Why go
- City in Mombasa County, Kenya.
- Served by Vipingo Estate Airport (VPG).
History
Mombasa is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. Buildings in the Central Business District are blue and white, representing the Indian Ocean. It is the country's oldest and second-largest city after Nairobi, with a population of about 1,208,333 people according to the 2019 census.
Where to stay
WMV7+9MF, Mwembe Tayari Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · hotelsapphire.co.ke
Haile Selassie Road, Mombasa, Kenya · premiuminn.co.ke
Silos Road, Mombasa, Kenya · englishpoint.co.ke
Malindi Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · travellersbeach.com
Bungalows Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · nyalibeachresort.co.ke
Haile Selassie Ave, Mombasa, Kenya · royalcourtmombasa.co.ke
Abdel Nasser Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · suhufihotel.co.ke
Mombasa, Kenya · tumhotel.co.ke
Tudor Creek, Off Nyali Bridge, Mombasa, Kenya · citybluehotels.com
Majengo Kenyatta, Mombasa, Kenya · jamboparadisehotel.com
Chaani, Airport Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · jambovillagehotel.com
Majengo, Ronald Ngala Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Koinange St, Mombasa, Kenya · ndoloinvestments.com
Moi Ave, Mombasa, Kenya · mansonhotel.com
Lumumba Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · topvillehotel.com
Nkurumah Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · palmtreehotel.co.ke
Mkomani, Cement Silo rd, Mombasa, Kenya · tamarind.co.ke
WMPC+X2F, Mombasa, Kenya · sentrim-hotels.com
Cathedral Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · lotushotelkenya.com
Mombasa, Kenya · checkpointinn.co.ke
Jomo Kenyatta Mombasa KE, Kenya · wogecthotelmombasa.co.ke
Mzima Road, Mombasa, Kenya
Zulfikar Plaza, Jomo Kenyatta Ave, Mombasa, Kenya
Tononoka, Abdel Nasser Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Kamunde Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Off Ronald Ngala Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Moi Ave, Mombasa, Kenya
Koinage Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Taratibu St, Mombasa, Kenya
Near Port, Shimanzi, Archbishop Makarios Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Kwashibu Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Near Fidelity Bank, Changamwe, Airport Road, Mombasa, Kenya
Tononoka Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Maalim Juma Mohamed Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Kwashibu Rd, Mombasa, Kenya
Jomo Kenyatta Ave, Mombasa, Kenya · marigold-guest-house.hotelrunner.com
Indoor
XP67+V2J, Nyandarua Rd, Mombasa, Kenya · jumeirahbeachfrontmsa.com
Restaurants & places to go
Grill, Chicken, Fries, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:30 Features: takeaway, delivery, halal · Baobab Road, Mombasa, 80295 · instagram.com
Burger, Sandwich, International, Breakfast, Hot Dog, Ice Cream, Tea, Cake, Mediterranean, Coffee Shop, American, Pancake, Cafe · Opening hours: Tu-Sa… · mnkafe.com
Pizza, Fast Food · Features: takeaway
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Features: takeaway · Links Road, Mombasa
Indian, Restaurant · Opening hours: 08:00-19:00 Features: takeaway · Haile Selassie Road, Mombasa
Restaurant · restaurant · Mombasa · mombasa-gokart.com
Regional, Restaurant · Regional restaurant
French, Cafe · French cafe
Local, Restaurant · Local restaurant · Links Road, Mombasa
Biriani, Chips, Chicken, Pilau, Burger, Shawarma, Sambusa, Kababu, Mahamri, Tea, Coffee Shop, Chapati, Restaurant · Biriani/Chips restaurant
Italian, Restaurant · Italian restaurant
Japanese, Restaurant · Japanese restaurant · Links Road
Caribbean, American, International, Restaurant · Caribbean/American restaurant
Asian, Restaurant · Asian restaurant
African, Cafe · African cafe
Fast Food · Features: step-free access
Cafe · cafe
Food Court · food court
Ice Cream · ice cream
Burger, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, delivery · subhub.co.ke
Chicken, Restaurant · Chicken restaurant
Pizza, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, step-free access
Indian, Restaurant · Indian restaurant · Mwembe Tayari Road, Mombasa
Regional, Restaurant · Regional restaurant
French, Restaurant · French restaurant
Local, Restaurant · Local restaurant
Italian, Restaurant · Italian restaurant
African, Restaurant · African restaurant
Fast Food · fast food · Haile Selassie Road, Mombasa
Cafe · cafe · Kakamega Road, Mombasa
Ice Cream · ice cream · Gatundu Road, Mombasa
Burger, Regional, Sandwich, Restaurant · Burger/Regional restaurant · Haile Selassie Road, Mombasa
Chicken, Fast Food · Chicken fast food
Pizza, Restaurant · Pizza restaurant · Tritton Road, Mombasa
Restaurant · restaurant · robertositalianhub.com
Regional, Restaurant · Regional restaurant · Duke street, Mikindani Road, 80100
Fast Food · fast food · Likoni-Ukunda Road, Mombasa
Cafe · cafe
Ice Cream · ice cream · Mwabundu Road, Mombasa
Burger, Fast Food · Burger fast food
Pizza, Fast Food · Pizza fast food
Restaurant · restaurant · Mount Kenya Road, Mombasa, 80100
Regional, Restaurant · Regional restaurant · Ndovu Road, Mombasa
90 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Moi International Airport (MBA) 6 km to the centre
Mombasa, 01, KE — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 9 airlines (Condor Flugdienst, Ethiopian Airlines, Flightline, Fly540…) · direct flights to 9 destinations incl. Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, Dubai… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 9 airlines, 9 direct destinations
- Condor Flugdienst DE (767) · 2 routes: Frankfurt, Zanzibar
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (737-800, DH8) · 2 routes: Addis Ababa, Kilimanjaro
- Flightline B5 (F28, CRJ) · 2 routes: Moroni, Nairobi
- Fly540 5H (CRJ) · 2 routes: Nairobi, Zanzibar
- Rwandair Express WB (737-800) · 2 routes: Dubai, Kigali
- Kenya Airways KQ (737-300, Embraer 190) · 1 route: Nairobi
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (DH8) · 1 route: Kilimanjaro*
- Scandinavian Airlines System SK (737-800) · 1 route: Addis Ababa*
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-900) · 1 route: Istanbul
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Ukunda Airstrip (UKA) 29 km to the centre
Ukunda, 02, KE — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor. ✈ 2 airlines (Flightline, Fly Air) · direct flights to 1 destination incl. Nairobi (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 1 direct destination
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Bamburi Airport (BMQ) 12 km to the centre
Bamburi, 01, KE — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Vipingo Estate Airport (VPG) 31 km to the centre
Kikambala, 03, KE — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Funzi Island Airport 63 km to the centre
Funzi Island, 02, KE
Mackinnon Road Airport 76 km to the centre
Mackinnon Road, 02, KE
Getting there by ferry
Mtongwe Ferry
Ferry terminal · 2.3 km from the centre
Likoni Ferry
Ferry terminal · 4 km from the centre · Kenya Ferry Services
Likoni Ferry
Ferry route
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
October – March
The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.
Shoulder season
April – May, September
Milder and quieter, with better value.
Worth avoiding
June – August
The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Vipingo Estate Airport (VPG); 10 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: MBA has direct flights to 9 destinations on 9 airlines (incl. Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, Dubai…). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Mtongwe Ferry, 2.3 km); routes include Likoni Ferry.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Mombasa, Kenya. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing