Manda Island, Kenya
Manda is a quiet lattice of dune and mangroves a short hop and jump across from Shela. The island has just started to feel the claws of development, and the appealing long beach facing Lamu is backed by a couple of places to stay and several huge private villas.
Beyond the beach, traditional life continues unabated in a local fishing village, and a small Orma settlement looks after a Shela-based green turtle conservation project that visitors can take part in. And if you take a dhow or speedboat to the Takwa ruins, particularly atmospheric around sunset, you can visualise a once-great city that once dominated this peaceful backwater.
Epic Kenya Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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