Modern-day tourism began with the opening of Malindi Airport and the start of air package tours to Kenya. Malindi was a popular destination for Germans in the 70’s and 80’s, but as Malindi Bay silted up more hotels were built in the Silversands area to cater for the increasing number of Italian and domestic tourists. Today, tourists include international and local visitors travelling as individuals, families and groups for holiday and learning purposes.

Brady’s Palm Beach Hotel (now The Blue Marlin)

This was the first hotel in Malindi, started in 1932 when Pat Brady acquired an existing old house which had originally been built by a European rubber plantation owner before 1914.

Source: MMS Archives, Postcard

Silversands Holiday Camp

This was a public campsite in the early 1970s through to the 1990’s. It had a cafeteria at the North end of the Campsite and was mostly used by domestic tourists from upcountry. Daily charges were Kshs. 2/50 per tent and 50 cents per person. Tents were available for hire at Ksh. 20/- per day.

Source: MMS Archives, Postcard

The Sindbad Hotel (1946)

This hotel was built by Margaret Bowker Douglas in 1946 as the New Malindi Hotel. In 1948, it was purchased by Phillip and Marjorie Mumford and renamed Sindbad. Mr. Mumford engaged architects to give the building an Arab decoration style. The Sindbad was reputed as a prime place to stay in Malindi. Currently, the Sindbad is an abandoned ruin.

Source: MMS Archives

More research has been undertaken on this facility by Nation Media Group and published on Sunday, 18 February 2018 at https://www.nation.co.ke/counties/Sinbad-Hotel–A-paradise-ruined-/1107872-4310378-3oa8f4z/index.html.

Lawford’s Hotel (1934)

This hotel was built by commander Theo Lawford, a navy commander during the 1st World War. It was built near Brady’s Palm Beach Hotel. The first building was

constructed from mangrove poles and mud plastered over with cement.

Source: Lawford’s Hotel Manager

Photo sourced from Mr. Stephen Mungai

Eden Rock Hotel

This hotel was started by John Carberry in the late 1930s as a simple hotel on a cliff at the north end of Malindi. It was known as the Malindi Hotel. After the war it was upgraded by Carberry in partnership with Charles Schwentafsky and renamed Eden Rock Hotel. In 1962 the hotel was bought by Mr. and Mrs. Meynhart who managed it together until 1992. It was sold in 2011 and later taken over by the family. The hotel was preferred by the Government during Meynhart’s time. All the previous presidents stayed at the hotel during their visits to Malindi. President Kenyatta was a popular guest at suite number 9. President Moi stayed at this hotel for over 22 visits.

Source: Meynhart’s Family archives & Former MP Malindi Constituency, Aisha Jumwa Katana

Photo and plaque donated by Mr. Patrick Becker

Formally an independent Islamic town, Malindi came under the influence of Portuguese in the 16th century for some two hundred years before being ruled by the Sultan of Oman and Zanzibar and later, in the 19th century, the British. Notable visitors to Malindi included the Chinese explorer Cheng Ho during his fifth voyage and the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, in 1400’s. The Vasco da Gama Pillar and The Portuguese Chapel stand as evidence of the Portuguese period. The town has gone through boom and decline, from a small settlement to a modern city where Kiswahili and a diversity of other languages are easily understood.

The exhibition gives a glimpse of Malindi’s rich history in photographs, covering a wide range of themes. Malindi’s culturally diverse population of Africans, Asians and Europeans (some of whom are featured as prominent personalities), has led to the development of various economic activities from Indian Ocean trade, fishing and agriculture to present day commerce and tourism.

Malindi town lies to the south of the equator. Her populations comprise of Arabs, Swahili, WaGiriama, Bajuni, Indians and Europeans especially Italians. The town is believed to have come into existence about 2,000 years ago as an Arab settlement and trading station. Vasco da Gama was the first known European from Portuguese to visit the town in 1498.

Land

According to Sheik Salim Ramadhan, the first mode of transport was donkeys then bicycles. The first known vehicle in Malindi was spotted in 1949 and it had wooden box body. Known as the Royal Mail, the vehicle was used by the post office before independence to deliver mails and passengers. Each day it made one trip to Mombasa, to return the next day because the bad road was blocked by many wild animals like elephants. The vehicles had wooden benches behind but first class had cotton padded seats. In the early 1960s, Tana River bus was introduced on the Mambrui – Malindi – Mombasa – Garsen- Hola route.

Air

In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s there were only privately owned single engine aircrafts with a capacity of 1-4 people. The airplanes would fly to Mombasa, Malindi and Hola. Later in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, there were bigger planes that landed near Dr. Rozinger’s house. In 1960’s Malindi airport was constructed to handle larger planes that flew all over Kenya.

Water

In 1950’s, the early dhows were small boats without engines which moved with the help of wind power and sails (tanga) tied on a mast. They were mainly used for fishing and ocean tours. Later there were larger cargo vessels that had a capacity of 10 tones. In 1961 there was a temporary ferry that carried people and goods. The current dhows have petrol engines.

SABAKI RIVER

Prior to 1961 people used to walk from Mambrui to Malindi along the beach before the bridge was built. They crossed at “Kivukoni” using mashua/dhows.

Source: MMS Archives

The earliest bridge was washed away in the 1961 by floods/storm water when there were very heavy rains in Kenya.

Source: Shamoon Rajabali, MMS Archives

SABAKI RIVER

Old Bridge Prior to 1961 which was washed away

SABAKI RIVER

During the time of construction on the Sabaki River around 1961-1962, people used to cross the river by Ferry that was pulled across the River Sabaki by ropes

Source: Prof. Abdullah Naji Said

SABAKI RIVER SUSPENSION BRIDGE

The bridge in 1980s during construction by the Public Works Department

CURRENT BRIDGE

The current bridge was officially opened in the 1980s by President Moi.

LAND TRANSPORT

TANA EXPRESS BUS

The bus plied the Malindi – Mombasa – Nairobi Route in the 1980s through to the 90s. This was at the pick of the expansion of the transport industry in the region. The proprietor was Naji bin Said who was the pioneer in public transportation in the region. He started his business with an eight sitter land rover station wagon in the late 50s. Then he acquired 23 sitters and later to 63 passenger buses.

Source: MMS Archives

Public transport bus

Photo by Prof. Abdullah Naji Said

Photo donated by Prof. Abdullah Naji

MALINDI MOMBASA TAXI

A Malindi taxi with a view of Malindi town taken from the roof top of Lamu Hotel.

MALINDI BUS

The bus was owned by Sheikh Said Omar Dahman who started his transport business in 1984. The bus plied the Malindi-Mombasa route and later expanded to Malindi-Ganda-Kakuyuni route. The bus also transported dried catfish from the lower Tana River region.

AIRPLANES ON THE BEACH

The first planes to land in Malindi were small single engine aircrafts whose capacity was 1 to 4 people. The aircrafts were operated by two companies Avon Air and Pullover, and flew between Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu in the late 40’s and early 50’s during the 1st World War and 2nd World War.

The first airstrip in Malindi was inland from Eden Rock Hotel, on occasion small aircraft would also land on the beach. A Liwali of Malindi flew from Lamu to Malindi and the aircraft landed at the beach. The British officers were in charge of the airstrip at that time since this was a prohibited area. Local people were not allowed to walk through the area.

Source: MMS Archives

Photo by Mr. Daniel Mbogo 2014

The current air strip space was donated by Sheikh Omar Bin Dahman. The Colonial Government began construction work for the landing strip and arrival lounge cum cafeteria in 1957. Fire and rescue services were introduced in 1959. Communication to alert other operators was by ringing a bell due to lack of traffic controllers.

Photo by Mr. Daniel Mbogo 2014

The Kenya Airports Authority has managed the airport since 1991.

Source: Airport Manager (Mr. Walter Agong)