Our next stop was the relaxed lakeside town of Karongi (commonly known by its old name, Kibuye), another good place to enjoy Lake Kivu. We hired a boat (50 USD / 4 hours) and visited the lake’s islands. Most famous is Napoleon Island, named for its resemblance to the pint-sized French...
Rwanda may be landlocked, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying a day at the beach. Kivu’s gently lapping waters and soft sands do the trick – throw in a few beach bars and palm trees to add that tropical feel. Rubavu (which most locals still call Gisenyi) is a sprawling town...
After a bad experience in Kisoro, we drove to relax at Lake Bunyonyi, an archipelago of 29 islands. It is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, and this remote, quiet spot makes a perfect getaway. Its gorgeous scenic views include crop terraces growing cassava and sweet potato and hilly...
Again, we had bad news in Mombasa: Our cargo was still with customs and would not be cleared in the coming days. So we decided to go to the famous Diani Beach. With a flawless, long stretch of white sand beach hugged by lush forest and kissed by surfable waves, it’s no wonder Diani...
Lamu is a town, port, and island in the Indian Ocean off the East African coast, 240 km northeast of Mombasa. A former Persian, then Zanzibari, colony, Lamu Island rivaled Mombasa until the late 19th century as an entrepôt for gold, spices, and enslaved people. The town of Lamu, the...
Our expedition arrived in Malindi just a few centuries after Vasco da Gama’s fleet landed here in 1498. The town has had its fair share of fortune hunters ever since. It’s a bustling town that doesn’t quite have the architecture of Lamu or the easy-going charm of Watamu...
We spent day and night in Watamu, a small coastal town with a relaxed village atmosphere. It’s known for Watamu Marine National Park, which covers three bays: Watamu, Blue Lagoon, and Turtle – and they’re all white-sand, aquamarine, coconut palm-lined natural beauty. Seabirds...
We ended our journey today in the small coastal town of Kilifi, where we chose a resort on Bofa Beach. It is a beautiful, wide slash of white sand, with swaying palms and a rolling Indian Ocean. Kilifi is a pleasant place to live. A passionate group of Kenyans and expats have transformed...
After two weeks of trying to repair our truck, which was damaged by port staff, we got so tired and frustrated that we needed to chill out a bit, so we went to Bamburi Beach to Yul’s Restaurant for lunch and a relaxed afternoon. Bamburi Beach is a 6km stretch of palm-shaded white...
Our final destination in Jordan was the only coastal city, Aqaba, ideally set between the majestic Wadi Rum mountains and the Red Sea. It has been settled for millennia because of freshwater springs in the vicinity; King Solomon’s port and foundry of Ezion-Geber lay nearby. With its...