Mombasa is back and it is that season again. Who said everyone has to go to the beach during this festive period?
In many tourist places in the world with an access to the coastline, places that are marketed are the beach and places with views such as a cliff. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers.
Local and international tourists are heading in droves to the Kenyan Coast, a place highly famed for its white pristine beaches, international standard hotels, good local food and friendly hosts.
When driving into Mombasa island, through Makupa Causeway, the first area that welcomes you is Tudor. When landing into the Mombasa International Airport, you also get a view of the Indian Ocean and Tudor besides other views.
When business people and tourists are connecting from Mombasa airport to their destinations, which are likely to be Nyali, Bamburi, Shanzu, Mtwapa or even further to Diani, they pass through the Makupa Causeway and inadvertently, get a view of Tudor.
The ocean surrounding Mombasa Island spreads into the interior, forming two creeks namely Port Reitz and Tudor, which are fringed by well-developed mangrove forests. Tudor creek bounds Mombasa Island on the northwest and extends some 10km inland.
In 2018, in a notice issued to residents, the county government of Mombasa directed that all buildings be painted white and blue, which symbolised the Indian Ocean.
This is a move that has made Mombasa look neater than it used to be, coupled with the efforts of the current governor to improve on its cleanliness.
Tudor is one of those towns that took heed of the notice, although not all the building owners did. The houses are typically on a low cliff, with good views, both day and night, of the Indian Ocean. The now complete Makupa Causeway makes it even better. And should all the owners of the homes and businesses in Tudor repaint, revamp and rethink the businesses, with support from the county government, then we can have another big touristic town.
Mombasa county might be sitting on a giant. Is it then possible for the county government to engage stakeholders and professionals in the tourism industry for ways to convert this town and use existing and new resources to attract tourists? Is it possible for investors also be brought in to make the town a beautiful masterpiece that it should long have been?
Lessons can also be learnt from stunning cliffside towns across the world such as Cape Town, South Africa; Santorini, Greece; Vernazza and Positano Italy; Sidi-Bousaid, Tunisia; Porto, Portugal and many others, which are highly visited and bring in all the economic benefits tourism has to bring.
It should be in the interests of a county to keep looking for ways to offer a vivacious mix of cultures, entertainment and architectures.
Tudor is one of those places that can be tapped for this and included in bloggers ‘15 best things to do in Mombasa’.
Vera is a part time lecturer and a communications researcher
