Mombasa is a place steeped in history yet at the same time a fascinating commercial and cosmopolitan port town. Mombasa is an island connected to the mainland by bridges and ferries. The town overlooks a wide harbor, where commercial shipping mingles with traditional sailing dhows.
The true heart of Mombasa is found in the exotic old town, among the narrow winding streets and Arab architecture. The air here is always heavy with the scent of spices. At the water’s edge is Fort Jesus, an imposing fort that stands watch over the harbor.
The high gun turrets, battlements, and underground passages of this 16th Century Fort were the center of a historic struggle for control of the Kenya coast between the Portuguese army and the Shirazi Arabs. This war was waged around Mombasa over hundreds of years and countless battles, and the Fort stands as a testament to this tumultuous past. Modern Mombasa is a city of great diversity and life. This is a town where all are welcomed and quickly absorbed into this great coastal melting pot.
Mombasa is a place where both history and progress are greatly valued, where a busy harbor existence is lived at its own unique, tropical pace.