Lamu Dhow and Beach Holiday

Spend a week relaxing on pristine beaches, snorkelling and sailing in a traditional Dhow in the stunning Lamu archipelago.

The Lamu archipelago is the jewel of the Kenyan coast, a collection of low lying islands boasting miles of idyllic sandy beaches lapped by the gentle waves of the warm Indian Ocean. A historic trading centre the area has a rich Swahili culture that is a melting pot of its Indian, Portuguese, British and Middle Eastern influences. The sailing Dhow is the traditional way of transporting heavy goods around the Islands and is still used today by locals.

You’ll spend half the week exploring the Lamu archipelago on a small Dhow. There will be plenty of time to fish, relax and read a book as you navigate between the islands and the mainland. You’ll visit the Kizingitani, a remote village that is the traditional Dhow building centre of Kenya, access some stunning deserted beaches and discover untouched snorkelling spots. The other half of the week is all about relaxing at the wonderful Diamond Beach Village resort – a robinson crusoe collections of a handful of simple beach bandas with a wonderful relaxed ambience.

This trip is definitely not for everybody, but if you don’t mind roughing then there can be few better ways to explore the Lamu Islands. Facilities on the sailing trip are minimal, so you will need to be ok with camping out in the wild for three days. As for Diamond Beach Village, please don’t come expecting the luxuries of a boutique hotel, this place is about the ambience and the beach, more of a robinson crusoe experience than a W Hotel experience!