Wasini Island
The final pearl in the tropical beach necklace that stretches south of Mombasa is the idyllic Wasini Island, located about 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) southeast Kenya off the coast of the Indian Ocean, 76km south Mombasa of the Likoni ferry crossing.
The name “wasini mpunguti” came from the early inhabitants who originally were the Chinese they were short Chinese, hence the name wasini mpunguti which to the locals, means short Chinese. The island has only footpaths of sharp old coral or sand. There are no cars, carts, or bicycles. Cargo is transported by foot or by a wheelbarrow with a solid tire. Transport is over the paths, or via the beaches, mainly consisting of coral and only passable with low tide, or by boat over the sea. Before 1963, in the British colonial time, there was an airstrip in the lagoon situated longitudinal south on the island; only small parts of tarmac are reminders of this history.
With its faded white alleyways, Swahili fishing vibe, and fat, mottled trees, this tiny island (it’s only 5km long) feels like a distant relative of Lamu and Zanzibar. It’s ripe with the ingredients required for a perfect backpacker beachside hideaway: It has that sit-under-a-mango-tree-and-do-nothing-all-day vibe, a coastline licked with pockets of white sand and Kisite Marine National Park, the most gorgeous snorkeling reef on the coast. In fact, the only things it doesn’t have been regular electricity, banana-pancake traveler cafes, backpacker hostels and cars, and it’s all the better for it.
Tourism is the main source of income; the second comes fishing. The high poverty level has greatly diminished in the last 30 years due to the tourism-based on approximately 10 km far Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park. Here tourists snorkel and dive between the coral around this tiny sand island Kisite which is totally inundated during high tide. This park annually attracted 80.000 of overseas (75%) and African (25%) tourists. Unfortunately, since 2013 there is a decline of 50% in the number of overseas tourists, of which 75% are coming from Europe, because of their fear for Al-Shabaab and since 2014 also for the Ebola virus, although this virus was never detected outside West- Africa, and Congo. In Wasini Island village approximately 50% of the people rely for their income on tourism, so 75% of the population. In Mwiro this percentage is 12%, and probably, 18% respectively.
Fishing is the second source of income. The fisherman is using open baskets put underwater with stones and marketed by mangrove poles hewn on the island and taken into their canoes, or are throwing fishing lines. They are fishing in the sometimes rough waters of the Pemba Channel, between Wasini and Pemba, and the more calm waters between the island and the mainland. Also, there are several sports fishing vessels anchored on the shore of Shimoni at the Pemba Channel Club which pass into the Pemba Channel – a fishing ground famous for Kenya, winning All Africa and World IGFA fishing records. The presence of longliner fishing vessels offshore, rising water levels, destructive fishing methods using small seine nets, and dynamite on reefs, have all had a detrimental impact on the fish reservoir.
Often humpback whales and dolphins can be spotted in the immediate surroundings of the island. Near the mainland, humpback whales can regularly be seen swimming northbound on the East African current. On the east side of the island often dolphins are playing in the seawater. On the island itself at the shore opposite of Wasini village near the Kenyan Marine jetty beautiful coral fauna and flora can be seen and be examined while snorkeling; the Beach Management Unit is demanding an entrance fee of 5 US dollars or the equivalent in Kenyan shillings. North of the stairs of the jetty it is nice swimming because of the cool clear seawater there
The Wasini Women Group has established a nature boardwalk in the beautiful coral gardens on the Western end. Proceeds help e.g. needy Wasini students and other Wasini citizens. In Mwkiro there is a well-established, but rudimentary orphanage. These indigenous Non-Government Organisations (NGO’s) and self-help groups supplement activities across the water at Shimoni whereby visitors frequent the “Shimoni Slave Caves” – a community-based project. Though it is questionable to what extent and what part both locations played in the slave trade, it is true to say that both were involved in it. In the caves live fruitbats who harbor the innocent Shimoni bat virus.