The Best Islands To Visit In Kenya : Kenya is one of the best safari destinations and one of the most visited countries in Africa due to its abundance of tourist destinations, attractions, and activities. Kenya is primarily known for its incredible national parks, including the Maasai Mara National Reserve, which is the ending point of the great migration, and Amboseli National Park, which offers a breathtaking view of Mount Kilimanjaro and is home to many elephant herds and big cats. However, this stunning East African country also has a scattering of unspoiled islands. While the majority of Kenya’s islands are dispersed along the country’s long Indian Ocean coastline, some are located in its inland lakes.
Her stunning islands are among the most popular tourist destinations. A trip to an island is a great idea if you and your significant other want to get away from it all and make some enduring memories. Kenya’s stunning islands offer a unique experience. Anyone will be in awe of the majority of these islands’ landscapes due to their beauty and originality. Here are the top islands off the coast of Kenya, along with details on their locations, degree of cultural diversity, and activities available there.
HERE ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS TO VISIT IN KENYA.
Mombasa Island
Mombasa, which was founded in the 16th century by traders from Oman, is now a fascinating fusion of Indian, Arab, and African cultures. The Spice Market is located on Langoni Road, west of the Old Town, and Fort Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located on the island, the largest port in East Africa. The scene is set by Mombasa’s network of souks, lanes, and cobblestone walkways as well as the far-off sight of traditional dhows out on the water.
Note that Mombasa Island should not be confused with the Mbasa Islands, which are well-known tourist destinations and are home to over 100 different species of birds.
Chale Island
The Sands at Chale Island, a resort designed to blend in with the island’s natural surroundings, is located on the northern portion of Chale Island, just a short distance from the mainland. In contrast, the southern portion of the island is covered in native forest and is a Mijikenda kaya, or ancient village site. One of Kenya’s sunniest islands, Chale, is only four degrees south of the equator.
Takawiri Island
Takawiri, an island in Lake Victoria, is one of Western Kenya’s best-kept secrets. The island offers guided day trips, swimming, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, and sport fishing, along with tall palm trees and white, sandy beaches. At the small but lovely Takawiri Island Resort, the island offers both camping and cottages.
Manda Island
You can fly or take a ferry to get to this island off the coast of Kenya. The biggest swell of any Kenyan beach is known to be picked up by Manda Island, a surfer’s paradise. Despite this, Manda offers access to a beautiful coral reef and welcomes surfers of all skill levels. The ruins of the ports of Takwa and Manda Town from the ninth century are also accessible to tourists on this Kenyan island. The former was designated as a Kenyan National Monument in 1982.
Lamu Island
With its expansive white Shela Beach, distinctive Lamu Museum, and a number of historical archeological sites and ancient ruins, this tranquil island is one of the most well-known in Kenya. Visitors to Lamu Island have a variety of activities to choose from while there, including yoga retreats, world-class dining, dhow boat rides, and relaxing on the pristine beach while taking in the diverse blend of Swahili, Omani, Portuguese, and Turkish cultures.
Mfangano Island
Local fishermen and their families live on this tiny island near the eastern shore of Lake Victoria. The island, which is accessible by boat or small plane, offers a few activities like lounging on the sand beaches, wading in Lake Victoria’s chilly waters, or taking in prehistoric rock art. The geometric paintings on the rock in Mwanga cave and at Kwintone, a forest outpost that can be reached after a 45-minute hike, were created by Twa hunter-gatherers about 4,000 years ago.
Funzi Island
In Kenya’s Kwale district, a collection of islands covered in mangroves and known for their pristine sandy beaches and sea turtle nesting grounds includes Funzi. Accommodations are makuti-roofed bungalows along the beach, and popular tourist activities include crocodile safaris on the nearby Ramisi River, cultural tours of the neighborhood fishing village, and just lazing on the beach and indulging in feasts of delectable fresh seafood.
The Funzi Turtle Club, a neighborhood organization, works to spread knowledge about nesting turtles and ways to protect their habitat.
Ndere Island
Ndere is the Luo tribe’s dialect for “Meeting Place.” Luo folklore claims that after an arduous journey along the Nile Valley, tribal ancestors stopped for a rest near Ndere because they were so enchanted by the island. The diverse bird population of Ndere, which is located along the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria, includes fish eagles and swifts.
Ndere, which is devoid of human habitation, is home to impalas, hippos, and an unusually spotted crocodile. Led nature hikes along the shore are the main activity on the island for tourists.
The Best Islands To Visit In Kenya : Crescent Island
Crescent Island in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley appears to be a green crescent moon surrounded by water from above. The island, which is actually a peninsula that can only be reached by boat, was formed in the 1980s when Lake Naivasha’s water levels dropped significantly. Visitors may encounter an abundance of birds along its shores, including pelicans, cormorants, and fish eagles. In addition, there are land animals that can be seen more frequently on a safari in Kenya, including wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra, and gazelle.
The Best Islands To Visit In Kenya : Migingo Island
Because it is so small, this lakeside island in Lake Victoria does not show up on most maps. Additionally, Kenya and Uganda are fighting over its territorial ownership, with each claiming it as their own. Due to the abundance of the popular Nile perch, which is essential to the livelihood of many East African anglers, in the waters surrounding the island, the tiny island is heavily populated by fishermen and their families from both countries.
Migingo experiences very little tourism, with the exception of the sporadic arrival of locals from Kenya in flimsy fishing boats.
The Best Islands To Visit In Kenya : Wasini Island
You want to laze around all day on the white-sand beaches of the tiny island of Wasini, which is located south of Mombasa. The island, which is only about three miles long, has some of the best snorkeling along the Indian Ocean coastline, Zanzibar’s confusing labyrinth of alleyways, and Lamu’s serene atmosphere. The island is a favorite stop for people who like to travel off the beaten path because it is covered in mango trees and home to local fishermen.
The Best Islands To Visit In Kenya : Rusinga Island
Rusinga Island, which is ten miles long and located at the mouth of the Winam Gulf in the eastern portion of Lake Victoria, is perfect for swimming, boating, and fishing thanks to its glistening black sand beaches and cool offshore winds. The rustic Rusinga Island Lodge, from which guests can take birding hikes and guided walks to the ongoing archeological dig on the island, is the area’s most well-liked lodging option. The famous primate fossils discovered on Rusinga by Louis and Mary Leakey in 1948 prompted the reopening of the archeological sites by paleontologists from the American Museum of Natural History, who still go there today.
