The National Geographic Magazine has advised tourists seeking to enjoy a memorable vacation along the Indian Ocean to visit Lamu in January and Mombasa in December respectively.
An article published as part of the respected Magazine’s Indian Ocean supplement for September, handpicked the best times to visit various destinations in a calendar year.
In Lamu, the skies are clear in January while waters are translucent for diving and snorkelling making it ideal for relaxation and beach activities.
“Afternoon sea breezes keep temperatures balmy,” read the brief.
“It can be busy early in the month, but the archipelago has plenty of hidden corners where you can find solitude.”
Mombasa, on the other hand, was picked as an ideal destination during the month of November since the season coincides with the Mombasa Carnival and mild rainfall which tourists capitalise on to dance during their festivities.
This annual festival, organised by the Ministry of Tourism, takes place along Moi Avenue in Mombasa and features vibrant costumes, lively music, and traditional dances.
“At once both gritty and graceful, coastal Kenya’s premier city turns on a show come November with the Mombasa Carnival, when the city sways with music, dance and other performances,” described the outlet.
“It can coincide with the arrival of the rains; there’s nothing quite so joyous as a Mombasa dance party during a cooling monsoonal downpour.”
Mombasa and Lamu featured on the list alongside world renowned destinations such as Rodrigues in Mauritius (December), Maldives (February), Sri Lanka (March), Seychelles (May) and Zanzibar (July).
The ranking comes at a time Kenya’s tourism sector is showing strong signs of recovery from the COVID-19 slump.
Speaking during the Kwale Annual Cultural Festivals in Ukunda on Friday, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi revealed that Kenya attracted 2.4 million tourists to the week ending September 24.
The Prime CS noted that the performance was achieved through the collaboration between county and national governments.
“We had very low numbers during the COVID era, and as of last week, the numbers stood at about 2.4 million tourists. And if we enhance our security and improve on other measures, we will surpass the 3 million tourists a year for the first time.” stated Mudavadi.