This cold weather got me reminiscing about my last summer holiday. I did something out of the norm for myself and joined a pre-planned girl’s trip for a group of 10 to Lamu, in Kenya. Initially, I was uneasy about the number of people as I generally prefer my own space and wasn’t sure about sharing space for 5 days with a large group. But, sometimes I like to throw caution to the wind and try things outside of my comfort zone. This turned out to be one of the best experiences of my adult life.
The destination
I love Xploring our continent. So far, I have been to 7 countries outside of South Africa and I have a goal to go to at least 10 more. So, when the opportunity came up to go to Kenya, I simply could not pass it up. What more could a girl wish for during the festive season than guaranteed warm weather by the sea.
Similarities to South Africa
Everywhere I have been on the African continent feels like home. People are friendly and welcoming. So, I guess the similarity there is the “Botho” qualities of the locals. Things cost more or less the same or slightly cheaper.
Highlights: strangers became friends
Oh my, where do I even begin? Everything about this trip was just Lovelee. It was 4 nights, 5 days. I didn’t know the ladies on this trip except for the organiser. Meeting strangers and making new friends added to the spice and excitement of the trip.
Highlights: tourist experiences
Overall experience was 10/10! It was a very well-curated trip that showcased the highlights of the island. The things I enjoyed the most were the sunset dhow (boat) cruise and a daytime boat ride to another small island. On the way to this little island, we stopped to snorkel. I also xplored the historical Takwa Ruins at Manda Island (30mins from Lamu on a boat) with two ladies. This was not a group excursion. I learned a lot about the origins of Lamu and how the first people who settled there lived.
Food
We stayed at Forhodani House. The people who looked after us went all out, especially the chef. He prepared delicious food from lobster to prawns and much more. I felt like a spoilt princess. I also had mouth-watering goat stew at Kijani Hotel, a short walk from where we stayed. I loved trying out different drinks also at nearby bars, and absolutely enjoyed the local signature cocktail called the Dawa.
Splurge
I splurged on experiences. We went to visit a center that empowers women and had Henna tattoos done. We also bought some dresses made the women. We went out to several local restaurants and tried different dishes and cocktails.
Advice to consider
If you love the sea and warm weather then definitely go to Lamu. Perhaps check out other hotel options. Even if you spend two nights at one and three at another if you have time. I went past some places on my morning runs along the beach that piqued my interest. So if I had a week or longer, I would have definitely tried another hotel or two.
Regrets
I wish I had booked my flights earlier. I had some work schedule issues and only confirmed under 2 weeks before departure that I would join. By the time I booked preferred flights for airlines and time of traveling were either fully booked or very expensive.
Trip resources
Booking.com is my all-time go-to. I didn’t book this accommodation this time around but I used the App to check out things to do and also ratings for activities. I used Skyscanner to search for flights and do price comparisons. I ended up booking flights via Booking.com because I was getting preferential rates based on the loyalty level.
