Lamu
| Lamu, Kenya's oldest living
town, was one of the original Swahili settlements along coastal East
Africa. There are some other accounts that mention Chinese ships of Zheng He's fleet sinking near Lamu Island in Kenya in 1415. Survivors are said to have settled in the island and married local women. However, the authenticity of this story is disputed. The port of Lamu has existed for at least a thousand years. Lamu Island is a part of Kenya's Lamu Archipelago, and has managed to stay unspoilt and untouched by the mass tourism and development that has hit much of Kenya's coastline . As Kenya's oldest living town, Lamu has retained all the charm and character built up over centuries. Children play in the narrow streets, Muslim men chat on street corners and women in their black buibui eils busy themselves through doorways. Most houses have a rooftop which is used as a patio - indicative of a society where 'hanging back' and 'catching the breeze' is important. Visitors to the island can stay in one of these Swahili-style Lamu villas where sandy-toed days stretch out into tropical rooftop evenings. Lamu is strictly Islamic, so be sensitive in the way you dress. There is just one car on the island and it belongs to the mayor so donkeys are the main form of transport as well as dhows and speedboats. |