Mombasa, Kenya 蒙巴萨一日游
April 1, 2025
We started the day feeling anxious, nervous, and a little fearful—uncertain of what to expect. The story actually began yesterday. During one of the ship-organized tours to central Mombasa, a fellow passenger was robbed near the famous Mombasa Tusks. Several young men surrounded him, pushed him to the ground, and snatched his phone. Thankfully, he wasn’t physically hurt, but the incident was a sobering reminder to everyone onboard to stay alert and prioritize safety.
Today, we joined a guided tour arranged by the ship to explore Mombasa island, the second-largest city in Kenya. Our first stop was the iconic Mombasa Tusks on Moi Avenue, built in 1952 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s visit—ironically, the very place where the robbery took place the day before. The tour company made sure we stayed together as a group, with a guide leading the way and an assistant at the back to ensure no one lagged behind. As we stepped off the bus, we noticed several armed policemen patrolling the street. An armed policewoman even accompanied our group throughout the stop. It was quite a scene.
Right next to the monument, we wandered through Uhuru Gardens, where hundreds of fruit bats dangled from massive mango trees—a surreal and unexpected sight.
Then we strolled through a park where several massive, centuries-old baobab trees stood. It is also a place for locals relaxing and gathering. From there, we watched in amazement as two ferries packed with passengers sailed from the terminals—offering us a vivid glimpse into the rhythm of daily life in Mombasa.
From there, we visited Fort Jesus, a formidable 16th-century Portuguese fort that now houses a museum. Walking through its thick stone walls, past ancient cannons, we learned about Mombasa’s layered colonial history.
Afterward, we strolled into the Old Town. Compared to other historic towns we’ve visited, this one felt less charming and didn’t leave as strong an impression on us.
By midday, we made our way to the Tamarind Restaurant on Mombasa’s mainland, where we enjoyed a lovely buffet brunch. The delicious dishes and beautiful view provided the perfect refuel for the afternoon.
Later, we visited Haller Park, a reclaimed limestone quarry turned lush nature reserve. One of the highlights was feeding giraffes—watching them gently pluck pellets from our hands with their long, curious tongues was magical. We also saw two hippos lounging on the grass while monkeys chased each other and two gemsboks stood nearby, calm and unbothered. Around 4 p.m., a worker came to feed the hippos, adding a fun end to our visit.
Mombasa, like many developing cities, has its challenges. When a large group of foreign tourists appears in a densely populated local area, it can draw attention—sometimes from opportunists. But that’s part of traveling: stepping out of your comfort zone and managing the risks.
The moment we returned to the ship, we signed up for another guided tour for tomorrow. No more self-guided adventures—at least for now.
蒙巴萨一日游
2025年4月1日
带着焦虑、紧张和有些恐惧心理我们开始了今天的蒙巴萨（Mombasa)一日游。故事其实始于昨天，邮船组团游中一位游客在著名的蒙巴萨象牙门附近拍照时被十几个年轻人(据媒体报道,有五十人但船上目击人称没这么人参与）围攻并推倒在地，手机被抢走。还算幸运，他身体并无大碍，但这起事件给船上的每一个人都敲响了警钟——肯尼亚这里的治安不好，游客必须保持警惕，注意人身安全。
我们今天也参加了邮轮安排的组团游，参观位于蒙巴萨岛上的肯尼亚第二大城市蒙巴萨。第一站就是位于莫伊大道上的地标性建筑——蒙巴萨象牙门。这座纪念碑为纪念伊丽莎白女王的来访而建于1952年。昨天的抢劫事件就发生在这里。今天旅行公司特别强调大家必须成团行动，安排了一名导游带队，还有一位助理压阵，负责照看是否有人掉队。我们一下大巴就注意到街上有几位持枪警察巡逻，一位持枪的女警甚至一路跟随我们，这一幕令人印象深刻。
纪念碑旁是乌呼鲁花园，我们漫步其中，抬头望去，成百上千只果蝠倒挂在巨大的芒果树上，场面诡异，令人难忘。
然后我们漫步通过一座公园中，几棵巨大的、已有数百年树龄的猴面包树巍然矗立。这里也是当地人休闲聚会的好去处。
接着我们前往了耶稣堡（Fort Jesus），这座建于16世纪的葡萄牙堡垒如今是一座博物馆。我们穿行于厚重的石墙之间，经过古老的大炮，了解了蒙巴萨复杂的殖民历史。随后，我们漫步进入了老城区。相比我们曾经造访过的其他历史古镇，这里的魅力略显逊色，未能给我们留下特别深刻的印象。
中午时分，我们前往位于蒙巴萨大陆上的塔玛琳餐厅（Tamarind Restaurant），享用了一顿丰盛的自助午餐。美味的佳肴与餐厅迷人的海景为我们注入了新的能量，迎接接下来的行程。
下午我们参观了哈勒公园（Haller Park），这是一个由废弃石灰岩采石场改建而成的自然保护区。喂食长颈鹿是今日的亮点之一，看它们用长而灵巧的舌头温柔地从我们手中取食，令人感到无比神奇。我们还看到两只河马慵懒地站在草地上，猴子们在一旁追逐嬉戏，而两只大羚羊则悠闲地站在不远处，独自享受着宁静。下午四点左右，一名工作人员前来给河马喂食，结束我们的行程。
像许多发展中国家一样，蒙巴萨也面临不少挑战。当一大群外国游客突然出现在人口密集的本地区域时，的确可能引来一些“机会主义者”的注意。但这也是外出旅行的一部分，不管去哪里，风险总是存在，小心一点，有点街头智慧。
跟团游结束后安全回到船上后的第一时间，我们就报名参加了明天的另一个邮轮组团游。原本打算明天是自己到处走走的，现在放弃这个想法，不再准备自由活动了——至少暂时不会了。