The Takwa Ruins lie on the eastern shore of Manda Island, an hour by dhow from Lamu town. The site is a 15th- to 17th-century Swahili settlement complete with the standing walls of a large pillar tomb, the outline of a Friday mosque with its mihrab still intact, and several merchant houses overgrown with mangrove and acacia.
A guided dhow trip from Lamu typically combines Takwa with snorkelling and lunch on a Manda beach — a full but rewarding day. Local guides can explain the site's relationship to Pate, Lamu, and the wider Swahili trade network. Bring water and good shoes; the path from the landing is short but rough.