If you are looking for traditional Kenyan souvenirs, Mombasa is the place to visit for authentic mementos. The city's markets function in the same manner as they did in the olden days, reflecting a slice of life in Mombasa. The items on sale in Mombasa's markets include handcrafted wooden furniture, sculpture, toys and tools. You could also pick up the gaily coloured khanga material that the locals along the eastern coast of Africa use as a wrap and at times, as a headscarf. Other popular tourist pickings in the markets are jewellery and woven baskets. Beyond the markets are numerous shops and stalls that sell a variety of items at incredibly low prices.
You can seek the assistance of most hotels and guides to direct you to the local shopping sites in Mombasa.
This Mombasa Shopping Guide gives a breakdown of where to shop and what to shop for in Mombasa. For more information about what things you are likely to find as souvenirs, or to give you some ideas, check out our Kenya Shopping Guide. And make sure you also take a look at our Mombasa Restaurants Guide, to both fuel your shopping expedition and let you experience some traditional Kenyan cuisine.
Mombasa Shopping Guide
To watch the local craftsmen at work, you could visit the workshops at Bombolulu Handicrafts on the north coast and Akamba Handicrafts (on the road to the airport) which also retail the products made by these artists.
Apart from the khanga which is used as a wrap, brightly patterned traditional wear like kikoys and kitenges, a trademark of African coastal attire, is also available in the shops on Biashara Street, a regular base for the trade people ("Biashara" is Swahili for trade). While these wraps are also sold on the beaches as exclusive apparel, they are also sourced from these shops on Biashara Street. These shops are usually owned by Indian/Arab families whose roots date back to the pre-colonial era. As you make your way through the dusty street brimming with activity, do keep an eye on your possessions as you browse through the shops.
If you are looking for antiques, visit the Old Town, near Fort Jesus and bargain your way to some exceptional items on sale. To purchase wood carvings, you could drive to the Akamba Wood Carvers near the airport which hosts live demonstrations of the craft by skilled artisans. You could choose to buy any of the items on sale and even place custom orders that you can later ship home. Apart from the intricately carved wood furniture, you would also come across a variety of locally crafted curios and souvenirs. These items are often made with a base of wood with the carvings in sandstone. The elaborately hand carved furniture such as beds, chairs, dining sets created from local hardwood is a popular tourist buy, available even in the small shops on the wayside. These products are created entirely by hand tools.
Mombasa is the place to pick up Kenyan souvenirs, especially unique items that would not be available anywhere else in the country and at far more reasonable prices. The items range from the wood carvings, available aplenty in beautiful forms, along with beadwork paintings, hats and baskets. You could also pick up items crafted from soapstone, carved with great skill and flamboyance.
Mombasa is also well known for a souvenir production unit that mass produces souvenirs for the entire Kenyan market. The other unique feature of this unit is that it employs only people with disabilities, offering them a chance to showcase their skills. There are a number of shops in the older part of the town that do offer a wider range of souvenirs at more attractive prices, than the ones available in the tourist resorts.
