Swimming in the Indian Ocean is very exciting.
If you want to escape the madding crowds in the capital the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page, I can proudly tell you that reading pages on my four-day leisure trip to coastal Mombasa was memorable.
With seven journalist friends, Michael, Nisha, Hillary, Andrew, Barbra, Robert, Moses and our host, Regina from Air Uganda, we set out to kick the white sands in the coastal town.
Forget your favourite resorts, beaches in Mombasa have the white sands and the experience comes in full measure.
Our first stop was at Hemingsway Resort where the language of hospitality starts at the welcome lounge with a glass of fresh juice and cinnamon-scented face towels to cool us of the effects of the approximately 90-minute direct flight on the wings of East Africa.
There is a bit of a stretch from the airport to Hemingsway, but the little fatigue will all vanish once you drive into this resort of tropical splendour. “We need to check out the beaches, guys,” Hillary, visibly excited, beckoned us.
“Let’s check in first and then we’ll have all the time to experience the resort,” Regina calmly suggested. The hotel staff checked us in and led us to our hotel rooms that directly face the sparkling blue self-imposing Indian Ocean. Well, our trip came a week earlier to Christmas Day, and the festive cheer was in the air with the coastal stretch crowded with tourists from all over the world who chose to take a break from life’s routine to relax all day and experience the coast’s grandeur.
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Bumping into white old wealthy couples, as well as middle age Kenyan couples with their young families is common place here. Nicholas, our tour guide told me that there are many hotels and every resort will have to put their best foot forward.
We split our short holiday between the south coast and north coast, and thinking that Hemingsway was Mombasa’s beauty, was for a moment. On our second day, we crossed to the north coast and Leopard Beach Hotel and Spa proved its worth as a beauty in greenery along the coastal Diani beach on the northern coast.
“Tycoons and International dignitaries come to enjoy their holidays here,” the hotel’s management told us as we toured Serena Breach Hotel and Spa after a sumptuous lunch.
The hotel opens up to lovely traditional Swahili architecture and designs and décor of heavy wood, sukkah embroidering on the ceilings and lanterns along the walkways. When we visited, the hotel was fully booked and further on in the compound, the presence of tourists was heavy, all the way to the lawns that are dotted with palm trees. The palm garden overlooks the coastline where white tourists bask in shades, taking portions of the sun as they chat, read novels or simply take an afternoon siesta along the sandy pristine beaches.
The beach boys who partly provide tour guide services, are in business too, enjoying the company of the white ladies. It is a generally happy mood and you would want to have this experience forever in this home to some of the world’s best beaches.
And what is more, nightlife is also an experience on its own in the south coast. At Hemingsway Resort, we were entertained by Vivian & the Jazzy Souls that musically took us places and to different times, from Aretha Franklin to sounds of the Beatles, Regina Belle, Michael Bolton and back home to Juliana Kanyomozi’s duet with Burundian star Kidumu, Haturudi Nyuma.
Although its Christmas Day today, 2012 is not far into the future, you can start saving for a trip down to the coast for your chance to sample wonderful beaches, Swahili cuisine and culture.
If you go
Fights
Air Uganda flies direct to Mombasa three times a week.
Cost of flight is Us $400
Accommodation
At Hemingsway Resort Ksh13,000 ( Shs300, 000) for Sea View Superior Singles,Ksh20,000 ( Shs540,000) for Sea View Superior Twin/double and Sea View Executive Suite of one and two bedrooms for Ksh42,000 (Shs1.1m) and Ksh68,000 (Shs1.8 million ) respectively. These rates apply for East African residents.
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