Malindi, The Italian Home Away From Home

Kenya has many exclusive sites spread all over the country. Many have been made famous by their initial visitors, unique sites or rich wildlife. Some owe their fame to location or excellent weather. History is a factor in some, with ancient ruins of buildings being an attraction. The hospitality and the warmth of the Kenyan people is known all over the world. Rarely does a location combine all that.

Malindi at the northern coastline of Kenya, is one site that combines all that. Due to its location on the beach, it has excellent weather all year round. The town also has a rich history, with the famous Gedi ruins, a model of ancient Arab territorial quarters only a few minutes drive away. One of the few remaining breeding sites for the endangered green turtle, Watamu, is also in the vicinity. A pillar built by the famous Portuguese explorer, Vasco Da Gama adds to the many must see sites of Malindi.

There may be an unexplained reason why visitors come to Malindi and refuse to leave. We know that the town's night life is explosive, the sea food is rich with some of the fish available here said to be unique to this part of the world. But Malindi has gained so much popularity in the last few years, that it is being marketed as an exclusive destination. It so much sought after that hotels in this town have been enjoying over 90% bed occupancy, until two months ago.

But it is the The Italian attachment to this town that baffles visitors and locals as well. It is so strong such that at the height of recent skirmishes in the country, the Italians demanded of their government a drop of the adverse travel advisory against Kenya. Italy thus became the first country to allow its citizens to travel to the country. The Italian presence in Malindi is strong enough for them to seek elective political representation in the local municipality.

The heavy spenders seeking Kenya travel have also been known to quietly sneek into Malindi, spend a number of days in the town and leave without being noticed. This is fast becoming a way of doing business at the Kenyan coast, with many celebrities preferring total media blackouts. They are able to sneak into the country have their quiet moments here and the media gets to know about them long after they have left.

Super model Naomi Campbell though does not make it secret anymore about her love for Malindi. She owns a home here where she visits every year, and has vowed to continue doing that. When most of the towns in Kenya are still reeling from the effects of the recent chaos, Malindi has almost fully recovered only three weeks after the skirmishes and only three days after the peace deal was signed.

Accommodation in the town is available in abundance. From the popular beach resorts, exclusive hotels, to private holiday homes, Malindi has them all. With the Kenyan coastline registering among the highest numbers of royalty in repeat tourists, Malindi not only has royal clients but foreigners who wish to own property along the Kenyan Coastline as well.