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Malindi town, located 120km north of Mombasa is one of the most popular tourist destinations along the East African coastline. Malindi has a 155km coastline that boasts idyllic beaches offering panoramic views of the Indian Ocean. The extensive beaches are a paradise of sun and sand and are fringed with towering palm trees that sway tirelessly as if to portray the unending fun that abounds in the Kenyan coastal town. The town of Malindi was founded in the 13th Century by Arab traders as the principal commerce center along the Indian Ocean. Agriculture, fishing, salt collection, and hunting were the main economic activities at that time. By 1498, the year Vasco da Gama arrived in Malindi, the town had already grown into a wealthy kingdom with Arabs as the rulers. Other Malindi residents included the Africans and a few Indians. The area's favorable monsoon winds made Malindi a vital port town in East Africa, from which to reach other places in the Indian Ocean. Malindi's splendor was however overtaken by that of the neighbouring town of Mombasa in 1593 after the construction of the Portuguese Fort Jesus. Many traditional buildings survive in Malindi among them a mosque and a palace placed right on the beach that attracts numerous tourists. Malindi's tropical beaches and waters, together with the Watamu and Malindi Marine Parks are the area's main tourist attractions. The national marine parks were the first of their kind to be established in Africa, in 1968, and are a haven for divers and snorkelers. The coral gardens in the marine parks host plenty of multi-colored fishes that you can easily see in these coral kingdoms. Another major tourist attraction in Malindi are the Gede ruins, which are the remains of an abandoned 17th century town. In 1927, the ruins were declared historic monuments, leading to a lot of excavation activities that eventually revealed a great mosque, a palace, and pillar tombs in this ancient town. Marafa depression, an extensive area northwest of Malindi, has a unique landscape made up of series of sandstone gorges and large gullies. There are several local myths about this area, which is also popularly known as Hell's kitchen, or Nyari by the local community. Malindi's many hotels, restaurants and coffeehouses offer a wide range of local and international cuisine, making Malindi a gourmet's haven. The population in Malindi consists of the local Swahili people and Italian investors. Together, the residents have made sure that Malindi remains one of the most welcoming and friendliest tourist destinations in the world. Over half of the Malindi population draw their livelihood directly or indirectly from tourism. Weather at the East African Coast is generally hot and humid all the year round. In Malindi, the long rains fall from April to July, while October to November is the short rains season. Daily average temperatures range between 22 degrees and 30.5 degrees Celsius. For a tourist, the best time to go to Malindi is from December to April. Getting to Malindi both by air and by road is quite easy. The town has an airport which several Kenya airlines use for daily scheduled flights to and from Malindi. Malindi airport also serves many chartered flights. You can therefore fly into Malindi from Nairobi, Mombasa or Lamu, or you can use the many buses and matatus from Mombasa to Malindi in the North coast. Most hotels and tourist resorts in Malindi can also arrange vehicle transfers for you.
Article Source: http://www.ezine-directory.info
Andrew Muigai is the Managing Director of Africapoint.com, an online travel agency that provides reservation services for Hotels in Mombasa and Malindi and Kenya flights among other Africa travel services.
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