Malindi's main attractions are split between the sea and the forest. The Malindi Marine National Park offers snorkelling and diving on protected coral reefs just off the coast. Inland, the Gedi Ruins are the remains of a medieval Swahili town, one of the most atmospheric historical sites on the Kenyan coast. The Vasco da Gama Pillar stands on the headland as a reminder that Malindi was already an established trading port when the Portuguese arrived in 1498.