Mombasa has been a trading port since at least the 12th century, shaped in turn by Swahili, Portuguese, Omani Arab and British influence. That layered history is most visible at Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese in 1593 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in the narrow coral-stone lanes of the Old Town around the harbour.
Beyond the historical centre, Mombasa is a working port city – Kilindini Harbour handles the bulk of East Africa’s shipping trade – and it functions as the transit and shopping hub for the beach resorts strung along the coast to the north and south. Mombasa Marine National Park protects a stretch of reef just offshore.