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| Main Safari Attractions
in Kenya |
- Lamu |
 As Kenya's
oldest living town, Lamu has a rich and colorful history. The town
was one of the original strings of Swahili settlements that stretched
from Somalia to Mozambique. It remained a thriving port town through
the turbulent Portuguese invasions and later the Omani domination
of the 17th century. Lamu had a slave-based economy until the turn
of the 20th century. When slavery was abolished in 1907 the economy
of the island suffered greatly. Only recently has the influx of
tourist dollars revitalized the town’s growth.
Lamu appears to be a region almost frozen in time. The physical
appearance and the character of the town have changed very little
over the centuries. The narrow, winding streets accommodate only
pedestrian or donkey traffic. The population of Lamu remains almost
exclusively Muslim. Men still wear full-length robes known as khanzus
with kofia caps while women cover themselves in the black wraparound
cloth common in other Islamic cultures. In the early 1970s, Lamu
became famous for its reputation as an exotic, remote, and self-contained
society. It became a spiritual center of sorts for hippies and other
non-conformists drawn to its undisturbed traditional culture. Some
people feel that Lamu’s popularity and increased tourism will
ultimately undermine the unique value system and culture of this
Swahili settlement. Others argue, however, that without the tourist
industry Lamu will suffer and stagnate.
There are numerous sights in and around Lamu worth exploring. The
architecture of the houses and buildings is especially unique. Most
buildings date back to the 18th century or before and are constructed
out of local materials including coral-rag blocks for the walls,
wooden floors supported by mangrove poles, makuti roofs, and intricately
carved shutters for windows. The villages of Shela and Matondoni,
Lamu Fort, the Swahili House Museum, and the Donkey Sanctuary should
also be included on every traveler’s itinerary.
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More Safari Attractions in Kenya
• Lake Bogoria National Reserve
• Masai Mara National Reserve
• Lake Nakuru National Park
• Mount Kenya
• Mombasa
• Nairobi
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