Abduljabbar Ali Mombasa is a coastal paradise with a face of so many beautiful beaches and magnificent blue and white buildings, but don’t let this fool you at all.
Every city in Kenya also has its problems.
To be safe when travelling in Mombasa you need to do more than just one thing.
I was born and raised here and know every trick some individuals will do to take advantage of tourists.
I have come across locals who were mugged and robbed in the daylight while everyone was watching.
It happened to me also when I was on Mombasa Island filming a walking tour for my travel YouTube channel (Abduljabbar Ali).
Just unfriendly street guys came at me claiming I was filming them when I wasn’t. It was a fight but they eventually managed to run away with my GoPro camera.
Can you imagine if a local like me can be robbed in the streets of Mombasa island, what do you think can happen to a tourist?
I am not saying that Mombasa is full of dangerous people, but you need to play things right if you want to be safe here.
As I told you every city has its issues. This blue and white city is not perfect and that is why these tips I am about to share are going to keep you safe.
This is how to stay safe when traveling in Mombasa;
1. Travel during day time.
If you want to be safe while traveling in Mombasa this is something you should do; travel during the day.
It doesn’t matter where you want to go and what you want to do, make use of the daylight to keep yourself safe.
You are likely to see anything coming at you from miles away and this can keep you prepared for anything worse that is about to happen.
During the night it will be hard for you to spot anyone with bad intentions.
Don’t go out at night in the streets and start exploring because you will be putting yourself at risk.
I’m not telling you that you can’t walk around Mombasa during the night, but it’s just taking caution to keep yourself safe.
You will see so many people walking in the streets of Mombasa at night, but they are all rushing to get to their places.
For instance, if you have arrived in Mombasa at night and you want to get to your hotel or Airbnb, take a taxi.
This way it’s safer than taking a tuk-tuk or motorcycle.
If you have to travel at night to get to see the nightlife of Mombasa, Kenya I would recommend you get someone to accompany you.
It will be safer when you are not just on your own especially if you don’t know the area.
After you are done exploring the clubs and bars at night, make sure you get a taxi to drive you back to your hotel or Airbnb.
This is how you will manage to keep yourself safe when exploring Mombasa.
Read also; Is It Safe To Walk In Mombasa, Kenya?
2. Avoid dodgy and sketchy areas.
The first thing you should do before you get to a place is to do thorough research about it.
Do you know of any areas in Mombasa that you shouldn’t visit?
Not all areas in Mombasa are safe for you to explore. It’s safe for you to explore the populated parts of Mombasa CDB (central district business) and take some photos and videos.
Read also; 7 Best Areas To Stay In Mombasa
No one will try to take advantage of you.
You can hold your camera, phone, and backpack while strolling in town and nothing is going to happen to you.
But there are some areas in Mombasa where you can’t just walk around with your phone, camera, or backpack exposed.
The moment these sick individuals notice you are busy with your phone while walking, you might end up losing it.
A guy out of nowhere might just snatch your phone.
If it’s worse, these guys can hurt you before taking everything you have.
The worst thing is that no one is likely to help you in those areas. Trust me, I have seen so many locals being robbed and no one stood their ground to help them.
People are all afraid of what might happen when they get between what is going on.
These are the bandits and drug addicts that do this kind of dirty work in the streets of Mombasa.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s during the night or day, these are the areas you should avoid in Mombasa;
- Deep inside Likoni.
- Kisauni.
- Mshomoroni.
- Changamwe.
- Mtongwe.
- Bamburi, Kiembeni
- Deep inside Mombasa Old Town.
- Miritini.
Read also; 5 Things To Do In Mombasa Old Town (After Fort Jesus)
The above areas I have mentioned are too dangerous for you to explore without a local guide.
So, avoid these areas if you don’t have someone to take you around.
If you take yourself in these areas you are just putting yourself in danger.
Avoid going too deep into narrow paths even when you are in the middle of the town.
Someone can easily take advantage of you in these areas. Don’t allow anyone to take you through paths you don’t understand.
If you want to walk around the town, you should only use the main roads. This is how you keep yourself out of harm’s way when exploring Mombasa.
Read also; Is it Worth Visiting Mombasa? [9 Reasons Why It Is]
3. Get a guide if you can.
I would recommend you get a guide if you want to explore the unbeaten path of Mombasa.
The local guides have an idea of the areas that are safe for you to visit and the areas that aren’t.
Also, it will be harder for someone to try and take advantage of you when they see you with a local.
It won’t hurt to spend a few dollars on a local tour guide. You will get to learn more about the place from the tour guide and he or she will keep you safe.
I earlier told you that you should avoid dodgy and sketchy areas. Your research on the web won’t give you everything.
What you should know is that things keep changing every day in Mombasa. The place you researched and saw that was safe, can change anytime.
The only people who know better which areas are safer and which ones are not are the locals.
Having a local tour guide will save you a lot of money and keep you safe when traveling in Mombasa.
Read also; 11 Ways To Save Money While Travelling
Some areas like Mombasa Old Town may seem safer just from the surface, but if you stroll too deep without a guide you might end up finding yourself in a hot soup.
Deep inside Mombasa’s old town drugs are sold, and there are a lot of street guys who won’t be afraid to steal from you when you are solo and drug addicts are lying low there.
Things can go messy fast when you get into these areas.
You won’t know well enough these areas unless you get a local tour guide and that is why I recommend you get one if you are planning to go deeper while exploring Mombasa.
4. Ask locals about the safe places you should visit.
As I told you earlier what you search on the web about the safety of a place may not be accurate.
Things on the ground are a little bit different. So, if you want to keep yourself safe while traveling in Mombasa you need to talk to the locals.
As a rule of thumb for any traveler, you need to be nice to the locals, start small talk with the friendly ones, and ask them more about the places you would like to visit.
The locals know the place better and they have first-hand information about the places you would like to explore.
When you are on public transport find a way to start interacting with any friendly local and ask him about the safety of the places you would like to visit.
If any changes happen to the area you would like to visit you will know all that from the locals.
The locals are likely to give you accurate information about the safety of the area you would like to visit.
Listen to the locals you will talk to and take some notes if you don’t want to find yourself on the wrong side of the town.
Read also; 17 Top Things To Do In Mombasa
5. Avoid close physical contact with suspicious people.
Another way to keep yourself safe when you are in Mombasa is to avoid close physical contact with people whose intentions aren’t clear.
You will come across these kinds of people everywhere. This means you have to be extra careful with the people you interact with.
What I can tell you is that the economy in Kenya right now is very tough.
Everyone is trying everything to survive. It’s a tourist like you that they will try to take advantage of since they think you know nothing about them.
They don’t know that you passed through this amazing article that exposes them! Lol!
Someone might approach you and try to ask you to buy something from him or her. If you look at him or her, he or she is indeed a hawker.
He or she will insist you buy something from him or her claiming that he or she hasn’t sold anything since the day started.
All they do is wait for you to let your gut down and snatch something valuable from you.
I came across kind of a guy when I was going to Miritni to get my SGR ticket. I had booked but they didn’t send me a confirmation message with my ticket number.
Read also; My Experience Traveling To Nairobi From Mombasa Via SGR
This guy came at me at the window of a Matatu (public transport) forcing me to buy the necklaces he was selling.
A guy beside me told me to be careful with my smartphone because I was holding it when I was talking to him.
I realized that the guy was super aggressive for a hawker. I kept my phone secure until he left from the window of that car.
I continued talking with the guy who was beside me and he told me that these are the kinds of people you should avoid in the streets.
So, when you come across someone who is super aggressive with their selling tactics these aren’t real vendors.
Most of them will be selling cheap things like bead necklaces, fake earrings, and rings. Avoid these people.
In the same streets of Mombasa, you might come across someone who will ask you for money.
He or she will get close to you while asking you to give him or her money.
If you let your gut down and remove out your wallet to help him or her this is when he or she will snatch it from you.
This is one of the techniques these sketchy people use in the streets of Mombasa.
The main aim of them getting closer to you is to make other people around believe that you are together.
This way they can steal from you or even hurt and no one will bother asking why because they will think you know each other. And maybe you have just a little bit of misunderstanding.
If you want to be safe just avoid close contact with suspicious people.
Don’t just trust anyone easily and be open to invitations simply because you want to explore everything.
This will get you in a hot mess.
Read also; 3 Days Mombasa Itinerary On A Budget
6. Don’t take photos and film people with unfriendly vibes.
You may be a content creator (YouTuber, blogger, or TikTok creator ) who is documenting his or her travels.
This means you will have to walk in the streets of Mombasa, Kenya filming and taking photos of the beautiful city.
You will meet people as you are documenting your travels.
If you want to be safe while doing this in Mombasa you have to observe the people you capture.
Some people will not allow you to film them or take photos of them.
If you notice that there are no friendly faces where you are, don’t start filming them or taking photos of them because they might take away your camera.
Some will even want you to make the mistake of filming them so that they get a reason to forcefully take your electronics.
When I started this article, I told you that when I was in Mombasa town filming I came across a bunch of street guys who claimed I was filming them and it escalated into a fight and they took my camera and ran away.
The same thing might happen to you if you are not careful with what you capture in the streets.
Avoid pointing your camera directly to people who don’t want you to.
If you have to film or capture a picture of them be smart about it.
Talk to people before filming and taking photos of them to avoid any unnecessary issues.
7. Secure your belongings appropriately.
Another way to keep yourself safe in Mombasa is by ensuring that you secure your backpack appropriately.
Don’t give someone a reason to want to steal from you.
If you are traveling around Mombasa town with your backpack ensure it is well-zipped and it doesn’t expose any of your important electronics or documents you may be carrying.
Ensure your bag is strongly attached to your body so that someone doesn’t think of grabbing it from you.
Before someone thinks of stealing from you they first look at how you have secured your belongings.
If they that they can snatch it away from you and make a run for it, they will do it.
But if they see that they don’t stand a chance of a quick snatch and run they will leave you alone.
When you are out in the streets don’t expose your electronics when you don’t have to.
Don’t walk with your camera hanging on your hands thinking no one is going to steal it from you.
Don’t use your phone while walking in the streets. Keep your phone zipped in your bag.
If you decide to put it in your pocket ensure that it’s on the front one or it has a zipper.
There are so many professional pickpocketers in Mombasa not only do they exist in Nairobi.
8. Pay attention to the surroundings you are in.
Another tip that will keep you safe while traveling in Mombasa is to pay attention to your immediate surroundings.
Carefully observe the atmosphere of the place you are at, look at the people and how everything is going on.
If you notice anything that is off just quickly get yourself out of there.
You may be walking and someone may be following you behind. Find a way to escape from them.
If the vibe of a place is not calling just get yourself out of there.
Use your common sense to get yourself out of any tricky situation while you are in Mombasa.
Don’t just go drinking with anyone you meet in the club or bar. Some of these people are out there hunting for a tourist like you to get their daily bread.
Read the environment before you do anything.
Sometimes you should also follow your instincts if you want to be safe while traveling in Mombasa.
If you don’t feel comfortable being at a certain place just get yourself out of there. This is the last thing you can do to keep yourself safe in MOMBASA.
Lastly…
Mombasa is a beautiful place to be but you have to be careful if you want to be safe and sound while exploring.
Don’t do anything that will make you a target.
If you are walking in the streets just be confident and pretend like you know what you are doing even if you don’t.
Another thing that will help you a lot is learning a little bit of Swahili language. When they recognize you know a little bit of Swahili they won’t take advantage of you because they will assume you have been around for longer.
You are no longer a naive tourist roaming around the city without a plan.
Another thing you should do is avoid crowded places if you want to be safe. Try as much as you can to avoid any of these places, if you have to be there be with a group of other people or a local tour guide.
This is what will ensure your safety while traveling in Mombasa, Kenya.
I hope you have an amazing time in county #001 in Kenya.
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