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The
town of Mombasa is East Africa’s largest port and Kenya’s main
tourist hub. Located in the southeastern part of Kenya, it is one of the
most significant towns not only for its imports and exports through its
port but also as a major destination for tourists visiting Kenya.
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The
Town
Transport
Services
Shopping
Security
Port
of Mombasa
General
Facts
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The coastal city of Mombasa is actually an
island with magnificent stretches of white sandy beaches and coral reefs.
The town has four major roads, namely Digo Road, Nkrumah Road,
Nyerere Road and Moi Avenue. Along these major roads are where
most of the towns shops and businesses are located.
A road map of Mombasa.(click
on thumbnail to enlarge)
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The Moi
International Airport is an architectural symbol of Mombasa's
growing investment in tourism. It has been newly-renovated,
and a new terminal has been built to facilitate larger
aircraft and increased passenger traffic. As a direct result,
many of the major airlines that operate out of the airport
have increased both the number and frequency of their flights,
in particular from major European cities. Smaller airlines
operate local and regional flights within Kenya and East and
Southern Africa respectively.
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Touch Down
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Kenya
Railways offers train services throughout the country, primarily
between Nairobi and Mombasa. Passengers who chose to travel via
rail have the option of travelling either by first or second
class.
A
trip from Nairobi to Mombasa usually takes around 13 hours
during which a variation of wildlife can be seen at a relatively
close distance. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are also served on
the train's dining carriage.
Tickets
can be purchased at local travel agencies as well as at the main
station which is located opposite the roundabout of Haile
Salassie avenue and Mwenbe Tyari Road.
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The
main form of transport is the public bus service (Kenya Bus
Services), followed by the very popular minibuses otherwise
commonly known and referred to as “Matatus”. Both forms of
transport are highly used by the locals, and a ride in a
“Matatu” can be quite a fascinating experience. London-style
cabs and other taxis can be found almost anywhere in the town.
A "Matatu" en route to downtown
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Financial
institutions are located in abudance throughout the center of
the town. Barclays Bank, Standard Chartered, and ABN-AMBRO are a
few of such banks that can be found. Many other
internationally-based banks also have their branches in Mombasa.
Foreign exchange bureaus are also available and offer attractive
exchange rates for all currencies. However it is strongly
recommended for safety purposes that you carry travelers cheques
(American Express or Thomas Cook preferably) as opposed to cash.
One of many branches situated in Mombasa
There
are four main hospitals around the city centre, with many
smaller clinics located all around the town and its outskirts.
They are the Mombasa hospital, Agakhan hospital, Pandya Memorial
hospital and Coast General hospital. Most hotels have resident
doctors and nurses.
The Aga Khan
hospital's Out-Patient department
For
your essentials, there are many shops and supermarkets in the
town such as Nakumatt, Uchumi, City Grocers, Shamash and Bros.,
and Supersavers in the city centre, Dhanji Supermarket in
Bamburi, and Bacchus Grocers in Nyali.
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Local
hand-crafted items and souvenirs can be bought in the city as
well as on the beachfront from tourist shops and local vendors
respectively. Traditional African and Arabic clothing can also
be purchased at these places. Prices vary, and some good deals
can be obtained with a bit of bargaining
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Traditional
African clothing for sale
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Security
is always a concern, and the local government has taken a
number of steps to ensure that the general public feels safe
in all areas of the city as well as along the beaches. The
Central Police Station is located at the heart of the town,
and regular patrols are carried out on foot as well as in
vehicles all over the city. Kenya Wildlife Service agents
maintain a safe and clean environment along the beaches, and
ensure that the law is enforced with around the clock
surveillance.
Port Of Mombasa
The
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) manages the port of Mombasa. The
port serves as a transit point for Kenya’s imports from
other countries as well as for its exports of goods and
services from the industrial, commercial and agricultural
sectors.
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Bon voyage!
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Most
of the ships seen at the port are from Kenya’s neighboring
countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Eastern Zaire and few
others as well. Cruise ships, Navy ships and the famous QEW are
frequent visitors to the port and the town.
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The
Port of Mombasa is vast in size. Port Tudor, Kilindini Harbour
and Port Reitz, which used to be the old port, are what make up
the Port of Mombasa. The Port offers many of the essential
services such as cargo handling, berthing of ships, and other
such facilties.
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A ship being guided out out of the port
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Size:
10 to 15 miles (16 to
24 kilometers) wide
Population:
500,000
Religion:
Christianity, Islam and other minority religious
groups
Language:
Swahili and English
Exports:
Tourism, Coffee, Tea, Cement and Cotton
Climate:
Tropical Climate with temperatures varying from
low 20’s to
high 30 degrees celsius.
Rainfall:
40 inches (1,000 millimeters) a year
Currency:
Kenyan Shilling (Kshs)
Time
Difference: 3
Hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Electricity
Voltage: 220/240v,
step down transformers and batteries are highly recommended. Check if
your electrical appliance is compatible with different voltages.
Distance
From Nairobi: 487kms
Major
Airport: Moi International Airport
Neighboring
Towns: Malindi (1 hour away) Watamu (2 hours
away)
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