Watamu: Where billionaires find paradise

By PAUL GITAU

Just over 20 Km from Malindi lies its twin small resort town of Watamu.

It is sandwiched between Gede National Monument and Watamu Marine Park.

Watamu is an internationally acclaimed town, frequented by billionaires such as Bill Gates of Microsoft among others.

It hosts luxurious and expensive hotels like the five star Hemingway’s Beach Resort and Temple Point Hotel.

Residents say the name ‘Watamu’ means "Sweet People". The name originated from the fact that Arab slave traders used to distribute candies to entice locals before nabbing them as slaves.

According to the Senior curator in charge of Gede Museum Jambo Haro, Watamu village started in Gede and its history dates back in the 12th Century.

He says the ‘Gede’ is a Galla word meaning ‘Precious’ but the original name was Kilimani meaning ‘Hill’.

Mr Haro says the area was an ancient Arab town, inhabited in the 12th century and later abandoned by the Arabs in the 17th century due to shortage of water, civil wars, outbreak of diseases and hostility from the invasion by the raiders from Somalia.

MANY MOSQUES

This can be supported by the availability of eight mosques, a palace, several residential houses and pillar tombs at the world famous Gede Ruins.

Watamu’s fame is attributed to the presence of the Watamu National Marine Park and the Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve.

Established in 1968 as Kenya’s first Marine Park, Watamu has developed into one of the world’s best snorkeling and dive spots.