☰Likoni Ferry

The Likoni Ferry isn't a sight in the conventional sense — it's a free ten-minute commuter crossing between Mombasa Island and the southern mainland — but it's one of the most memorable experiences in the city. Hundreds of foot passengers, hawkers, matatus, and motorbikes squeeze onto the deck every few minutes; the smell of diesel and grilled maize mixes with the salt of the harbour. From the open upper deck you get the best view of the cargo port at Kilindini, the dhow harbour, and the white walls of Fort Jesus. If you are heading for Diani Beach or the South Coast, you take this ferry whether you mean to or not — but it's worth riding once just for itself.