Kenya | Beach camels, cave restaurants, and a mix of love and hate for Mombasa

After ending our safari, we spent 4 days in Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city, to rest. There is a historic old town by the sea, as well as excellent beach resorts. Here are a few things to do in Mombasa — 🏖️Holiday at Diani Beach Diani Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Kenya. The sea is beautiful and it's a one and a half hour drive from Mombasa city. There are many resorts along the beach, and after the safari, you can find one to lie down for two days to fully recover. We stayed at Diamond Leisure, where you can see blue 🪺 monkeys everywhere in the hotel, which is a sight in itself 😂. 🐫Camel riding on the beach Every day on the beach, there are people who herd camels for tourists to take photos. This is a very commercialized activity, but the photos are really good! African camels are very tall and gentle, and it's worth a ride if you encounter them. 🪨Cave restaurant This is a famous restaurant near Diani Beach. The environment is indeed great, located in a natural cave formed tens of thousands of years ago, and it's very romantic at dusk. However, the food is very average, mainly for the atmosphere, and you need to book in advance. 🛕Old town walking tour Mombasa's old town is undeniably charming. Influenced by Arabs for centuries, the streets are heavily Islamic. Women walk in incredibly vibrant folk costumes, the streets are crowded with various tuk-tuks, and the old streets form a very characteristic cityscape. But ❗️There are few tourists on the old town road, and you should not go out alone. We joined a free walking tour and dared to move around the city with a local guide. The itinerary includes Mombasa's most important historical site, Jesus Fort, as well as old town alleys, spice markets, and ivory gates. We met a few children asking for money and brokers trying to solicit business. If there is no guide, it is not safe, so be careful. 🚤View the city coastline In Mombasa, we stayed in the newer and wealthier area of English Point Hotel, which is relatively better and safer. From here you can see the old town across a bay, the staggered buildings and the piers stretching out from the sea surface reminded me of Venice for a moment. · ⚠️Finally, be aware of safety in Mombasa. On our last day here, we were discriminated against by an Uber driver, which was the only unpleasant experience of the trip. This place is very distinctive, but if you are not an experienced traveler, you can skip Mombasa city and spend two or three days at a beach resort.