Kenya's focal Indian Ocean port city and number one beach break destination is decidedly reached by a number of low budget airlines from Gatwick. As these frequently leave or arrive at inopportune times in the middle of the night, it often pays to drive your car and leave it safely at a Gatwick hotel with parking. Mombasa is Kenya's second largest city and lies on an island in a natural harbour on the Indian Ocean coast. It is very well known for its gorgeous beaches which stretch for miles in both directions North and South. The most of getaway visitors come on package holidays to the many beach resorts which inevitably line the shores, but there is abundant potential for individual travel as there is a species of accommodation options and millions to see and do apart from the attractions of the beach. The wettest and most uncomfortable stage of year is usually March to May, but the rest of the year often has a lot of sunshine and is uniformly hot. Off shore from various of the beaches are numerous coral reefs. These can be explored at low tide while the pools and reef edge offer encounters with hundreds of colourful fish and marine invertebrates. The snorkelling is in fact good, but the reefs closest to Mombasa have been relatively affected by over fishing, the careless use of nets and dynamiting. more desirable snorkelling and diving possibilities exist to the South of the city at a few well protected marine parks and reserves in the Shimoni area. The waterfront around the island city of Mombasa looks out over waters that have seen traditional dhows ply to and fro through the ages. North Easterly trade winds allowed dhows laden with goods from Arabia to arrive and then leave from again with the South West monsoon. Ocean going dhows are a rarity these days, but coastal dhows can still be seen sailing around Mombasa and up and down the coast within the lagoons. Mombasa's Old Town, with its narrow winding alleys and abundant wooden doors, is worth exploring: here the influence of Arab traders and the Swahili culture is most evident. Fort Jesus, over four hundred years old, dates back to Portuguese control over the trade routes and acts as a museum. Further afield and a half day break away, are the Gedi ruins, what date from the Shirazi or Persian era. Mombasa's many fruit and vegetable markets and the curio stores in around Biashara Street and Moi Avenue in the up-to-date city centre are good for browsing and shopping. Wooden carvings, curios, traditional musical instruments, kanga (skirts) and kikoi (men's sarongs) are the most popular items to look for. Within reasonable driving reach of Mombasa lie three important national parks. Shimba Hills National Park, up on the undulating and slightly cooler hills of the same name, to the South of the city is the closest of Kenya's wildlife parks to the sea. Here there are herds of elephants and rare antelopes such as roan and sable, with their magnificent swept back horns. To the North West, on either side of the main highway to Nairobi, are the twin wildlife parks of Tsavo East and Tsavo West. Large numbers of tours visit both these standard parks and they are often the first places that visitors to Kenya see any wildlife. The distances could be huge and sometimes long intervals can go by without seeing anything at all, but the effort and expense is worth it, particularly if the option is taken of staying a night or two at one of the two park's well equipped game lodges. Pools often attract a variety of game right in front of the lodge verandahs.
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Kenya's main Indian Ocean port city and number one beach break destination is easily reached by a number of low budget airlines from London Gatwick. As these often leave or arrive at awkward times in the middle of the night, it often pays to take your car and leave it safely at a Gatwick hotel with parking. Mombasa is Kenya's second largest city and lies on an island in a natural harbour on the Indian Ocean coast. It is most well known for its glorious beaches what stretch for miles in either ...
This article about Instanbul was written by Jane Kelly, article writer for the famed Gatwick hotel with parking, the Springwood Guesthouse. 58 Massetts Road Horley, Gatwick Surrey, UK RH6 7DS
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