Kwale

Ahhhh Kwale… immediate thoughts of sparkling sandy beaches, waving palm trees, shimmering blue waters. This county is perhaps the real home of Coast Raha for when one thinks Ukunda, Diani, and Galu, work is the farthest thing from mind.

Our southern-most county, Kwale, is a lush green tropical paradise. Kenya’s coastal tourism relies heavily on the multiple hotels, water sports, and golf courses that sit on the edge of its sandy beaches, but Kwale offers so much more. Shimba Hills National Reserve is home to Kenya’s dwarf elephant population and one of the few places where one can go on nature walks in an elephant glade. Beware though – a dwarf elephant is still a huge animal. Kwale’s other national park is a marine one and if you’ve ever yearned to see dolphins or the beauty of a live coral reef, Kisite Marine Park is the place to do so. Managed by the KWS and easily reachable from Msambweni, you haven’t done the coast if you haven’t made it to a marine park and literally swam with the fishes.

In Gazi one can find one of Kenya’s oldest prisons, Jumba la Mubaruk, which was in use by the Arabs from the 18th century until it  was abandoned after independence. Meanwhile Shimoni caves tell a darker story, as they were a holding place for slaves captured from the hinterland and brought to the coast before being shipped to the Middle and Far East. Iron shackles and rusted chains provide haunting memories of the unfortunate thousands who found themselves there against their will.

Kwale also house one of Kenya’s mining operations. lmenite and rutile, integral elements of titanium,  as well as zircon, a gemstone, can be found in Kwale.

In Diani one will find Colobus Conservation, a trust set up in 1997 to protect monkeys in the area. Have you seen the ladders that sit at tree level across Diani Beach Road? This basic apparatus has saved the lives of generations of primates that are indigenous to the area, but that with dwindling forests and lots more motorists, were being lost to road kill. Voila! County 002 – Kwale, home of sea, sand and safety!

Our featured photographer is Mwihaki. An avid storyteller, Mwihaki loves to write, and stories about Kenya are her favorite. When roaming the 254 she always takes a moment to capture life around her with her phone.