and interact with traditional dancers.

3. Masai Market

This is a cultural themed market which is scheduled in different places on different days. At the Masai market you will have the opportunity to see and buy various cultural items which the major themed culture been the ‘ Masai culture’. The Maasai community is one of the most famous communities in Kenya, known to have preserved their cultural heritage even in these modern times of cultural erosions. Here you will get to see their traditional way of dressings and also some of their traditional items amongst other culture

4. Akamba Handicraft

Ever heard of the Kamba community? This is one of the communities well known for their carvings. The Akamba handicraft center is the largest cooperative society in Kenya and is located off Port Reitz Road in Changamwe. The society has employed numerous people who are skilled and gifted in human sculptures, decorative carvings, animal carvings, masks and different traditional ornaments. If you are interested in traditional carvings, sculptures or  ornaments this is the place to visit while in Mombasa.

5. Mombasa Old Town

Mombasa town is one of the oldest towns in Kenya and an ancient town inhabited by a mix of swahili, arabs asians and british settlers. A visit around the town will enable you interact with different aspects of culture including different building architectures which are carved and curved beautiful buildings built by the islamic arab traders and portuguese , swahili and arabic way of dressing known as the “buibui’ and the “deras” which are widely worn just to mention a few. You can get to ride the local means of transport known as tuktuk, which is a 3 wheeled motorcycle. The town also has a breathtaking history behind it.

6. Moon shine

Want to experience some local Taarab and benga live music just as the sea breezes soothes you all night? Then this is the place to visit. The Moon Shine which is part of the Reef Hotel is one of the most famous known places in Mombasa town for local Music. If you love music, then add this to your bucket list.

7. Lord Shiva Hindu Tempe

The Lord Shiva Hindu tempe if one of the top most attractions in Mombasa. It’s architecture is one of the most beautiful ones in Mombasa. It is one of the oldest and largest temples  and a symbol of religious and cultural diversity in Mombasa. It offers much to admire in its architecture, including a gold spire on its roof. There are also stunning lion statues standing guard outside the temple entrance.

Culture is inseparable from any host community thus the more you integrate yourself with it through various activities the more you always feel at home whenever you travel.

by Elective Africa