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A cluster of hot, low-lying desert islands tucked into the coast near the Somalian border, Lamu and its neighbours have a special appeal that many find irresistible. While each town or village has its own distinct character, together they epitomize a separate spectrum of Swahili culture. For although the whole coast is - broadly - "Swahili", there's a world of difference between these islands and the coconut beaches of Mombasa and Malindi. To a great extent the islands are anachronisms. Electricity arrived here only a few decades ago, there are still almost no motor vehicles, and life moves at the pace of a donkey or a dhow. Yet there have been considerable internal changes over the centuries and Lamu itself is now changing faster than ever. Because of its special position in the Islamic world as a much-respected Islamic teaching centre, Saudi Arabian direct aid has poured into the island: the hospital, schools and religious centres are all supported by it. At the same time, there have been efforts to open up Lamu beyond its present tourist market, which so far has encompassed only low-budget travellers and short-stay air safaris. Rich foreign sponsors are eagerly sought and several lodging houses have been set up with what is bluntly called "white-girl money". Islanders are ambivalent about the future. A string of hotels along the beach, a bridge to the mainland - all seems possible, and all would contribute to the destruction of Lamu's timeless character. Some up-country officials working here might not disapprove - with only two bars, the town is not a popular posting. But the damage that would be done goes further than spoiling the tranquillity. The Lamu archipelago is one of the most important sources for knowledge about pre-colonial Africa. Archeological sites indicate that towns have existed on these islands for at least 1200 years. The dunes behind Lamu beach, for example, are said to conceal the remains of long-deserted settlements. And somewhere close by on the mainland, perhaps just over the border in Somalia, archeologists expect one day to uncover the ruins of Shungwaya, the town which the nine tribes that comprise the Mijikenda people claim as their ancestral home. The whole region is an academic's delight, a source of endless confusion and controversy, and a place where there is still real continuity between history and modern life. At least for the present, the islands survive. Lamu island itself, most people's single destination, still has plenty to recommend it, despite a serious fire in 1993 and the inevitable sprouting of TV satellite dishes. Manda , directly opposite, is little visited except for the lifeline it provides with the outside world - the local airstrip. Pate island , accessible by dhow or motorboat, makes a fascinating excursion if you have a week or more in the area. Kiwaiyu , not quite within the archipelago, but exotic and alluring enough to be worth the effort if you have time, is a wisp of a beach island 9km long and less than 1km across, lying to the northeast of the other islands. Those who visit Kiwaiyu normally arrive by private plane, but you can easily reach it by grouping together to charter a dhow in Lamu.
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