The Love Malindi Experience: Home of art & creativity! 

Hello there! 😀 Welcome to part 1 of our 2-part ‘Love Malindi Experience’ series! If you don’t love this town already, this will be the series that makes you love Malindi and keep it on your bucket-list! 

Are you ready? Read on… 

About a month or so ago, I got an invite to tour Malindi as part of an initiative by Love Malindi and Jambojet to showcase the town & its offerings… 

And as you might know, Malindi is one of my top places to visit in Kenya… So, I was more than ecstatic to go back and discover what else the town has up its sleeve.

I can now confidently say that Malindi is like the gift that keeps on giving! 😀

For this trip, I got to travel with fellow Travel Content Creators & Influencers: Abu Mburu and Kate Kendy & Hillary.

The Jambojet Pre & In-flight Experience #NowTravelReady 

I have noticed that one of the best days to fly and go through the airport, stress-free, is Sunday. The airport is usually less-crowded and you can go through the safety checks + check-in process easily. 

The day before our trip, I made sure to confirm my flight details on the Jambojet Progressive Web App.

• This is always a good idea to ensure that you don’t miss out on any details or changes that could make you miss your flight. You can also use the Jambojet App to check-in online. 

Our flight was scheduled for Sunday at 1350hrs, which gave me plenty of time in the morning to pack. I like that they have a variety of Malindi flight options, meaning you can choose a timing that works best for you. And whether you are a business traveler or going on holiday, you’ll be covered. 

I got to the airport with about 40minutes to spare… The lady at the check-in counter was in a great mood, and we had a nice chat as I checked-in.

Later on, I ran into Abu Mburu as he was clearing the last safety check. He looked charged & ready to go!

Our flight departure went according to plan and I was rather pleased to learn that our pilot was a woman. 🙂 As we neared Malindi, she cautioned that the landing might be a bit bumpy due to the nature of the airstrip. I thought that it was quite a thoughtful gesture, as it certainly helped me feel mentally prepared for the landing. 

At the Malindi airport, we got a warm reception from our Love Malindi host Polly Wachira. And soon enough, we were driving through the traffic-free roads of Malindi…

The Love Malindi Experience: Home of art & creativity.

By now you might be wondering what is #LoveMalindi?

Love Malindi is an initiative of the Progressive Welfare Association of Malindi. The Association was founded by Malindi residents to promote their town and its attractions. 

Before this trip, I’d never thought of Malindi as much of an ‘art destination’… Thankfully, and much to my pleasant surprise, our love Malindi partners curated a trip that immersed us into its creative & artistic side… 

Enter Cozy Point Malindi: Where Luxury Meets Ease  

I love it when a name aptly describes the feeling you get in a place… Because cozy, relaxed and Zen is exactly how I felt when we arrived at Cozy Point. 

The owner, Sabina, welcomed us together with her staff and adorable dog Shaba, who stole my heart at the very first glance! 🙂

As you walk through the bright green door, and take in the elegant decor and tranquil music playing in the lounge, you can’t help but immediately feel at ease…

The lounge opens up to a wide verandah and swimming pool, with a lovely garden & creatively designed resting spaces as its backdrop. I remember breathing it all in with a gleeful smile on my face. 🙂

They served us with a cold refreshing glass of juice, as Sabina took us through a short briefing about our stay and Malindi visit. 

Cozy Point is a stunning boutique hotel with 5 rooms that can accommodate up to 10 people. Each room is masterfully furnished with signature pieces and artwork that gives it a unique personality & quality of its own. 

My room was appointed with a comfortable massive bed, a walk-in closet and air conditioning. I loved how it felt light, spacious & cheery… Then there’s the bathroom with what can only be described as a heavenly shower! You know the kind you never really want to leave? Oh the sweet shower! 😀

You can almost touch the dexterity of Sabina’s artful taste in each part of the hotel. In the evenings, Cozy Point takes an almost romantic trait, with soft ambient lights and candles lighting it up.

Moreover, with the hot Malindi weather, the swimming pool water feels like a gentle, cooling massage. 

Quick Tips:

I especially enjoyed doing a Yoga class one morning led by Sadiq, Sabina’s Yoga teacher. It’s such a refreshing way to start the day!

• P.S. Reach out to Cozy Point to find out more about their Yoga Retreats.  
• Cozy Point is ideal for romantic couples’ getaways, or to holiday with your family and friends. 

Exploring The Malindi Tourist Market

How often do you visit the local markets when you travel? Honestly, this hasn’t always been a priority for me. 

On this visit, however, I learned the beauty of looking at a place through the eyes of a local tourist… The places you would otherwise take for granted are placed into sharp focus, and with pleasing results. 

Our tour started at the heart of the market, at a shop owned by the sweetest old man: Soud Said. His shop has all kinds of crafted & carved goods like straw hats, baskets, bags, carpets & pots…

And in keeping with Malindians’ tradition, Mzee Soud Said made us feel most welcome and at home. I couldn’t resist buying a basket, while Abu got himself a straw hat. 

Be sure to stop by his shop; it’s the perfect place to shop for Swahili-themed souvenirs to bring home to your loved ones. 🙂

We also visited a Spice Shop called the Old Kilimanjaro (Bottega Delle Spezie). I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many natural spices under one roof!

You can smell the rich variety of spices at the door… Do plan to visit; the owners will take their time explaining which spices and concoctions work well together for you.

Finally, we visited the main Malindi Tourist Market, where local artists have beautified its walls with their works. Malindi’s soul is clearly felt in its people & artwork. 🙂

Take a Swing At The Malindi Golf Club

Have you tried golf before? Whether you’ve never tried golf or if you are an ardent golfer, this one’s for you. Bear with me a moment, as I tell you why… 🙂

The Malindi Golf & Country Club has to be one of my favourite places that we visited…. We were received by Golf Pros Samson, Zippy Gitonga and Kate Mwikali. And although we weren’t properly dressed, their enthusiasm for the sport quickly rubbed off on us!

The Golf club features: a 9-hole golf course, a practice shooting range, a tennis court and a club house restaurant. 

It’s hard not to like the place with its beautiful grounds, ideal for a morning run or nature walks. 

Their Pro Samson, patiently gave us lessons on a few golfing essentials like how to hold the club, proper stance & swinging at the practice range.

We then went around with Kate and Zippy, a warm & lively pair who both played a stellar game! They encouraged each of us to give it a shot… Suffice to say, Abu and Kate Kendy are naturals. 🙂

On this visit I got to appreciate the fun behind playing golf. While it takes some high levels of patience with oneself, you get to develop perseverance & an unwillingness to give up. Plus the walking around the course certainly helps you keep fit.

• They charge a temporary membership fee of Kshs. 300/- per day, so you can visit for the day with your friends or family.

Get Creatively Lost At the White Elephant Art & Sea Lodge

If you are a great art lover, then you’ll want to make a date with the White Elephant Art & Sea Lodge! I can say this without a doubt: I have never experienced such a place before!

Located at the National Marine Park, a visit to White Elephant is like going through a native jungle that merges nature and art ever so effortlessly!

Armando Tanzini, the owner and artist took us on a guided tour sharing some of the inspirations behind his work. The galleries are filled with creative and bold pieces made from wood, metal and coral remains.

• The lodge also features 19 rooms and 3 apartments, swimming pool and two restaurants. 

After the tour, we spent the early parts of our evening, at their pool restaurant overlooking the Casuarina beach.

Armando treated us to a couple of open-fire-oven pizzas and drinks… It was a splendid way to bring the first day of our trip to a close. 🙂 

P.S. Look out for part 2 of this blog post with The Best 5 Places To Eat In Malindi!

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My most sincere gratitude to our awesome hosts Love Malindi, Jambojet and Cozy Point for making this trip possible & for a wonderful experience all round!

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Photography Credits

Abu Mburu

&

Marion Mithamo

Ankara Outfit By: Princess Zulu (Zulu Designs)

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Thank you for reading! I hope you found this blog post useful and you can now join the tribe of us who Love Malindi! 😀

I’d love to hear back from you! Leave your comments and/or questions down below! I’ll be certain to respond!!

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