Food Scene
Places to eat and enjoy in Malindi
Osteria Beach Restaurant
80200 Casuarina RoadLovely beach hang out with great italian food
Rosada Beach Restaurant
Casuarina RoadExcellent beach hang out, and great food and drinks too
Robinson Island
amazing beach spot with fresh sea food
Baby Marrow
Silversand RoadGood food & cocktails
Beautiful beach resort where you can go for lunch or dinner, swim, they also have a nice spa. It’s located on its own slightly outside Malindi, not much else around so very pristine and private. This is very close to the house (5 mins by car, a few more by tuktuck).
The Kasa - Malindi
Beautiful beach resort where you can go for lunch or dinner, swim, they also have a nice spa. It’s located on its own slightly outside Malindi, not much else around so very pristine and private. This is very close to the house (5 mins by car, a few more by tuktuck).
Coffee and snack place in the centre of Malindi, classical meeting spot in town.
8 locals recommend
Bar Bar Restaurant & Pizzeria
Lamu RoadCoffee and snack place in the centre of Malindi, classical meeting spot in town.
Saffron Garden Malindi
Beautiful oasis for relaxing and eating or even for a swim
Parks & Nature
Go to marine park to enjoy the beach, go for a walk or jog, or take a boat to go snorkeling along the coast
44 locals recommend
Malindi Marine National Park
Go to marine park to enjoy the beach, go for a walk or jog, or take a boat to go snorkeling along the coast
Mayungu Public Beach
Casuarina RdBest free beach spot around
About 45 min drive from Malindi. Beach restaurant and hangout by a huge deserted beach. Golden sand.
7 locals recommend
Che Shale Hotel & Kitesurf Center
Lamu RoadAbout 45 min drive from Malindi. Beach restaurant and hangout by a huge deserted beach. Golden sand.
Pristine beach hang out, also with beach hangout spots/restaurant for lunch. Great beach walks. Watch out for the kite surfers…
6 locals recommend
Safina Beach ( Robbie Rasta Safari )
Kanani RoadPristine beach hang out, also with beach hangout spots/restaurant for lunch. Great beach walks. Watch out for the kite surfers…
Go morning for bird watching and afternoon for finding elephants, if lucky
Arabuko Sokoke Forest KFS Gede Gate (Main Gate)
Go morning for bird watching and afternoon for finding elephants, if lucky
Canyon
For sunset hikes. About 30 mins outside Malindi going north.
Sightseeing
Interesting traditional ruins not far from Malindi
42 locals recommend
Gede Ruins Malindi... Snake Park
Gede Watamu RoadInteresting traditional ruins not far from Malindi
Vasco da Gama Pillar
Near Malindi pier. Portuguese chapel also nearby.
Shopping
Malindi Tourist Market
Lamu RoadAll kinds of local trinkets, jewellery, as well as textiles, baskets, wooden and sandstone carvings.
Mulla Boutique
B8All kinds of local trinkets, jewellery, as well as textiles, baskets, wooden and sandstone carvings.
A. A. Shakir
Silversand Roadlocal textiles
Kilimanjaro Grocery Store
Uhuru Roadexcellent spice shop
Traveler advice
Don't miss
The TIDE in Malindi
Check out the tide times daily. If high tide, you can swim (but waves can be rough, beware of the currents), if low, you can walk on the beach all the way to town.
Getting around
PHONE/ INTERNET
If you’re new in Kenya, it’s worth getting a sim card on arrival, it’s free when you add credit. They have very reasonable internet bundles for purchase, which you can also use as personal hotspot. (There is no wifi in Palm House).
Getting around
TRANSPORT
Best way to get around Malindi is by Tuk Tuk or Motorbike. They usually gather by the Marine park entrance, 3 mins from the house. A tuk tuk ride to town should be max 300KES, you might be able to bargain.
If you need a taxi, call Josephat (ask us for his number)
Getting around
Walking on the beach
You can walk to beach restaurants/town on the beach from Marine Park if the tide is low. If tide is high, you have to walk on the tarmac road towards town for about 400m/8mins and then turn down to your right on a path towards the beach. The path is just where there are two large power poles. It’s a nice walk either way!
FYI there is a part of the beach just at the end of marine park by some big cliffs that is cut off during high tide. Swimming/wading through the water when the tide is high is difficult – the bottom is uneven, it gets pretty deep, waves are rough, cliffs sharp.