Lamu Island
An island in the Lamu Archipelago, off the northern Kenyan coast, with no cars in its main town. Swahili traders have lived here for centuries, and Shela beach runs along its southern shore.
- Where
- Lamu, Kenya
- Grade
- Well known
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 1 for its grade
- Coordinates
- -2.2833, 40.8667
Get the Lamu Island stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Lamu Island. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Lamu volume with your photos and a note.
Near Lamu Island
Lamu Old Town 4.2 km
The oldest continuously inhabited Swahili settlement in East Africa, on Lamu Island, with narrow lanes, coral stone houses and carved wooden doors. Donkeys are the main transport, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lamu Fort 4.2 km
A fortification in the centre of Lamu town in northeastern Kenya. It once stood on the waterfront, but today it is about 70 metres from the main jetty, with the old town's narrow streets around it.
Manda Island 11 km
An island in the Lamu Archipelago, across a narrow channel from Lamu Island. It has the ruins of the Swahili town of Takwa and Manda town, and Lamu's airport. Visitors cross by boat, and the long beach at Manda Toto and quiet mangrove creeks add to the appeal.
Pate Island 29 km
The largest island of the Lamu Archipelago, in the Indian Ocean off the northern coast of Kenya between the towns of Lamu and Kiunga. The island is almost completely surrounded by mangrove swamps.
Vasco da Gama Pillar 133 km
A stone pillar on a point at Malindi, put up by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 1498 or 1499. It was raised during his voyage from Lisbon to India around the Cape of Good Hope, when Malindi's ruler welcomed his ships.
Malindi Marine National Park 135 km
A marine park in the Indian Ocean off Malindi, about 118 kilometres north of Mombasa. It is claimed to be the oldest marine park in Africa and is run by the Kenya Wildlife Service.
Gedi Ruins 148 km
The ruins of a Swahili town in forest near the Indian Ocean coast, abandoned in the 17th century. Coral stone houses, a mosque and a palace still stand among the trees, and the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Watamu Marine National Park 153 km
A marine park and reserve on the Indian Ocean coast, about 140 kilometres north of Mombasa. It was set up in 1968 as one of the first marine parks in Kenya, and its coral gardens lie only 300 metres from the shore.
Questions
Where is Lamu Island?
Lamu Island is in Lamu, Kenya. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Lamu Old Town (4.2 km), Lamu Fort (4.2 km), Manda Island (11 km).
How do I get the Lamu Island stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Lamu Island and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Lamu volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Lamu Island before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Lamu volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.