Best islands to visit in Kenya

Written by: Faith K. Benson, Local Expert

While Kenya is famous as the birthplace of safari, this breathtaking East African nation also boasts a smattering of pristine islands. Some islands in Kenya are in its inland lakes while the majority are scattered off Kenya’s sweeping Indian Ocean coastline.

Here are the most beautiful islands to visit in Kenya.

Mombasa Island

Discovered in the 16th century by Omani traders, Mombasa today is a fascinating mix of Indian, Arab and African culture. The island, East Africa’s largest port, is home to UNESCO World Heritage Site Fort Jesus as well as the Spice Market on Langoni Road, west of the Old Town. Mombasa’s series of souks, alleys, and cobblestone walkways set the scene, as do the distant sight of traditional dhows out on the water.

Note, Mombasa Island is not to be confused with the Mbasa Islands, which are popular destinations known as a bird sanctuary, where over 100 bird species have been recorded.

Chale Island

The northern part of Chale Island, just a stone’s throw from the mainland, is occupied by the Sands at Chale Island, a resort built to blend in with the island’s natural environment. The southern part of the island, meanwhile, is covered by indigenous forest and is a Mijikenda kaya, an ancestral village site. Just four degrees south of the equator, Chale is one of the most sun-drenched islands in Kenya.

Takawiri Island

An island on Lake Victoria, Takawiri is one of Western Kenya’s hidden gems. With white, sandy beaches, tall palm trees and the clear blue water, the island offers swimming, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, sportfishing and guided day trips. The island has both camping and cottages at the small but lovely Takawiri Island Resort.

Manda Island

This island located off the Kenyan coast is reachable both by ferry boat and airplane. Manda Island is a surfer’s paradise and known to pick up the greatest swell of any Kenyan beach. That said, Manda welcomes surfers of all levels and offers access to a scenic coral reef. Tourists on this Kenyan island can also visit the ruins of the ninth century ports of Takwa and Manda town. The former was classified in 1982 as a Kenyan National Monument.

Lamu Island

This peaceful island is one of the most popular Kenyan islands with its sweeping white Shela Beach, the distinctive Lamu Museum, and a series of historic archeological sites and ancient ruins. Visitors to Lamu Island can enjoy yoga retreats and stellar cuisine, take a boat ride on a dhow, or simply relax along the pristine beach and take in the diverse mix of Swahili, Omani, Portuguese and Turkish cultures.

Mfangano Island

At the eastern edge of Lake Victoria, this small island is populated by local fishermen and their families. Reachable by boat or small plane, the island offers a handful of activities including relaxing on the sandy beaches, wading in the cool waters of Lake Victoria, or viewing prehistoric rock art. Mfangano’s rock art consists of geometric paintings in Mwanga cave and at the forest outpost of Kwintone – reachable via a 45-minute hike – made by Twa hunter gatherers about 4,000 years ago.

Funzi Island

Funzi is one of a patchwork of mangrove-covered islands in Kenya’s Kwale district, known for its unspoiled sandy beaches and nesting sea turtles. Accommodation consists of makuti-roofed bungalows along the beach while popular excursions for tourists include crocodile safaris on the nearby Ramisi River, cultural tours of the local fishing village, and simply relaxing on the beach and enjoying feasts of mouth watering fresh seafood.

A local group called the Funzi Turtle Club is attempting to raise awareness of the nesting turtles and ways to preserve their habitat.

Ndere Island

Ndere means ‘Meeting Place’ in the dialect of the local Luo tribe. According to Luo folklore, tribal ancestors rested near Ndere after a long journey along the Nile Valley because they were so enchanted by the island. Set along the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria, Ndere is home to a diverse bird population including Fish Eagles and Swifts.

Devoid of human inhabitants, Ndere also has impala, hippo, and the rare spotted crocodile. The main activity on the island for visitors is guided nature walks along the shoreline.

Crescent Island

From an aerial view, Crescent Island in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley looks like a green crescent moon surrounded by water. Formed in the 1980s when the water levels of Lake Naivasha decreased significantly, the island is not an island at all but a peninsula, only accessible by boat. Along its shores, visitors may see abundant bird life including pelicans, cormorants, and fish eagles. There are also land animals more commonly spotted on a Kenya safari such as wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra and gazelle.

Migingo Island

This half-acre island in Lake Victoria is so small that it does not appear on most maps. It is also at the center of a territorial dispute between Kenya and Uganda, both countries claiming it as their own. The tiny island is densely inhabited by fishermen and their families from both countries as the waters surrounding the island are filled with the popular Nile perch, central to the livelihood of many East African anglers.

There is little to no tourism on Migingo, save the occasional visit from Kenyan locals on rickety fishermen’s boats.

Wasini Island

The tiny island of Wasini, south of Mombasa, emits a laid back feel that makes you want to relax all day on its white sand beaches. Only about three miles long, the island has Zanzibar’s maze-like alleyways, Lamu’s peaceful ambience, and some of the best snorkeling on the Indian Ocean coastline. The island is peppered with mango trees and populated by local fishermen and is a popular outpost for those who prefer to travel off-the-beaten-path.

Rusinga Island

In the eastern part of Lake Victoria at the mouth of the Winam Gulf, ten mile-long Rusinga Island has glittering black sand beaches and cool offshore winds which make it an ideal spot for swimming, boating, and fishing. The most popular accommodation here is the rustic Rusinga Island Lodge from which visitors can go on birding hikes and guided walks to the ongoing archeological dig on the island. In 1948, Louis and Mary Leakey famously discovered primate fossils on Rusinga which led to the reopening of the archeological sites by paleontologists from The American Museum of Natural History, who continue to visit to this day.