Lamu Town is the oldest town in the Lamu Archipelago and was also declared a World Heritage Site by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2001.
A wonderful old Muslim stone town – known to locals as Mkomani – Lamu Town has distinctive architechture, carved doors, narrow streets, an absence of vehicles, donkeys, many mosques and a bustling jetty where fishermen pull up in dhows as well as motorboats and women dressed in black wearing the bui bui chatting away in the street. The Town is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, retaining its traditional functions. Lamu has also hosted major Muslim religious festivals since the 19th century, and has become a significant centre for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures. The beaches of Nyali, Vipingo, Kikambala and Shanzu are home to a wide range of World Class resorts with fine cuisine and services. Carved wooden doors are one of the attractions for which Lamu has become known. The artesanal skill continues to be taught and at the north end of the harbour you can see them being made in workshops by craftsmen and apprentices.
Since the Island has no motorised vehicles, transportation and other heavy work is done with the help of donkeys. There are some 2000-3000 working donkeys on the Island. Dr. Elisabeth Svendsen of the The Donkey Sanctuary in England first visited Lamu in 1985. Concerned by the conditions for the donkeys, the Sanctuary was opened in 1987. The Sanctuary provides veterinary treatment to all donkeys free of charge.