Malindi is a historic coastal town on Kenya’s northern coast, one of the oldest Swahili settlements on the East African coast and a former stop for Portuguese explorers, whose visits are still marked by a pillar monument overlooking the sea. The town blends Swahili, Arab and Italian influences, the latter visible in a notable community and several Italian-run businesses along the coast.

The Malindi Marine National Park protects coral gardens just offshore, offering snorkelling and glass-bottom boat trips over reefs rich in fish and other marine life. Beaches along the town’s edge give way further south to Watamu’s quieter coastline, both drawing on the same clear, reef-protected water.

Malindi is reached by flight from Nairobi and Mombasa or by road along the coast, and its long-established tourist infrastructure makes it a comfortable, well-connected base for exploring Kenya’s northern coastline.