Whether you’re looking to travel to Mombasa, Kenya for some well deserved rest and relaxation or simply for business, the accommodation options in the North Coast are ample and cater for all pocket sizes.

For the hedonistic traveller, there are a number of four and five star beach resorts that line the North Coast of Mombasa, some of which offer an all-inclusive deal for their guests. Located on wide stretches of palm fringed, powdery white sandy beaches, these Mombasa resorts have an atmosphere reminiscent of Swahili culture. With air-conditioned, beautifully designed deluxe suites and standard rooms either facing the sea or lush gardens, these luxurious hotels have a wide selection of well equipped rooms to choose from. The rooms also generally are equipped with satellite TV, mini bars and a safe. There are also conference facilities available for those who are in Mombasa on business.

Most Mombasa beach resorts have more than one pool and a choice of bars and restaurants that are open throughout the day. Entertainment is provided by local bands and traditional dancers while you enjoy your dinner. Hotels such as the Sarova Whitesands and Serena Beach Hotels have in-house health and beauty spas which offer a variety of treatments to help you relax and rejuvenate. There are also gyms, tennis and squash courts, yoga and aerobics classes available on the hotel grounds. For those travelling with children, there are children’s clubs and activities organized to help keep the little ones entertained while you enjoy your sporting activities.

If you’re not fussed about expensive Egyptian cotton sheets and Italian tiled bathrooms and are looking for a more homely environment away from the crowds, there are self-catering, fully equipped beach cottages available in Mombasa. In most cases, you can hire a cook cum cleaner at a negotiable, reasonable rate. These are ideal for groups of people or families travelling together.

For those looking to escape the beach culture, Mombasa has a number of hotels located in the heart of town such as the colonial style Castle Royal Hotel located just ten minutes from Mombasa’s Old Town and the tourist hot-spot Fort Jesus. Furnished and self catered apartments such as the elegant Tamarind Village Apartments are ideal for business travellers looking for a quiet environment or if you’re planning to be in Mombasa for a longer period.

The main cell phone service providers in Kenya are Safaricom, Zain, and Orange-Telkom.

SIMs for these providers can be purchased for as little as Kshs. 100 and are widely available from many vendors. As long as your cell phone is not locked into another service provider’s contract and is GSM 900 compatible or tri-band / quad-band, you should be able to use the local lines effectively within Kenya at reasonable rates for international as well as local calls.

Swahili is the official language of Kenya and is spoken by the majority of the inhabitants of Mombasa.  Although English is also widely spoken, it is useful to know some common words and phrases to use whilst visiting Mombasa.

There’s little chance that you’d want to leave the sandy Mombasa beaches to go shopping, but should you need to, there are plenty of options available:

Nakumatt Nyali: This hypermarket has everything under one roof, from fresh produce to furniture, and is conveniently located within walking distance from Nyali Beach Hotel and Voyager Beach Resort. The centre that houses it also contains a bookstore, pharmacy, internet café, ATM machines, butchery, restaurants, a Kenya Airways booking office and a Safaricom (local cell-phone service provider) retail shop, amongst other shops.

Nakumatt Cinemax: This well-stocked supermarket is also located in Nyali and is Mombasa’s only 24-hour supermarket. Also available within the shopping complex is a movie theatre, casino, bowling alley, bar, coffee shop, internet café, bank, clothing store and a couple of restaurants.

Nakumatt Likoni: Located in close proximity to the Likoni Ferry, this superstore is particularly busy all through the day. The building contains a goldsmith, ATM machines, bookstore and access to phone services (both local and international) at reasonable rates amongst other services.

Nawal Centre in the Mwembe Tayari area and Lulu Centre situated approximately 2km from the town centre, both offer a variety of merchandise, from foodstuffs to clothes.

If you don’t want the hassle of driving, and you want a cheaper option than flying, the train is your best bet to get from Nairobi to Mombasa.

Kenya Railways operates a train service that leaves from both Nairobi and Mombasa every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

A first class return ticket (recommended) with two beds per compartment costs Kshs. 6,750 (less than USD 100) and includes bedding, dinner and breakfast.

If there are more of you, you can opt for a second class cabin with 4 beds for Kshs. 4,980 (approximately USD 68)

Although tickets may be purchased at the railway station on the day of travel, it is advisable to book a few days in advance especially during the holiday season.

Contact Kenya Railways on +254 20 221 211 or if dialing within Kenya, 020-221 211.

The above prices were valid at the time of writing this post.

AirKenya Express has started flying daily Monday – Sunday from Nairobi to Mombasa via Diani, on the South Coast.

This now gives travellers direct access to the South Coast and avoids delays if taking the traditional route from Moi International Airport to the South Coast via the Likoni Ferry service.

Current airfares posted on AirKenya’s website for a one trip ranges between US$100 to US$125 (as at August 4th)

For current information and bookings visit AirKenya’s website.