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The Moon Houses, Lamu

Picture stepping off the plane and getting into a beautiful wooden dhow waiting to take you to your destination which is Shela, a quaint village on Lamu Island. Now Lamu is known for that ‘pole pole’ lifestyle (The literal translation in Swahili being ‘slow slow’) and this is exactly it. The ultimate destination to kick back and get away from it all.

Enter The Moon Houses, a cluster of houses varying in size and shape but all equally as beautiful. I stayed at the Full Moon House, a stunning four-bedroom house with a fully equipped kitchen, swimming pool and plenty of laid back lounge areas.

Walking in, you are greeted by a team of smiling faces, the cook and housekeepers who are around for the duration of your stay. They make your stay complete providing excellent service, entirely attentive and helpful! To begin with, the entires have striking architecture with a strong Swahili influence which can be seen in the wooden doors and large arches throughout the house. The open layout of the house was definitely one of my favourite parts, large open bay windows, doors and huge balconies with plenty of antique furniture. It almost seems as if you are sleeping under the stars and rocked to sleep by the gentle sway of palm trees.

I know what you might be thinking. Lamu, is it unsafe? Not at all. Whilst travelling with just women, there was not one point where I was worried about security. We were able to walk around without having to be cautious. As with any location, its always preferable to keep extreme valuables with you, but there is nothing to be worried out in Lamu.

Onto my favourite part, the food. The chef shops and cooks for you and your food preferences. If you’re a seafood lover you are in luck, fresh prawns and daily caught fish at your fingertips. For vegetarians, you are not short of options with plenty of coconut and exotic Swahili flavours. In the evenings, take a seat at the top of the house, open a bottle of wine, snack on some Lamu Bhajia’s (fritters) and watch the sun set over Lamu. Wake up to a colourful display of fresh fruit at breakfast and you will be ready to kick off your next day.

If you do decide to venture out of the house, take a stroll down the beach until you get to the vast sand dunes. Access to Lamu town is only 15 minutes by boat and is definitely worth exploring being a UNESCO world heritage site and overflowing with tradition and history from all over the world. Its wise to dress conservatively to avoid attracting too much attention.

Lamu, just one and a half hours from Nairobi, is unquestionably underrated. The peacefulness makes it the perfect place to escape, whilst the history and culture takes you back to a time forgotten. It really does feel like you’re in your own little world. There are also a variety of festivals throughout the year, be it food or yoga. There’s something for everyone out there.

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