The centre of idyllic tropical beaches, Malindi offers a range of culture, lifestyle and is an important Swahili Settlement since the 14th century. It was made famous by the stopover of Explorer Vasco Da Gama in the year 1498. It is also famous for it was one of the few places to welcome the Portuguese. Today you can still see the stone cross erected by Vasco da Gama in January 1499 and the small Portuguese church (St. Francis Xavier and still stands today) nearby and Juma’a Mosque which used to be a haven for slave trade. The narrow alleys of Old town have old houses that are century’s old giving a pleasantly mixed with the earthiness of an African centre. Malindi is well served with restaurants, hotels and cafes. With the coral reefs having been declared the Malindi Marine National Park this is a great place for snorkeling and diving, as well as game fishing and surfing. You can also walk through the forest, explore the mangrove by boat or go northwest of Malindi to the famous Hell’s Kitchen locally known as Nyari (Marafa Depression) with its extensive series of sandstone gorges and gullies that are breathe taking