Shela Village

Shela lies about three kilometres from Lamu town along the waterfront, and it grew as a settlement of families who moved here from Takwa on Manda when their wells failed. It is quieter and more polished than Lamu town: whitewashed Swahili houses with carved doors and roof terraces, lanes of soft sand too narrow for anything but donkeys, and a long beach running southeast for around twelve kilometres backed by dunes, which is what draws most visitors. The Friday mosque with its distinctive minaret stands at the centre. Many of the houses are owned by outsiders and rented, which has changed the village considerably and pushed prices well above the rest of the coast, but it remains a working place with fishing boats and dhows on the water and a rhythm set by the tide and the call to prayer.

What you actually see

• The white village - Swahili houses, carved doors and sand lanes.
• The long beach - twelve kilometres of sand backed by dunes.
• Dhows on the channel - sailing boats working the water between islands.
• Donkey transport - the only way to move goods through the lanes.

When to go

Dry seasons for the clearest weather; the long rains from April to June are heavy and many places close. December and January are the busiest and most expensive weeks. Ramadan changes the rhythm of the village significantly.

Honest expectations

Prices in Shela are high by Kenyan coastal standards. The beach has strong currents and no lifeguards, and drownings have occurred. It is a conservative Muslim community and beachwear belongs on the beach, not in the lanes. Access is by boat only, and getting to Lamu takes a flight or a long drive.

Nearby

Lamu old town is a short boat ride or beach walk; Takwa ruins lie across on Manda.