Experience in Mombasa, Kenya by Kelvin

What is it like to live in Mombasa? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Mombasa, the second largest City in Kenya. It's proximity to the Indian ocean makes it one of the most beautiful cities not only in Kenya but also in Africa. The cool ocean breeze, the coral reefs and the white Sandy beaches leaves one dropping and never wanting to move out of Mombasa.

What is the student lifestyle like in Mombasa?

Mombasa's lifestyle is one of the best one can have. Being a coastal town with tourists around the world, the lifestyle cuts across all the cultures. Residents here are among the most social people around the world, you will never miss it when in need of help. A majority of the population being Muslims, you expect to see mosques frequently, although Christians also dictate a good percentage of the population.Being a tourist town, many hotels, casinos, Clubs dominate the town. All these are an important factor to consider as a student who wants to come and study in Mombasa. These will affect the students directly, therefore a student needs to able to moderate him/herself or risk losing focus in thier education goals.

How much does it cost to live in Mombasa?

It's not really expensive to live in Mombasa. With as little as 20 USD, you are sure of a good breakfast, lunch and even supper. There are many cheap sites where one can always have a good meal. Unless one wants to go to the expensive hotels, which are also readily available, I recommend those eating sites.
Housing is not also expensive, with 100-200 USD per month, you are able to stay in a very beautiful self contained room with a balcony that oversees the ocean thereby taking an advantage of the breeze.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Mombasa? Is there any advice you can give?

Accommodation in Mombasa is not difficult to find. Mombasa is known for it's great estates like 'Nyali estate' that provides very good accommodations for rent. Apart from that, there are many apartment both inside and outside the town that are very comfortable and very cheap.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The favorite food for most of the Mombasa residents is rice. This is a town where people are really good at cooking and they can make several different types of meals from rice, for example, 'pilau, biryiani' and many more. Coconut being a native fruit here, it is used as a recipe in different foods. Different types of dishes can be found in Mombasa, starting from the simple tea to the most complex ones. With the culture diversity here and most people desiring to try out new recipes each and every day, you will never miss something to enjoy each day.

What places would you recommend visiting in Mombasa?

As said earlier, Mombasa is a tourist destination for a purpose, the Sandy white beaches you can visit without paying anything as an entry fee. For the scuba divers, guess what? you've just come to the right place, the Marina Bay, Mombasa Creek and many other places were made for you. The Haller Park for animal lovers, the Mamba Village for the Crocodile experiences and not forgetting the Tsavo National Park that's around 2-3 hours drive from Mombasa town(it's the second largest park in Kenya)
The Fort Jesus, a monumental building put up by the Portuguese is right in the middle of the town. The Old town, that was also build by the Portuguese is a significant beauty. These are just but a few places, one has to literally come to Mombasa to experience all