Of all the towns along the Kenya coast, Malindi is one of the places where you will feel most compelled to shop in. There is something about the small, busy streets, the ambiance and the people that will put you in a shopping mood.
There is lots to see and buy, so picking out the best gift or souvenirs is not as easy as you would think.So, we have put together a short list of some of the best gift and souvenirs you can buy for yourself, your friends and family.
While these may not be Malindi specific items, they can normally be found in Malindi. Some of these gift ideas are edible so sit back, relax and enjoy…
Pssst, by the way if you know of a great souvenir to find in Malindi that’s not listed here – email us! We would love to add it to the list!! So here they are the top 17 gifts and souvenirs we believe you should buy when shopping in Malindi, Kenya.
1. A Bag weaved from Plastic – Oustside Karen Blixen Don’t have a beach bag? Look no further… These innovative Kenyan crafters are doing their part to make use of all that plastic waste that is ending up in our oceans. The bags are crocheted using strips of plastic bag – they are versatile, fun and its good for the environment!
2. A Brass Africa Ring or Pendant – L’ Osteria Beach Bar on the beach Discover incredible African brass pendants made by hand. Hundreds of unique pieces for necklaces, bracelets, rings and more!
3. A Calabash Bowl – Mohawk Malindi Calabash fruits come in an array of different sizes and shapes. Bowls made of calabash are used as utensils made to serve food and carry water, and the practice is still retained in some remote areas of Africa.When the calabash is dried it can be hand carved into stunning, one of a kind works of art.
Hand carved, decorated and sometimes dyed– its imperfections are part of what make each bowl unique.
4. A Coconut Hat – The Beach There is nothing that says “I’m on holiday” more than a coconut hat! These happy hats are perfect for both women and men, and you can wear them on the beach and/or while exploring Malindi. If you buy it green, it usually takes a few weeks (2 – 4 weeks) for your coconut hat to dry out.
5. A Kanga or Kitenge Dress, Shirt, Skirt or Shorts from the Wildside shop It is thought that Kangas and kitenges have been a traditional type of dress amongst East African women dating back to the 19th century. They are both made from strong cloth, like sarong or Kikoy (we will get to them later…) and are often worn by women. They are colourful pieces of fabric that can be wrapped around the chest or waist, used as a headscarf, or as a baby carrier. Many Kitenges and Kangas of Kenya (and in Tanzania) have Swahili sayings or phrases written on them.
6. A Kikapu – On the Street or at Mohawk Malindi What is a Kikapu? Kikapu in Swahili means “container” or “basket”. Traditionally Kenyans have used these to carry everything from mangoes to live crabs… These handmade bag baskets are made from woven palm leaves. They come in all sizes and styles, and today you can find them adorned with beads and ketenge. Whether you are looking for the basic Kikapu, or something more glamourous it’s a perfect souvenir!
7. A Kikoy or a Kanga in the old townshops around Uhuru Gardens It’s true you can buy Hermes silk scarves in shops all over the world… But for scarf lovers, there is something special about the KIKOY and the KANGA. It’s a scarf, it’s a shawl to keep you warm in the evening breeze, it’s a towel after those midnight swims, it’s a picnic blanket when you need it! The Kikoy and the Kanga are two classic, Kenyan must have, if you buy one thing in Kenya it has to be either of these! The Kikoy is a traditional dress, normally worn wrapped around waist (like a sarong or Pareo), mostly worn on the East African coast by men. While the Kanga is more commonly worn by women and children.
You can buy them in almost any shop, in any form - Trousers, shorts, towel, bath robe. Some of the best places to find Kikoys in Malindi are in the Old town Shabbir, Bazi, Jins, Sarto Moderno and Shakir come to mind, otherwise on Malindi Beach.
If you are a sarong lover, Mohawk has an amazing selection and an abundance of silk scarfs.
8. A Lamu Bag – Osteria on sea front road Handmade bags, pouches and weekend bags made of painted old tanga's (100% cotton sail cloths) - and that’s what makes every bag unique. You can Check out this video on You Tube on how the bags are made:
9. A Madafu – On the Street from the madafu man If you see a man on a bicycle, overflowing with coconuts. Do stop him and have a madafu.
Coconut water (or “madafu” in Kiswahili) is the light, mildly sweet drink you get from an underripe coconut, its delicious and refreshing with a very slight nutty taste. Enjoy!
10. A Tingatinga Painting – Malindi Curio Market Tingatinga (or Tinga-tinga) is a painting style from Tanzania, Kenya and neighbouring countries. Named after its founder Edward Tingatinga, these paintings are traditionally painted on thin hardwood, using several layers of bicycle paint, in brilliant and highly saturated colours.
Here are some Tingatinga painting made in Malindi, Kenya!
11. A Tusker T-Shirt – Old Town area shops around Uhuru Gardens Kenya’s most favoured beer has its own T-shirt. Not much more to say here… you must try one (a beer that is) and own a t-shirt! Made in Kenya...
12. An African Mask – Mohawk Malindi African masks are one example of GREAT African art. Used in ritual and ceremonial passages masks in Africa vary widely between different cultures. We could go on for hours about this topic and how masks may have influenced some of the greatest artist of our time… but we will keep it simple. What some people may not know is that some traits are common to most African Masks. Firstly, many people believe that masks usually have a spiritual meaning and, many cases were used in rituals, another is that mask-making is an art that was/is passed from father to son. Today this may be the case, however, what is for certain is that African masks are a unique and special souvenir to take home with you. They are hand carved and painted and come in all different sizes and colours, although you will find that the most traditional colours are - red, black, orange, and brown.
13. Beads – On the street, old Town area shops around Uhuru Gardens and Mohawk Malindi Beaded Bracelets, Beaded Flip Flops, Beaded pouches, Beaded Bags, Beaded necklaces and or Beaded Belts – an African must have... i'll say no more.
14. Soap Stone or Wooden Carvings – Malindi Curio Market At Malindi Curio Market you will find a selection of hand carved African animals, spears and more carved out of various woods or soap stone found naturally within Kenya. The challenge will be to decide on what to choose because each item is carved by individual artists and will never find two items that are the same…
15. A Book – from outside the Karen Blixen café It is not quite the ‘Shakespeare and Company’ - the famous bookstore a stone’s throw from Notre Dame in Paris but Malindi has a number of book sellers with quite the collection of books and if they haven’t got what you’re looking for – I best if you ask they will do their best to find it for you.
16. Tea & Coffee – from any supermarket in Kenya Tea and coffee grown in Kenya have been one of its leading exports and for a good reason – it is delicious. Did you know? Tea was first planted in Kenya way back in the 1900 – today the main tea produced in Kenya is black tea, although you can sometimes find green tea too. Its light and easy to carry, and although the packaging sometime leaves much to be desired – it is a great tasty gift!
17. Almond Halwa
Bawaly’s Halwa near Malindi’s old town is one of Malindi’s Best kept secrets – it is one of the most famous Halwa shops in town. People who visit Malindi stop to buy their famous Almond Halwa – and take it home… as far as LONDON! Some of the reviews on Google have rated it as some of the best Halwa they have ever eaten, with one review saying it’s the best halwa “in the world” and another saying it’s the best “on the planet”!
These are only a few of the gift ideas you can buy in Malindi and indeed on the coast of Kenya.
Do you know of a great souvenir to find in Malindi that’s not listed here – let us know! We would love to add it...
Visit us in store and happy shopping from us at Mohawk