BAMBURI BEACH
Area: Kenya


Location:
On the SE coast, 300 miles SE of the capital Nairobi, 7 miles N of Mombasa, 13 miles NE of Mombasa's Moi International Airport.

Telephone code from UK:
254 11

Position:
A long strip of pale sandy coast facing the Indian Ocean but protected by coral reefs.

Description:
One of the most developed and compact resort areas, with many shops, banks, travel agencies, restaurants, bars and discos _ all within a mile of each other. White walls and sloping thatched roofs predominate.

Suitability:
Package tourists wanting everything laid on, plenty of activities and opportunities for day trips. Handy for visits to natural attractions, but little contact with locals.

Accommodation:
A strip of self-contained package tour hotels: as a result visitors tend to stay at the one they have chosen without wandering far afield. High seasons are December to March, July and August.

Shopping:
Limited to several modern shopping centres containing banks, pharmacies and travel agencies for safaris and car hire. Good for curios and clothing.

Beach:
A long stretch of soft white sand protected by the offshore coral reef. The water comes up to sea walls of hotel gardens at high tide, so access is generally down steps. Be prepared to be pestered by hawkers and peddlers (the beach is rarely used for sunbathing as a result), and it is not advisable to wander alone after dark. Weed can be a problem during the rainy season (Jul_Sep).

Entertainments:
Daytime: numerous water sports arranged by the hotels including scuba diving, snorkelling, glass-bottomed boat trips over the coral reefs, and sailing. Water slide complex at Kenyatta Beach 1 to 2 miles S. Nightlife: plenty of flashy discos outside the hotels.

Eating:
Many Western-style restaurants along the main Mombasa_Malindi highway, including German, Chinese, Indian, Italian and Kenyan (roast meat).

Public-transport:
Frequent local buses and packed-out "matatus" (pick-up minibuses) go to Mombasa and Malindi from the main coastal highway.

Local-excursions:
Bombolulu Cultural Centre puts on displays of tribal arts and dancing (2 hours). Bambury Quarry Nature Park is an old quarry converted to a nature reserve with paths and jogging circuits. Other organised tours pick up at hotels for the same excursions as those listed under Mombasa.