5 Reasons Why Lamu Must Be on Your Holiday Bucket-List!

Howdy! :D Are you wondering where to go this holiday? Well, look no further! Today I share 5 Reasons Why Lamu should be your #1 choice holiday destination! Keep reading…

A couple of weeks ago, Jambojet reached out with an invite to visit Lamu. Mine was a resounding Yes, and I will tell you why! :D

Firstly, I love working with Jambojet as we’ve come a long way over the years…

My first gig with Jambojet was when they’d just turned 5. I was still finding my way as a young Blogger, and they were making their mark in Kenya as the #1 Local Flight Carrier, while also giving us, ordinary Kenyan citizens, a chance to fly….

Since then, we’ve gone on many a wonderful trip together. This year, 2024, Jambojet celebrated their 10th anniversary! And what an honour it is, to partner with them again as they celebrate #Jambojetat10! 

Secondly, Jambojet took me on my first ever trip to Lamu… And my oh my, what a trip that was! Lamu instantly stole my heart, in a way that calls for endless return visits! :)

<< I wrote about our first Lamu experience HERE >>

Hence, I was more than glad to visit Lamu with Jambojet again… Plus, this time I got to go with my friend Millie on a fun girls’ trip… :)

Hopefully, after reading this blog post, your heart too will be enamoured and you will find numerous reasons why Lamu should be on your holiday bucket-list!

5 Reasons Why Lamu Needs To Be On Your Holiday Bucket-List! 

You can Fly Jambojet- The Reliable & Most Convenient Way! 

I say this with the utmost confidence- the safest, fastest and most convenient way of getting to Lamu is by taking a flight with Jambojet, from Nairobi. 

The best part >> Jambojet now flies to Lamu daily from Nairobi, a short 1 hour 20 minutes’ flight.

And though there is a road option that takes over 12hours, I would highly recommend you fly. Flying allows you to arrive early, thus commencing maximum holiday enjoyment with minimum levels of fatigue involved!  

Our flight from Nairobi to Lamu was the perfect way to start out our trip- smooth and easy-breezy. I also love that the airport in Lamu is on the smaller side, hence, you get to feel that personalised customer care by the staff. We felt this on both our arrival and departure dates…

On our arrival, Gladys, our Jambojet contact in Lamu, met us with a warm smile assuring us that our stay would be lovely.

And on our return date, it so happened that the plane arrived early, and there were scores of people traveling back home… Gladys and the entire check-in team worked tirelessly and seamlessly to get everyone (and their luggage) on board- in record time! Kudos!

Quick Tip:

>>Book your flight tickets as early as now, to avoid the last-minute rush and to take advantage of the prices.

The Most Welcoming Locals You Will Ever Meet! 

I genuinely believe that there is no place in Kenya like Lamu… From the moment you land at the airport, to walking in the town, there are 2 words you will hear constantly- Karibu Lamu (Welcome to Lamu)!

The people of Lamu love and appreciate visitors. Whether young or old, they will smile warmly and say hello. They will also stop on the street to engage you in a conversation and even help you out if you are stranded! 

One time, while exploring Old Town Lamu by ourselves, Millie and I were a little lost…. A stranger who then introduced himself as Aboud, heard us talking and offered to take us where we were trying to go.

On our way there, we ran into Aboud’s friend who offered Millie a ride on his donkey, because one of her sandals had come apart.

Aboud and his friend went on their merry way afterward; it was such a heartwarming experience! 

The same thing happened to us in Shela Village… We stopped to ask someone for directions. Noticing that we weren’t locals, he walked us there, a couple of narrow streets away…

Lamu is the kind of place that restores your faith in the goodness of people and inspires you to be kind too. :)

Lamu Is Safe To Visit!

One of the most common questions I have received about why Lamu is: Is it safe to visit?

The question is understandable, as there were some security concerns years back… However, they’ve put in a lot of work to tighten the security in Lamu since then. 

And, from my experiences so far, Lamu might even be one of the safest places to visit in Kenya!

One of the locals we met, Halima, told us about how they do not tolerate crime or theft in Lamu. They do their best to make it safe for them and their visitors.

In both Shela and Old town, it feels like nearly everyone knows everyone, which helps…

Millie and I felt safe walking around Lamu both day and night. Old Town Lamu particularly comes to life in the evenings! Street food vendors come out with the most delicious looking dishes… And you’ll come across kids playing gleefully in the streets, without a care in the world.

On our last evening, we came across a TV plugged up in the street with people seated around to watch a football match together…

I could hardly believe that somewhere in Kenya, people still live like this, with such a sense of safety and camaraderie… It is so beautiful! :)

Unique Experiences Await…

Lamu is one of those special places in Kenya, where you’ll get to enjoy unique experiences at every turn… For one, there are only 5 vehicles in Lamu, plus a few Tuk-tuks that have come in the very recent years… The streets have been built quite narrowly, meaning that only donkeys can gain access through… 

One of my favourite things about going to Lamu though, is the boat rides! Right at the airport, there is a dock with numerous boats waiting to usher you to your hotel…

And from that point on, you will either be walking from one place to another, or going by boat, depending on your destination. If you like, you can also take a donkey ride especially in Old Town. 

These experiences will definitely make you appreciate the little things we take for granted. 

Quick Tips:

• Confirm with your hotel in advance that a boat pick-up from the airport is included in the rates you agreed upon.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes (sandals) with a good sole, and that can handle heavy sand well.
• Look out for donkey droppings in the streets of Shela and Old Town. You will also have to contend with an after-smell in some of the streets, because of the donkey droppings. 
• We had a great experience with our boat Captain, and I’d recommend his services. You can reach Captain Mote Shali on: + 254 799 964 652
• Save these numbers too: Captain Aboud: +254 793 814 369 and Captain Farid: +254 704 998 955
• Boat transfers range from Kes.1,000 to Kes.3,000/- depending on where you intend to go. There are public boats that are more affordable.
• A tour of Old Town costs about Kes. 2,000/- per person, but you can negotiate for a group rate.

Lamu: The Perfect Place to Unwind!

Life in Lamu has a way of making you slow down and unwind… It is almost as if the clocks also take on a slower beat. :)

Thanks to the hot weather in Lamu, even your body naturally wants to take it easy, while the calming lulls of the ocean allow your mind to switch off from life as you know it. You can’t help but stare endlessly at the boats drifting in and out of view, leaving their graceful imprints on the water.

Early in the mornings, you may hear the sound of the Imam from a distance, as the place rouses and slowly comes to life. This is the best time to go for a relaxing walk on the beach.

You will especially love the mesmerising views of the sunrise (and sunset) from Shela Beach.

And if you are a foodie, you will enjoy sampling foods from the lovely restaurants and hotels in Lamu…

We particularly enjoyed the pizza at the Majlis Resort’s Japanese restaurant. It’s located right by the beach, with spectacular views of the sunset.

Top of my favourite ways to experience Lamu is with a Sunset Dhow ride… Jambojet treated us to a lovely sunset dhow ride on our last day, and it was pure bliss!

It’s the kind of experience that will have you contemplating packing all your bags and relocating to Lamu- for good! :D

Quick Tip:

• For dhow rides in Lamu, you can reach out to Captain Fahim on +254 741 295003.
• Dhow costs Kes. 2,500 per person for groups of 5-10 people and any additional person pays Kes.1,000/- (inclusive of snacks).
• For 1-2 people, a dhow ride costs Kes. 10,000/- and any additional person pays Kes.1,000/-, (inclusive of snacks).
• Captain Fahim also gives sailing classes at Kes. 8,000/- per person for 2 hours.

Bonus: An opportunity to give back!

Our last night in Lamu turned out to be the most memorable time of our visit. We got to interact with amazing locals like Mzee Rais and T, who helped show us that it only takes one small thoughtful action to make a huge difference.

The people of Lamu highly depend on tourism to make a living. And there are many ways to support… You could support local hotels and shops, by buying gifts and keepsakes to bring home.

At the airport, you’ll come across porters who carry your luggage to the boat. The boat operators also depend on your business, by ferrying you from one place to another. In Old Town, locals work as tour guides, offering to take you on a town tour or sailing around the island.

There are opportunities everywhere, if only we open our eyes and hearts… :)

Quick Tips:

• Before you go, you can identify a few items to donate to the needy like food or school supplies, for the children in school.
• P.S. If you are looking for ways to help/ make a difference in Lamu, send me an email via the Contact Me page, and I will happily put you in touch with locals who can help make it possible.

<< Check out this Blog Post on Top 10 Things To Do In Lamu!

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This visit to Lamu stole my heart yet again, in more meaningful ways than I can put into words… I am deeply grateful to Jambojet for the ways in which they showed up for my friend Millie and I, and for making this trip possible.

I am also grateful for the beautiful souls we met along our way, who restored our faith in the kindness of human beings. I hope that you too, will give Lamu a chance for it is truly worth it!

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed learning more about why Lamu should totally be on your holiday bucket-list!!

I would love to hear back from you… Feel free to leave a comment down below with your questions, inputs and/or feedback.

See you on the next one!

<< Stay. Inspired. Always. >>