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38 maltatoday SUNDAY 8 APRIL 2018 Travel Lamu, an African beach MARC CASOLANI HAVE you ever wondered how wonderful it would be to be sprawled on a practically deserted sandy beach on a Caribbean Is- land, but then you realise its sim- ply out of your budget. That's a typical Monday morning for you. The great news is that not all of the world's best beaches are in fancy resorts in the Caribbean and some destinations really are in any backpacker's budget. The island of Lamu in Kenya is one such beach holiday destination. Lamu island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is about 6,273 km2. Ok, so getting there was not the most comfortable of bus rides I will admit. Eight hours north of the city of Mombasa, only six of which are on a surfaced road. The bumpy dirt track which follows leaves you feel- ing like you've endured a two hour sand storm. On exiting the bus, it feels like you've just dug your way out of a sand dune, you then have to hop on a 45-minute ferry from the fishing village of Mokowe to the island of Lamu. That is when you realise that the commuting ordeal was well worth it. Viewing the village from the sea at sunset is exquisite, the beautiful colours gently refelecting off the white walls of the seaside colonial styled villas. As you hop off onto the quay a swarm of a dozen or so locals crowd you promising to find you the 'perfect' accomodation – winner gets a possible tip plus a commission from the place of ac- commodation. Most accommodation on this tiny island is generally homey and cheap.... that is unless you go to Shela Village in the next bay which is a honeymoon getaway, lined with residences owned by some of Forbe's rich list. If all this travelling has already exhausted you then fear not... there are easier, though a little more pricey ways to get there. Fly into the island of Manda which is across the channel of Lamu. However it is essential that you book way in ad- vance as flights are almost always fully booked. If you're on a really tight budget there is also the option of catching a dhow – a Kenyan raft-like structure with a sail that can't really be classi- fied as a sailing boat – from Mom- bassa to Lamu. It's free as long as you help crew it, though and takes about two or three days to get there depending on the wind, and dhows have been known to capsize and sink in rough seas. For thrill-seek- ers this may be just the ticket. Talk your way onto a dhow and your raw sailing adventure will begin... and possibly end, right there. Transportation on the island is somewhat limited and consists of one ambulance from the 1950s, one jeep and a dozen healthy herds of donkey. The population is mostly Muslim – a bohemian and care- free group of Muslims, who respect their religion like any other Muslim in the world, that I have ever met. I had the opportunity to break fast during the holy feast of Ramadan with them and also jumped in rev- elry alongside them as the crescent moon appeared to signal the end of this holy period. This was followed by days of feasting in which Lamu Town was one positive vibe of jam- ming and sharing. After spending a few days on this island, you'll be surprised at the amount of activities that are avail- able and realise that you will indeed need quite a bit of time to enjoy the region in tranquillity and in your own time. I would recommend doing some diving on some of the outer reefs of the channel between Manda and Lamu islands. On Manda it- self you'll find mostly private beach bungalows and seaside mansions, however there is one resort that has some authentic, high quality rustic bungalows. You will also find historical ruins in the north of the island, ruins that date back to early Muslim settlements. Check out the impressive baobab trees surround- IRRESTAWRA DAREK The Planning Authority has relaunched the 'Irrestawra Darek' scheme for a second term. This scheme allocates €10 million in funds, to assist in the regeneration of our village core areas whilst also promoting investment in the restoration, conservation and maintenance of Malta and Gozo's built heritage. The scheme is open for privately owned residential properties located within Urban Conservation Areas and scheduled Grade 1 or 2 residential buildings. There are specific funds allocated for voluntary organisations, the elderly who are over 65 and people with special needs. Terms and conditions apply. For more information go to www.pa.org.mt or call on +356 2290 1551/1555. PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR PLANNING AND THE PROPERTY MARKET