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Major city · Kenya

Lamu

Go for 3 nights if you want a car-free Swahili town and dhow sailing; skip if you need nightlife, budget hostels or a beach resort.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Lamu is Kenya's oldest continually inhabited town and a UNESCO World Heritage site, on an island with almost no cars. The Old Town, the village of Shela and a 12 km beach sit within a short boat or boda-boda ride of each other. Three nights covers the town, a dhow trip and the beach without rushing; the island is quiet, majority Muslim and not a party destination.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
KES
Best months
Oct–Mar
avoid Apr–May (long rains); Jun–Sep is cooler and windier but still workable
Airport
LAU
Nights
3
Rules in force · 9Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a mult…
  • Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
  • Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
  • East Africa ↗Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a multi-country trip: Uganda and Burundi check it for all arrivals, and a stop in Kenya or Ethiopia makes the next border ask for it.
  • East Africa ↗Advice for Ethiopia, Somaliland, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and the Congo border areas can change within days; read your government's page the week you fly and before every regional flight.
  • East Africa ↗Price park, reserve and permit fees before comparing lodges: they are charged per person per day, often with VAT, and are fixed whatever bed you choose.
  • Kenya ↗Apply for the Kenya eTA only on the official portal (etakenya.go.ke) at least 3 working days before you fly; lookalike sites charge double. Most African passports have been exempt since 2025.
  • Kenya ↗Book a travel-clinic visit several weeks ahead; ask about malaria prevention and check whether a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for your route, including transits.
  • Kenya ↗Plastic carrier bags are banned; leave shop and duty-free plastic bags behind before you fly in.
  • Kenya ↗Light aircraft to the parks have strict baggage limits, usually soft-sided bags only and a low total weight (often around 15 kg); confirm the limit with your operator and leave a hard case in Nairobi.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Lamu999 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Lamu, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • BeerBeer (Tusker) in a tourist barAlcohol is pricier than on the mainland.check
  • Budget bedGuesthouse room (Old Town), a night, per roomKES 3,500
  • Mid-range bedGuesthouse room (Old Town), a night, per roomKES 6,000
  • High-end bedGuesthouse room (Old Town), a night, per roomKES 12,000

A day, not counting the bed: Budget KES 6,000 · Mid KES 11,000 · High KES 22,000

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Lamu Old Town (UNESCO, 2001)Car-free streets and donkeysDhow sailing in the archipelagoShela Beach and Swahili seafood
Airports
LAU Manda Airport (On Manda Island, opposite the town; a 5-minute boat ride to Lamu Town, longer to Shela.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Best

    32°C (90°F)

  2. Feb

    Best

    32°C (90°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    33°C (91°F)

  4. Apr

    Avoid

    31°C (88°F)

  5. May

    Avoid

    30°C (86°F)

  6. Jun

    Avoid

    29°C (84°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    28°C (82°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    28°C (82°F)

  9. Sep

    Avoid

    29°C (84°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    30°C (86°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    32°C (90°F)

Best: Oct–Mar. Avoid: Apr–Sep. Month by month →

Warmest Mar (33°C (91°F)), coolest Jul (22°C (72°F) low), wettest May (16 rain days), driest Feb (2). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Lamu: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

3 rd

Feb

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

2 rd

Mar

33°C (91°F)

25°C (77°F)

5 rd

Apr

31°C (88°F)

25°C (77°F)

14 rd

May

30°C (86°F)

24°C (75°F)

16 rd

Jun

29°C (84°F)

23°C (73°F)

10 rd

Jul

28°C (82°F)

22°C (72°F)

9 rd

Aug

28°C (82°F)

22°C (72°F)

7 rd

Sep

29°C (84°F)

22°C (72°F)

6 rd

Oct

30°C (86°F)

23°C (73°F)

7 rd

Nov

31°C (88°F)

24°C (75°F)

10 rd

Dec

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

5 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Boats and boda-boda (motorcycle taxis) are the main transport; there are almost no cars. Boda-boda between Lamu Town and Shela costs Ksh 100–150 at low tide and Ksh 250–300 at high tide (2025). The walk is about 45 minutes in the heat. Bring a torch: street lighting in the lanes is minimal.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Takwa Ruins, Manda Island

go

Door to door: Half day

Boat from Shela, reachable only at high tide

Entry about Ksh 500; a boat for up to 4 people runs around Ksh 5,000.

Manda Toto

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Private chartered boat, about 30 min

Uninhabited islet, good snorkelling; take water and food, no facilities.

Matondoni village

caution

Door to door: Half day

Dhow trip from Lamu Town

Dhow builders' village; agree the price and duration first.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Lamu Old Town

Seafront hotels have views but motorbike and boat noise; inside the lanes it is quiet except for the 5AM mosque call.

Shela

3 km (1.9 mi) south of the Old Town at the south end of the beach; cafés and upmarket guesthouses, 45-min walk or a boda-boda.

Kipungani

Remote beach at the island's south-west end; boat access only, quiet and expensive.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
Ksh 6,000–9,000 excl. bed
Mid
Ksh 9,000–16,000 excl. bed
High
Ksh 16,000+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Guesthouse room (Old Town)1 × 3 nights × KES 6,000KES 18,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × KES 11,000KES 66,000
Manda Airport boat transfer, both ways2 × KES 400 · About Ksh 200 each way to Lamu Town; Shela is Ksh 1,200–1,500.KES 800
Dhow sunset trip, 2 hours, no food1 × KES 3,000 · From Ksh 3,000; price rises with food and duration.KES 3,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × KES 2,500KES 5,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeKES 9,280
Trip total≈ KES 17,010 per person per day, bed includedKES 102,080

There are no hostels on the island; Ksh 3,500 is roughly the floor, negotiable in low season.

2026 estimate in Kenyan shillings; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Chicken biryani at a local jointKsh 350
Shawarma wrap / friesKsh 100 / Ksh 150
Swahili main in ShelaKsh 300–400
Mid-range restaurant mainKsh 500–1,500
Boda-boda Lamu Town ↔ Shela2025 prices.Ksh 100–150 low tide, Ksh 250–300 high tide
Public boat Mokowe → Lamu TownSlow and crowded; shared speedboat Ksh 300, private Ksh 1,000 (2025).Ksh 100–200
Beer (Tusker) in a tourist barAlcohol is pricier than on the mainland.check

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Lamu Island has a lower risk record than the mainland county, but the terrorism incidents reported in the news happened in Lamu County, not on the island — check current advisories before you book. The Mombasa–Lamu road is guarded and reported secure as of 2025. The real risks are tout scams, unlit lanes at night and the heat.
  • If a place has no written menu, ask prices before ordering — the classic Lamu scam is a guided walk to a menuless restaurant and a bill in the thousands of shillings.
  • Touts (beach boys) at Mokowe and in town earn kickbacks from hotels and tours; agree the price and the boat type before you board.
  • Donkeys use the main streets as a toilet; watch your step.
  • Dress modestly away from the beach — this is a majority Muslim island, and alcohol is pricier than on the mainland.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999 or 112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

LamuLamu

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Nipeleke kwenye anwani hii, tafadhaliTake me to this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999 or 112

Embassy

No embassies on the island; most are in Nairobi, with consulates in Mombasa. Check your embassy's site before travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Manda Airport → Lamu Town, boat: about Ksh 200, 5 min
  • Manda Airport → Shela, boat: Ksh 1,200–1,500
  • Boda-boda Lamu Town → Shela: Ksh 100–150 low tide, Ksh 250–300 high tide (2025)
  • Dhow sunset trip, 2 h: from Ksh 3,000 per boat

Say or show

  • Jambo — Hello (JAM-bo)
  • Asante — Thank you (a-SAN-te)
  • Bei gani? — How much is it? (BAY GAH-nee)
  • Hapana, asante — No, thank you (ha-PA-na a-SAN-te)
  • Mashua iko wapi? — Where is the boat? (ma-SHOO-a EE-ko WA-pee)
  • Sitaki mwongozo — I don't need a guide (see-TA-kee mwo-NGO-zo)

Ask the boat or boda-boda price before you get in, and confirm whether the fare is per person or per boat.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Lamu. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Mar · avoid Apr–May (long rains); Jun–Sep is cooler and windier but still workable · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 3 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LAU: Manda boat transfer prices, last-light cutoffs and a Shela fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Old Town seafront, Kenyatta Road, Shela, Kipungani.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Lamu Fort, Lamu Museum, Takwa Ruins) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rainy-season and high-tide fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Kenya

Sources