Marikiti spice market: go early, pick your own route

You do not need a guide to walk Old Town, but the stories behind the carved doors and coral houses are better with one. Certified guides wait outside Fort Jesus, and you can also book through your hotel or a licensed agency. Agree the rate and the length of the walk before you start, since rates vary. Politely decline…

Around Fort Jesus, Old Town and the ferry terminals, some tuk-tuk and taxi drivers quote a high fare or raise it on arrival. Agree the exact fare before you board, ask your hotel what a normal ride should cost, and keep small notes ready for change. Booking on Bolt or Uber, where available, removes the haggling. If…

The Madaraka Express leaves from the Mombasa terminus at Miritini, about 10 km west of the center, not from the old town station. A taxi or matatu can take up to an hour in traffic, and a shuttle links the terminus with the old station. Arrive at least one hour before departure, because platform gates close 10 minutes…

The Mombasa International Show, run by the Agricultural Society of Kenya, takes over the Mkomani show grounds for five days from Wednesday to Sunday, usually around the turn of August and September. It is opened by a senior guest on the Thursday and draws more than a thousand exhibitors, some from other countries…

Nguuni Nature Sanctuary sits in the Nguu Tatu hills, about ten minutes by car from Bamburi, and you walk on foot among giraffes, oryx, waterbuck and ostriches. Book the walk or a sundowner by phone in advance, wear trousers and closed shoes, and bring repellent. There is no restaurant, so pack snacks and take your…

Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Centre in Kisauni employs artisans with disabilities who make jewelry, leather goods and dyed fabrics you can watch being made. Go on a weekday morning, register at the gift shop for a guide, and bring a way to pay so you can buy from the artisans. The centre also has traditional…

Mandhry Mosque was built by Omani settlers around 1570 and is the oldest mosque in Mombasa, still in daily use. Cover shoulders and knees, bring a headscarf if you are a woman, and ask before taking photos, never inside the prayer hall. Avoid the five daily prayer times, and aim for early morning or late afternoon…

Near the giant metal coffee pot monument by Fort Jesus, a street stand pours spiced Swahili coffee from small tumblers. Ask for kahawa tungu, the bitter version flavored with ginger, cinnamon and cardamom, or take the sweet one if you prefer. Locals drink it in the evening after work, and a piece of halwa on the side…