"Malindi" Malindi by BarbieGirl

Malindi, once known as Melinde is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Galana River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres north of Mombasa. Its population is 68,311 (as of 1 January 2005). It is the capital of the Malindi District.

Tourism is the major industry in Malindi. The city is exceptionally popular among Italian tourists. Malindi is served with a domestic airport and a highway between Mombasa and Lamu. The nearly Watamu resort and Gedi Ruins (also known as Gede) are located south of Malindi. The mouth of the Sabaki River lies in northern Malindi. The Watamu and Malindi Marine National Parks form a continuous protected coastal area south of Malindi.

The town is home to an airport.Malindi has been a Swahili settlement since the 14th century. Once rivaled only by Mombasa for dominance in this part of East Africa, Malindi has traditionally been a port city for foreign powers. In 1414, the caliph of Malindi initiated diplomatic relations with China during the voyages of the explorer Zheng He. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama met Malindi authorities in 1498 to sign a trade agreement and hire a guide for the voyage to India, when he erected a still extant coral pillar. In 1499 the Portuguese established a trading post in Malindi which served as a resting stop on the way to and from India. A church dates from this era.

Many traditional buildings survive, including the Juma Mosque and palace on the beach, a stretch popular with tourists