Looking for budget stays in Kilifi? This section is designed to save you time, money, and unnecessary stress. We've got insider tips to help you find affordable hostels and the cheapest places to stay in Kilifi.
Kilifi, Kenya -- on the east coast of the country, just over seventy kilometers north of Mombasa -- has become a bit of an ecotourism spot over the last few years and is now well established on the backpacker's circuit. Approaching from the south, visitors will cross the Kilifi Bridge, giving great views of the estuary, the marina and Kilifi Creek.
Ultimately, it's the soft, sandy beaches that bring travelers to Kilifi. Away from the more touristic areas like Malindi, this is a much more laidback backpacker town. Kilifi Creek Beach is remote and peaceful; Bofa Beach is a soft and golden-sand beach and Kitangani is wild and buffeted by waves.
On a bluff overlooking the river on the south side of the bridge can be found Mnarani ruins. There are two ruined mosques here dating from the fifteenth century and is a very atmospheric place to visit and an easy walk from town. Young men hang around near the ruins to act as your guide.
If you want to do something a little more energetic, there is a diving club in Kilifi and the British Royal Yachting Association has a sailing school.
Just forty kilometers north is the Watamu Turtle Watch, and Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve is just west of Watamu -- it's the only natural habitat of the golden-rumped elephant shrew, along with two hundred forty species of bird and a number of snakes -- and this is great day trip from Kilifi.
This small town has a nice selection of accommodation to choose from, including a couple of Kilifi, Kenya hostels offering dorm accommodation and volunteering options. They are involved in green projects in the region and the hostels in Kilifi, Kenya, have good knowledge of where to go and what to see further up the coast.
A trip to Vuma Cliffs near the village of Takaungu, is also a worthwhile day trip. This can be organized for you by your hostel or you can hire a motorbike taxi in town and go independently. The views from the top are staggering and you have a great chance to spot humpbacked whales in the ocean if you are really keen-eyed.
Kilifi's accommodation also offers activities such as dhow sailing, scuba diving, village tours, and boat trips. Although Kilifi is a very small town, there is plenty to keep visitors interested for a number of days.
