Lamu Island was founded in the 12th Century and is one of the best islands in Kenya. Lamu is one of the longest established, and best-preserved remaining settlements of the Swahili tradition in east Africa that remains today. The island has continually been inhabited for over seven hundred years and continues to be an important center in eastern Africa. Swahili Culture The island of Lamu is a Swahili settlement filled with culture. Prior to the birth of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, people from various countries and regions migrated to the island of Lamu. Traders and sailors from the Arabian Peninsula, China, India, and South-East Asia traveled across the Indian Ocean to the East African Coast to reach the island of Lamu. The diverse mixture of sailors and traders with the native people of the Lamu island created distinguishable social classes and a diverse social structure on this African Island. The Swahili language is known as Kiswahili and has various dialects throughout the island.

There are several different social classes that the people living on Lamu Island are considered to be part of. The Swahili culture has a rich history and embraces all parts of the society on the island of Lamu. Because of the small winding roads on the island, residents are forced to walk on foot or by donkey to get to wherever they are going. Along its southern coastline, the area of Lamu island is composed of mainly sand dunes, which cover the Shela aquifer which is responsible for the island's main source of water.

Location: Lamu Archipelago, Kenya, Indian Ocean

The famous Mombasa Island is among the best islands in Kenya and is a 5 by 3 km (3.1 by 1.9 mi) coral outcrop located on Kenya's coast on the Indian Ocean and was discovered in the 16th century by Omani traders and ruled by a series of kingdoms. Mombasa Island is connected to the mainland by a bridge popularly known as Nyali Bridge. Mombasa exhibits the culture of Portuguese, British ad as well as Arabs. The Likoni ferry is used for commuting between the mainland and the South Coast. It is a port that serves the coastal towns of Kenya as well as the rest of East Africa.

Part of the city of Mombasa is located on the island, including the Old Town. The old town of Mombasa is located at the eastern, seaward end of the island. Kilindini and Port Reitz, the modern deepwater harbor and port separate the island from the Kenyan mainland to the south. The old harbor, which is named Port Tudor and guarded by Fort Jesus, and Tudor Creek separate the island from the northern mainland. Modern residential sprawl and industrial areas now occupy the rest of the island. Visiting the island can leave you with lots of memories. This is because of the many beautiful sceneries and historical sites located on the island. So, port Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a fantastic attraction you can’t miss.

Location: Indian Ocean

Manda Island is an excellent destination if you want to fall off the radar but still be in Kenya! Manda is an island of the Lamu Archipelago of Kenya, known for the prosperous 9th-century ports of Takwa and Manda town. The island is now linked by ferry to Lamu and is home to Manda Airport, while Manda Toto island lies to its west. The island is separated from the mainland by the narrow Mkanda channel. Both Manda town and Takwa were probably abandoned due to the lack of water in the first half of the 19th century. In the 1960s the Kenya Department of Agriculture recommended building several concrete catchments called jabias to capture rainwater on the island. Two jabias were built and many families moved onto the island, farming maize, cassava, simsim, and cotton.

Manda Island is a great place to sit outside with the tranquil lake water and enjoy the peaceful environment in the region. Being home to many lizards, intriguing paintings, and the towering Mt. Kwitutu, Manda Island is well worth a day or two. In several ways, it is one of the best islands in Kenya. Located on the south coast of the lake, Manda is an excellent location for holidays and honeymoons.

Location: Lamu Archipelago of Kenya

Mfangano Island is an oasis of tranquillity and is one of the best islands in Kenya. The island is an ideal location to retreat from the hustle and bustle of modern life. It is the largest island on Lake Victoria and home to the highest concentration of the Abasuba people, one of Kenya's smallest tribes. Things to do at Mfangano Island can be mentioned fishing, bird watching, and seeing the ancient rock art. The fishing in Lake Victoria is exciting, and both Nile Perch and Tilapia can be caught. At Mfangano Island there are a number of fishing boats that are well equipped for trawling Nile Perch. The Nile Perch is the king of the lake's fish. It can grow to 1.8 meters (6 feet) long and weigh 140 kilograms (300 pounds). Fish of 5 to 15 kilos are regularly caught and are delicious to eat.

Besides, the birdlife around Lake Victoria and Mfangano Island is spectacular, and over 350 different birds have been identified around Mfangano Island and Lake Victoria. Guests can join the resident ornithologist on bird-watching trips both on foot and by boat around the island. It is possible to see the majestic Fish Eagles nesting in the giant fig trees along the lakeshore. In addition, you can join a trek to see the ancient rock art on Mfangano Island. There are two ancient rock art sites with some historically important cave art. Cultural Walks The Luo culture and traditions are very different from those of other parts of Kenya, and by visiting Mfangano Island there is the possibility to sample this colorful culture. Villages dot the shores of Lake Victoria, and the main activities are fishing and trading in Nile Perch and Tilapia.

Location: Homa Bay, Kenya.

The final pearl in the tropical beach necklace that stretches south of Mombasa is the idyllic island of Wasini, located about 76km south of the Likoni ferry crossing. With its faded white alleyways, Swahili fishing vibe, and fat, mottled trees, this tiny island (it's only 5km long) feels like a distant relative of Lamu and Zanzibar. Sparsely populated with a village at either end, Wasini Island is an enigma. Disconnected from the mainland and the last populated outpost on the southern coast of Kenya, Wasini is infamous for its Baobab tree forest, the village of Wasini with its ethnic Swahili people, and the centuries-old trade link with the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. Therefore, it's ripe with the ingredients required for a perfect backpacker beachside hideaway: it has that sit-under-a-mango-tree-and-do-nothing-all-day vibe, a coastline licked with pockets of white sand, and Kisite Marine National Park, the most gorgeous snorkeling reef on the coast. In fact, the only things it doesn’t have are regular electricity, banana-pancake traveler cafes, backpacker hostels, and cars, and it’s all the better for it.

Wasini's 2 tribes, the Vumba and the Mwikro live in the villages of Wasini and Mwkiro and inland in the hamlet Nyuma Maji, meaning "behind the water" in Swahili. Together they make up the island's 3,000 residents. Wasini's coral garden is an inner seawater lagoon that floods and empties every day with the tide. At low tide, beautiful coral formations appear that you can visit without needing your mask and flippers.

Funzi Island is located off the Kenyan South Coast and has a population of about 1,500. The island hosts an array of ecosystems, including undisturbed coastal wetlands, mangrove forests, palms, sandy beaches, creeks, estuaries, and undisturbed lowland coastal mixed forests. Funzi Island is known for its pristine beaches and as Kenya's best nesting site for a variety of sea turtles, such as green turtle, Chelonia mydas, hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata, and leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea. These species are classified as either endangered or critically endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) but are found on Funzi due to a low degree of human disturbance on the natural sandy beaches. However, the turtles are becoming increasingly threatened in Funzi due to the expansion of non-environmental tourism and heavy pressure from destructive fishing methods and various pollution sources.

Popular excursions for visitors in Funzi are the crocodile safari in the nearby Ramisi River or to going on a cultural tour in the village and enjoying a traditionally cooked lunch. Visitors should visit the Ramisi River and the gardens nearby for cultural tours. There is a spectacular annual migration of Humpback whales between June and December. The best swimming experience in the area will undoubtedly be on the naturally formed sandbank just offshore from Funzi village. Its fine sand ripples appear only during low tide and it stretches well over a kilometer in length. Funzi Island does not have many hotels. Funzi Cove and Funzi Keys are the main ones, however, both were closed as of early 2021.

Location: Kwale County, Kenya.

Located in a tranquil environment along the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria, Ndere Island is a perfect destination for vacations and is one of the best islands in Kenya. Ndere means "meeting place" in Dholuo. According to Luo folklore, early tribal migrants rested up near Ndere after their long journey south up the Nile River Valley. They found the lush shoreline so pleasing that they stayed. Ndere Island has a great geographic and cultural diversity for anyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of Western Kenya. It offers visitors a diverse range of tourist attractions that blend together to give you the perfect set-up for a holiday.

Ndere Island was gazetted as the Ndere Island National Reserve in November 1986 and has since that time been uninhabited. Notable fauna associated with the island include African fish eagles, swifts, hippopotamus, and Nile crocodiles. About fifty impalas have been introduced to the island. Located on Lake Victoria, this island is a haven for birds. Covered mostly in grassland, Ndere Island provides beautiful scenic views of the Homa hills to the south, Mageta Island to the east and the glimpses of Kampala in Uganda beyond the south west horizon. The lake shore supports a wide variety of animals including hippos, monitor lizards, Nile crocodiles, several fish species, snakes, baboons, impalas, the rare sitatunga antelopes, water bucks, zebras and warthogs. Over 100 different species of birds can be seen here including African fish eagles, black headed gonoleks and grey headed kingfishers

Location: Lake Victoria, Kenya.

Pate Island or Paté island is among the best islands in Kenya and is located in the Indian Ocean close to the northern coast of Kenya, to which it belongs. It is the largest island in the Lamu Archipelago, which lies between the towns of Lamu and Kiunga, close to the border with Somalia. The island is almost completely surrounded by mangroves.

Like much of the Swahili Coast, Pate Island's history was marked by a steady transition from agricultural communities in the early first millennium into a specialized, urban trading society around the 10th century, likely earlier. Islam spread down the coast from African Muslims in the Horn of Africa, helping to develop what would be known as the Swahili culture. Pate Island is not a colony of Arab and Persian, but an African town frequented by trading Arabs, Persians, Indians, and others. It was the center of the Pate sultanate from the 13th–to the 19th centuries. The Swahili port of Pate long vied with Lamu and Takwa (on Manda Island) for economic dominance of the area, and came into prominence around the 14th century. It was subjugated by Lamu, however, in the late 19th century. Public transportation is provided by a few minibusses (so-called matatus). The main administrative center on the island, with the police station, is Faza.

Location: Lamu Archipelago, Kenya.