15+ Amazing Things to Do in Mombasa
If you are looking for a coastal town to explore in Kenya, then Mombasa should be on top of your list. The town is rich in history, with beautiful beaches, scrumptious Swahili cuisine, and wonderful people from different cultures.
Founded in 900 A.D. Mombasa served as a trading center in the pre-modern era connecting Africa and the east. Today the Port of Mombasa, the oldest and largest harbor in East Africa continues to serve many. Walking in Mombasa like many other coastal towns in Kenya, it’s easy to spot the Indian, and Arabic influences in the local cuisines as well as European and Arabian architectural influences.
Today Mombasa city is part of the larger Mombasa county. There are many cool things to see and learn about while in Mombasa.
Please note there are entry fees for most places but very affordable, ranging from $10 to $25 (*prices may change), and don’t forget to tip your guides.
Below are some of my favorite things to do in Mombasa from my trip.
Fort Jesus Museum
A UNESCO world heritage site, located at the periphery of the Old Town. Fort Jesus is one of the few landmarks from the 16th century still standing. Designed by Italian architect Giovanni Baptista Cairato under the order of Portuguese King Filipe II, to help the Portuguese control trade in the Indian ocean.
A history lover’s paradise with lots of history to discover about the Indian Ocean trade, the East African slave trade, the capture and recapture of Fort Jesus and so much more. With its strategic location and significance in the Indian Ocean trade, everyone wanted control of the fort. Since its completion, different groups fought for and controlled Fort Jesus. Conquers included the Portuguese, Arabs, British, and the Sultan of Mombasa.
Nowadays the fort serves as a major tourist attraction site, conservation lab, and research center. The museum has many ancient items to marvel at such as cannons, artifacts, carvings, and ceramics from the 16th century. Inside there are ancient wall carvings well-preserved history of Portuguese presence on the Kenyan coast.
One interesting fact about the fort is that it was actually curved from a spur of coral rock. This explains why it still stands tall over 400 years after its construction.
Tour the Old Town
The old town of Mombasa dates back to the 18th century with many ancient buildings from the Indian ocean trade days. It served mainly as a settlement area for those engaging in trade and other settlers.
Walking through the narrow streets of the town it feels like you are teleported back in time. Although many buildings have lost their original glory, European and Arabian architectural influences are easy to spot. The large doors featuring Arabian designs (also known as Omani Doors) are hard to miss, take time and appreciate the detail put into designing these beautiful doors.
Besides appreciating the architecture, there are many other things you can do in the Old Town such as visiting a local spice market, shopping, and trying out delicious coastal dishes and snacks.
You can explore the old town alone or with a tour guide (good tour guides can be found at Fort Jesus) at a small fee of about 15-20 dollars. This will help you cover a wide ground without getting lost. It’s also a convenient way to see more landmarks.
Since Fort Jesus is located in Old Town you can do both activities in one day.
Visit Haller park
A great place to connect with nature while in Mombasa, and is ideal for families. Kenya is famous for safaris but did you know there are many sanctuaries for wildlife? These are great ways to experience wildlife without taking a long safari.
Haller park, a reclaimed quarry features a nature trail, a fish farm, a game sanctuary, a leafy oasis, a snake park, and a butterfly pavilion just to mention a few. Here you can expect to see rhinos, antelopes, feed Rothschild giraffes, giant tortoises, and crocodiles among others.
At the butterfly pavilion, you get to experience over 50 different butterfly species. A leisurely walk at the park any time of the day will definitely calm you down from the hot Mombasa weather.
Visit a temple
You are probably wondering why would you visit a temple if you are not Hindu. The beautiful temples are a great place to learn Indian history in Mombasa and are beautiful to behold.
Mombasa is home to many iconic temples in Kenya. The iconic architecture and detailed decorations on the outside of the temples are a sight to behold. But don’t stop there! Many temples allow visitors inside and the inside is more beautiful if not as equally breathtaking.
I visited the Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple a beautiful and majestic temple built in the 1950s. The detailed work on the main entrance door will take your breath away. The Hindu carvings on the top tower are equally beautiful although they may be too high to appreciate the full beauty while on the ground.
While the temples do allow everyone to tour, remember to be respectful. It’s still a place of worship and everyone is required to remove their shoes before going inside the temple.
Entry is free of charge.
Note that sometimes the temple may be closed for maintenance. If one is closed you can always visit another one of the many temples found in Mombasa.
Mombasa Go-kart
Located a few meters from Haller park butterfly pavilion, this is a nice fun place to relax, and meet new friends if traveling solo and a fun place for the whole family.
There are a variety of games to participate in from go-karting, paintballing, archery, quad bikes and so much more.
If not participating in any of the games there is a restaurant to just chill and enjoy your evening. The food and drinks are very affordable.
Important to note: the place opens around noon and the games are charged at different prices.
Wild Waters park
What better way to spend a hot afternoon in Mombasa? Wild waters park is in Nyali a ward in Mombasa county.
Enjoy swimming and sliding into the pool from the massive water slides. A fun way to cool off and have fun. There is a restaurant within the park. Note that food and drinks are not included in the entrance fee.
If staying within Nyali, it can be easily accessed by walking from your hotel or by taking a rickshaw (tuk-tuk) or motorbike (boda), or uber depending on the location of your hotel from the park.
If staying in Mombasa town, the park is only a few minutes ride away, accessible using public means of transport or an uber. The small colorful vans called matatus are the cheapest mode of transportation within the county(moving from one town to the next) and are readily available.
As mentioned earlier, if you are staying in Nyali then an even more fun way to move around Nyali town is by tuk-tuk. This goes for all other coastal towns including Mombasa town.
Enjoy a drink at English Point Marina
The English point Marina hotel has an amazing restaurant/ dinks area overlooking the Indian Ocean. It’s open to everyone even if not staying at their hotel. A great spot to meet new friends both locals and tourists.
Note that during the peak holiday seasons, there is a small entrance fee charged. However, during low seasons entry is free but don’t forget to carry some money to pay for your drinks and food.
The hotel is more on the affordable luxury side of travel. Besides the beautiful and Instagram-able views at the Marina, you can also book a spa appointment.
Visit the beautiful Beaches
Mombasa is right next to the Indian Ocean meaning most of the towns have easy access to the beaches.
There are public beaches usually crowded during the weekends and on holidays. I visited the Mombasa public beach on a Wednesday, it was not crowded at all. Different towns in Mombasa have access to different public beaches.
If you love connecting with the locals during travels, then public beaches are a good place to meet locals and learn more about the culture.
While at the beach, enjoy some coconuts, take long walks, and go on a clear-bottom boat ride – a fun way to view marine life while on the boat-. Other fun activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, and jet skiing. Check out PADI-certified scuba diving centers in Mombasa.
The Indian Ocean has very clear blue waters with diverse marine life to experience. Most public beaches and surrounding areas are protected and no fishing is allowed. Meaning you get to experience a diverse ecosystem.
If staying in a beach hotel, then you have access to a private beach. As always private beaches are cleaner since they are regularly maintained. Some hotels have in-house scuba and snorkeling trainers/guides.
Mombasa tusks/pembe mbili
Located at Moi Avenue, Mombasa these iconic monuments are worth seeing. The original monuments erected by the British in 1952 commemorated Queen Elizabeth II visit to Mombasa.
Today four massive white tusks made from aluminum stand tall at the city’s entrance, forming the letter M. In case you are wondering, No the massive tusks are not made from any real elephant tusks.
A good way to familiarize yourself with any city is by taking a walk around town. As you explore the city of Mombasa be sure to visit this iconic site.
Right next to the tusks is a huge park where you can chill and enjoy some street snacks.
Mama Ngina drive
A 1.2-mile stretch from the Likoni ferry is an ideal spot to take in the Indian Ocean views.
The waterfront is popular not only for the scenic views but also for the delicious street foods/snacks. From as low as 50 cents (50 Kenyan shillings) you can enjoy cassava chips, roasted chicken tikka, fish and so much more of the coastal cuisines.
It’s a free place to take long walks, take beautiful pictures and relax as you enjoy your snacks.
Night street food tour
One thing you’ll enjoy is the night street food. The local cuisine is a blend of Swahili, Indian and Arabian cuisines.
The sweet aromas invite you from miles away. Some of the best foods I had was chicken tikka served with different chutneys. More foods to try include shawarmas, mshikakis, and a certain bread stuffed with either egg and some veggies or chicken ( i don’t member the name) but it’s also very popular in Indian street food.
If staying in the Old town there are many street food joints near the hostels. However, if no joints are closeby, I recommend going with a local guide. It’s safer for you at night and they get to recommend the best places and foods to try out.
The street food is buzzing at night but som few places may be open during the day.
Mombasa marine park
Lying between two creeks, the Mombasa marine park is the ideal place to experience the beauty of the Indian ocean marine life.
Deed in the clear blue waters you’ll find various types of fish, crabs, corals, turtles, sea urchins, and seagrass.
Best explored by snorkeling or scuba diving. There are entry fees charged and it’s highly recommended to take a guided tour.
While at the park remember to conserve the environment, protect the animals, and be wary of the sea urchins. I accidentally stepped on one and the pain was excruciating.
Nguuni Nature Sanctuary
Another serene place to experience a mini safari without going on long drives.
At Nguunu nature sanctuary you can go on nature walks as you watch the animals, enjoy sundowners with friends, camp, go on picnics, bird watching, or go on a game drive.
Visiting on a weekend you might be lucky and catch a private wedding on their events grounds.
With over 250 bird species this sanctuary is a bird-watching paradise. I must admit I’ve never quite masted how to use binoculars. Nonetheless, there is a lot more to see and take in from nature.
Visit Shimba Hills national reserve
Although not located within Mombasa county, Shimba hills are about a 2-hour drive from Mombasa town.
The reserve is located in Kwale county, another beautiful place I hope to explore on the Kenyan coast. I met a group of friends while at the Nguuni sanctuary and invited me to join them on their trip.
An ideal place for a coastal Kenya safari, and hiking the nature trails. I loved every bit of it but I must admit my highlight was at Shedrick falls. The hike down to the falls was worth it. Why limit yourself to the views only, when you can take a dip into the natural pool formed by the falls and let the water fall on you 🙂
Parting words
I only spent one week in Mombasa and from my experience, you will definitely need more days to explore the entire county. If you only hope to explore Mombasa city, then one week should be enough.
Despite the high temperatures I really enjoyed my time here, the people are very nice, happy to help you find directions, and friendly. Life is slow-paced on the Kenyan coast compared to the fast-paced life in Nairobi. It’s the perfect mood to relax after rushing through life elsewhere lol.
Take your time and enjoy!
