What to do in Lamu at a glance
Lamu Old Town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. It is a lived-in Swahili town of coral stone and mangrove timber, with inner courtyards, verandas, carved doors and narrow lanes. Most of what you do on Lamu Island starts there or in Shela, a short way along the shore.
The list below is a selection, not a ranking. Entries 1 to 5 are in and around Lamu Town: the lanes and four museum sites. Entries 6 and 7 are in Shela. Entries 8 and 9 are on the water. Entries 10 and 11 reach beyond the island, and entry 12 is a seasonal festival. Dress modestly, because Lamu is a conservative, mostly Muslim town, and ask before you photograph people.
In and around Lamu Town (1 to 5)
The lanes first, then the museum sites. All four museum sites share one fee table.
1. Walk the Old Town lanes
The protected area covers 15.6 hectares. Look for coral-stone houses, courtyards, verandas and carved doors. This is a living town, not a ruin field, so keep to the lanes, give donkeys and porters room, and stay out of doorways. Walking without a plan works, and a local guide adds names and stories.
Lamu Old Town guide →2. Visit the Lamu Museum
The collections cover ethnography and maritime life, with Swahili doors, archaeology, clothing, jewellery, furniture and musical instruments. It stands on the waterfront. The adult ticket is $10 for visitors from outside Africa and KES 200 for Kenyans and East Africans (2026 fees).
3. See Lamu Fort and its library
The fort was used as a prison from 1910 to 1984 and opened to the public after restoration in 1986. The museum page also describes a reference library inside. The fee is the same as at the museum, and the two buildings are close.
4. Step into the Swahili House Museum
This is a museum house with the room layout of a Swahili home. It is on the same tariff as the museum. Ask on the day whether it is open, because a fee list does not show daily opening.
5. Add the German Post Office Museum
The fourth site on the tariff is the old German post office. A combined ticket for all four sites costs $40 for an adult and $16 for a child (visitors from outside Africa), or KES 750 and 400 for Kenyans and East Africans. Ask at the desk how long the combined ticket is valid.
Our picks: things to do
A dhow sail, the carved doors of the old town and a woodcarving class in Shela.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Beginner woodcarving class in Shela
A three-hour class with a woman woodcarver. Materials, tools and refreshments are included, and you take home the piece you carve as a souvenir.
Check availability →
Sunset sail on a traditional dhow
Two hours on a dhow through Manda Bay and the mangrove channels, with water, soda, samosas or bhajia and seasonal fruit.
Check availability →
Swahili carved doors walk with a woman woodcarver
A walk through the old town that explains Swahili culture and the carved doors, plus a stroll through Shela.
Check availability →Tours and tickets around Lamu
Old Town walks, dhow sails and woodcarving classes, with live prices and availability.
Shela and the water (6 to 9)
The beach village and the boats that leave from the shore.
6. Walk on Shela Beach
Shela lies in the south-east of Lamu Island, about 3 km from Lamu Town. A hotel operator describes the sand beach between Kizingoni and Shela as roughly 12 km long. That is an operator figure, not a survey. One hotel warns of a strong current in front of its beach during spring tides, so swim with care and do not count on lifeguards.
Shela guide →7. Look at the Shela dunes
UNESCO names the dunes as part of the setting of the Old Town and as a source of fresh water. Building on them is a threat to the heritage site. Walk lightly, stay off private plots and do not drive on the dunes.
8. Sail a dhow at sunset
Published examples differ in format. A shared sunset sail is listed from $70 per person for 2 hours, and a private one at $120 per person. A hotel dhow charter is listed at $250 per boat, 4:30 to 7 p.m., for up to 12 guests. Always check whether a price is per person or per boat.
Dhow trips guide →9. Go snorkelling
Conditions follow the winds. One hotel describes rougher and cloudier water in the south-east monsoon season (Kusi) and clearer water in the north-east season (Kaskazi). No trip can promise visibility. Ask what the price covers, such as equipment, any park fee and the transfer.
Weather and seasons →Beyond the island (10 to 12)
A ruined town, a boatbuilding village and a festival.
10. Explore the Takwa ruins
Takwa is a Swahili trading town of the 15th and 16th centuries on Manda Island, abandoned in the 17th century. Its Friday mosque has a pillar by the qibla wall. It has been a National Monument since 1982. The boat from Lamu Town takes about 30 minutes, a rough guide that depends on the tide. Entry is $8 for adults and $4 for children from outside Africa, and the boat is extra.
Manda Island guide →11. Visit Kipungani and its dhow builders
Kipungani is a village next to Kizingoni Beach on Lamu Island, not a separate island. Villagers built the hotel dhow Kilindini there in 2002. Ask locally whether a visit to a boatyard is possible at the time you are there.
Archipelago overview →12. Time a visit for Maulidi or the Cultural Festival
Maulidi is the Prophet's birthday celebration around the Riyadha Mosque. A news report gave 8 to 11 September 2026 as the local dates. Two event listings give different start dates for the Cultural Festival in 2026, 26 November and 30 November to 2 December, so treat both as unconfirmed. Plan around the festival only after you have confirmed the dates locally.
Festivals guide →
Entry fees from 7 May 2026
Adult / child, as published for the museum and monument sites. Dollar amounts are not converted into shillings.
| Site | Kenyans and East Africans | Residents and rest of Africa | Visitors from outside Africa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamu Museum, Lamu Fort, Swahili House or German Post Office (each) | KES 200 / 100 | $6 / $3 | $10 / $4 |
| Combined ticket for these four sites | KES 750 / 400 | $24 / $12 | $40 / $16 |
| Takwa ruins | KES 200 / 100 | $6 / $3 | $8 / $4 |
| Siyu Fort on Pate Island | KES 100 / 50 | $3 / $2 | $4 / $2 |
The sites list daily opening from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., including public holidays. The museum authority names eCitizen as the payment route and says cash is not accepted, and it also mentions ticket sales at the entrance. Confirm at the gate. The Donkey Sanctuary is not in the list because its building was reported temporarily closed from 20 March 2026. Check its current status before you plan a visit.
Before you go
Culture, safety and the way in.
Clothing and photos
Dress conservatively in town and in the villages, especially near mosques. Ask permission before you photograph people. During Ramadan, avoid eating and drinking in public in the daytime.
Travel advice differs by country
As of 21 October 2026, the UK advises against all travel to Lamu County but excludes Lamu Island and Manda Island. Germany lists a travel warning for the county, excludes the two islands, and still advises against non-essential travel there. The US lists Lamu County at Level 4, Do Not Travel, with no island exception. Read the current texts before you book.
Safety guide →Getting to Lamu
The airport is on Manda Island, and a short boat ride takes you to Lamu Town. The UK advises flying and not travelling by road.
Getting there →Go deeper
One guide for each part of the trip.
Things to do in Lamu: frequently asked questions
What is the best thing to do in Lamu?
That depends on your interests. This list is a selection, not a ranking. A walk through the Old Town lanes with a museum visit suits most first-time visitors, and a sunset dhow sail suits an evening.
Is there a combined museum ticket?
Yes. The published tariff has a combined ticket for the Lamu Museum, Lamu Fort, Swahili House and German Post Office. It costs $40 for an adult and $16 for a child for visitors from outside Africa (2026). Ask at the desk how long it is valid.
How much does a dhow trip cost?
Published examples run from $70 per person for a shared 2-hour sunset sail to $250 per boat for a hotel charter in the evening and $850 per boat for a full day. These are single offers, not a market range.
Can I visit the Donkey Sanctuary?
A news report said its building was temporarily closed from 20 March 2026. A directory entry still lists opening hours. Check the current status locally before you plan around a visit.
Is Lamu safe to visit?
Official advice differs between the UK, Germany and the US, and it can change. See the safety guide for the texts as of 21 October 2026.