KONGO MOSQUE

Centuries Old Walls of Kongo Mosque

Borrowing a name from the surrounding forest, Kongo Mosque is an ancient structure rich in history now turned – tourist attraction. Previously known as Diani Persian Mosque, a name coined by the Arab Merchants who occupied the area then, Kongo Mosque is today more than a worship center.  

Flanked by massive baobab trees

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Conducive weather patterns characterized by warm temperatures at Diani beach do change over April to June and drop to cool temperatures with rainfall gracing some if not most days of the week. Some people cancel or avoid booking their holidays over this time as advised by friends and tour agents. However, if your schedule only warrants a holiday at this time of the year, you can still come to Diani Beach and have fun.

When showers dominate the coastline, beach activity is minimal if present at all. Some holiday lovers are used to extreme weather conditions and are unperturbed by the rain. A swim in this case will not be possible for the faint-hearted. Family travel at this time isn’t also a very timely idea because with children in your entourage, the rain tends to water down the the family’s holiday.

If you are coming to Diani Beach on your honeymoon I bet you will most likely remain indoors. However, those coming to Diani Beach for some serious fun will not be limited to hotel entertainment. Remember this option could set you back on the bill because you will probably have daily room service with spoils of the best dishes and best drinks to boot. Senior citizens will opt to get spoilt in the hotel as they have there quiet holiday.

Most of the activities are hampered by rain because movement over rough terrain can be very challenging. For instance you don’t want to be in Shimba Hills when it rains. Walking along the beach under a slight drizzle for a couple could be counted romantic but you could catch a cold. The rains also increase run off erosion which reduces the water visibility for snorkelling and diving. Mountain bike riding is not any fun either in the soggy grounds.

If you just want to have a good time at Diani Beach while it’s cold, then the following are some of your options:

• You can use this time to taste offerings from various restaurants in and around Diani Beach. For instance you can have breakfast in your hotel room, have Swahili tea and vitumbua at Swahili restaurants for you ten O’clock snack. Have lunch at either a Chinese restaurant, Mediterranean restaurant or at an African food joint. Your itinerary could incorporate visits to destinations that do not require off road travel.

Chicken pilau

• Night time in Diani Beach is always buzzing with revelers out in various entertainment spots. Your options at night are numerous than during the day. Some hotels have special theme nights complete with live music performances, excellent cuisine and a charged party atmosphere.

Revelers party the night away in Diani Beach

• Sporting at this time of the year is slightly limited because if the tennis court is flooded you never want to venture there. A round of golf could be abandoned half way although you can have the miniature golfing set in your room if you must putt. Water sports could be an option although the sea is best left for the pros because the sea can be a bit rough. Some aquatic centers offering indoor training could suite the starters. Learn various sports that you could utilize back at home or when you return to Diani Beach. Major sporting events such as Diani Rules and Diani Beach touch rugby are held during this period.

• A deep in the hotel pool is a great way to unwind on condition it is heated although for some, freezing temperatures don’t stop them from taking a swim.

• You can indulge in charity work and visit children homes like Shikamana School. Probably to some it would sound like a wasted holiday but spending time with disadvantaged people and especially children is totally gratifying even for first time philanthropists.

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Getting kids involved in interesting activities to avoid the boredom bug  shouldn’t be an option for folks coming to Diani Beach. But what kind of activities are we looking at here. Activities that your one year old, three and ten year old will gladly join in. For starters there are basic beach side activities for kids.

1. Using the expansive white sand at Diani Beach as an art-board – Get the kids to draw pictures of their favorite objects or people. They always love doing this whether they use a stick or their bare fingers.

2. Treasure hunts – The activity simply calls for a search of something interesting or valuable at Diani Beach. This could be either some sea shells or rare rock and whoever brings back the most interesting find gets a reward. Kids love rewards even for the most mundane things.

3. Building objects like cars or boats is another fun activity to indulge your kids. The object built should accommodate the kids despite its immobility. While at it, sand sculpture is another interesting engagement. Get the kids to make sculptures of sea animals like turtles and the big fish. Participating in this activity as a family makes it better and the kids get really thrilled. You can also build a huge sand castle as you while your time away on Diani Beach.

You can build a sand castle as a family

4. This activity really gets kids excited. It involves digging a hole away from the sea waters and filling it with water. In this case you need to use some fetching vessels. The journey to and from the sea edge gets the young ones ecstatic. Be watchful for strong waves lest you end your fun excise terribly. Alternatively you can dig a channel from the sea and let the water flow to a small dam that you have build before hand complete with flow controls.

kids play on the beach

5. If you have already engaged in the activities above and want to sample more, then try the camel rides at Diani Beach they are exhilarating.

Your kids will love the camel rides on Diani Beach

Games such as beach volleyball are another fun option but since it is more preferred by older kids and adults, the young ones might get bored soon. You don’t want to have  bored kid on the Diani beach because they will soon demand to go back to the hotel or home if they get cranky enough.

Beach volleyball for kids

Choose your options and go ahead and have fun while at Diani Beach.

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What once used to be a house at the edge of the forest.

There’s a place not far from Diani Beach where Buffaloes still come out to graze and villagers of Maumba know that it would be fatal to be walking out at night. To get to the Maumba village, you go South towards Msambweni and then turn Westwards when you get to Gazi Village.

The coconut plantation of Gazi village

The road cutting through the coconut plantation is extremely sandy and rough with huge pools of water when it rains. There is a forest where the plantation ends. A quiet desolate area with no houses and lots of massive baboons. To get to Maumba Village, one takes a road that cuts right through the forest.

Massive trees of the forest.

With its massive trees and thick undergrowth, an eerie place to be on a bike especially when one remembers how bad tempered buffaloes can be. Getting to Maumba is not easy considering how loose the sand is and the steep hills just before you get to the village. The villagers walked me to the edge of the forest where I was shown buffalo tracks, but to see the real buffaloes I would need to go into the deep dark forest and I wasn’t ready for that.

No one to pick the firewood here.

What is incredible is how well that part of the forest is preserved with little minimal interference. There is little human occupation around that area and it is a beautiful quiet place.

The last shop, which was closed at this time.

The sandy path at the edge of the forest.

A homestead at Maumba village.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKhbAtIFMs4

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Here are some more pictures of rustic Shimoni that I feel compelled to share. Hope you enjoy!!

Quiet morning at Shimoni, thats Wasini Island in the horizon.

Old house that belonged where the English colonial administrator lived.

Goats find solace from the heat in the 80 year old building.

Front view of the grand old house.

Local women use the grand house  as a meeting point.

A dhow, commonly used to transport people, spices and goods between Shimoni and Pemba.

The charming simplicity of Shimoni.

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