Baobab Sea Lodge - Kilifi Beach, Kenya, Set in five acres of tropical gardens, the 3-star Baobab Sea Lodge enjoys 60 meters of beach frontage. It offers a total of 20 rooms, a swimming pool with swim-up bar, a restaurant, lounge and bar, and access to numerous beach pursuits. Additionally, there are acrobatic shows, discos, live music, and traditional African shows.

Activities and Entertainment includes: Snorkeling, windsurfing, scuba diving, glass bottom boat, big game fishing, cruises in the creek, darts, table tennis, baby football, billiards, archery, tennis, beach volleyball, basketball and bicycles for hire. Daily animation program

The Swahili coast, a glorious ribbon of silver and sapphire, crashing surf and bright coral, is steeped in a turbulent history pre-dating Da Gama. The Swahili culture, a fabulous fusion of Arab, African, and Portuguese has created a pace of life, a style of cuisine and a mosaic of architecture, heritage, myth and magic that is found nowhere else in the world.

Location and seasons

Kenya's north coast, one of her most popular beach holiday destinations, offers clear blue sea, marine parks, excellent water sports, coral reefs, monsoon winds, numerous hotels and beach resorts, family vacations, sun n sand, cultural and beach travel and more. Close to Mombasa, it is also within easy reach of Malindi, Lamu, Diani and many other popular Kenya safari resort hotels.

Distance and time of major places to Baobab Lodge:

Mombasa Airport: 61 Km - 1hr 20 minutes

Mombasa Railway station: 55 Km - 1hr 15 minutes

Mombasa Town: 53 Km - 1hr 10 minutes

Malindi Town: 52 Km - 1hr 10 minutes

Malindi Airport: 47 Km1hr

Beach vacation facts

The Kenyan coast is roughly divided into 'North and 'South' of the island city of Mombasa. To reach the south coast, it is necessary to cross from the island of Mombasa via the Likoni Ferry (10 minutes) to the start of the south coast beaches. The link to the north coast is via the Nyali Bridge, which leads from the island (via the suburb of Nyali) to the north coast.

The north coast features:

• Nyali Beach
• Kenyatta and Bamburi Beaches
• Shanzu beach
• Kilifi
• Watamu

Beach facts: Hottest time is between November and March, rainy season is May and June (hotel closed 01 May to 15 June); sea weed on beach and strong winds May /August. September to November is cool and pleasant.

Mombasa

Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya, lying on the Indian Ocean. It has a major port and an international airport. The city is the centre of the coastal tourism industry. The original Arabic name is Manbasa; in Swahili it is called Kisiwa Cha Mvita (or Mvita for short), which means "Island of War", due to the many changes in its ownership. The town is also the headquarters of Mombasa District which, like most other districts in Kenya, is named after its chief town.

The city has a population of 727,842 and is located on Mombasa Island, which is separated from the mainland by two creeks; Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbour. The island is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge, to the south by the Likoni Ferry and to the west by the Makupa Causeway, alongside which runs the Uganda Railway. The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the Ocean. The town is served by Moi International Airport.

The Background

Kenya's stunning coastline (485 km from Nairobi) runs 700 km between the Tanzanian and Somali borders and is renowned for its silken white sandy beaches, coconut palms, sheltered lagoons, pellucid blue waters, remote islands, uncharted mangrove swamps and mysterious Arab and Swahili ruins, many of which date back to the 8th Century AD. An idyllic climate cooled by the monsoon, the Swahili coast offers a daily average of 8 hours of sunshine, and the hot steamy climate is tempered by the monsoon winds: the south-easterly Kusi, which blows from April to October; and the north-easterly Kaskazi which blows from November to March.

Accommodation

The resort offers 20 rooms set in ten clusters (AC, mini-fridge, laundry, room service, safes)

All have verandahs and en-suite bathrooms. There are four family rooms, which offer additional bunk-beds.

Dining and bars

Breakfast and dinner are served in the main dining room, lunch is served by the pool.

The cuisine is international and there is normally one barbecue and one theme night a week. There is a main bar and a swim-up pool bar.

Conference and event facilities

The lodge can accommodate up to 200 guests (theatre style) in its dedicated conference hall. It also offers banqueting and event services.

Child-friendly

The lodge offers family rooms, children's pool, TV (in main lounge), animation programmes baby cots, baby-sitting, and children's menus.