Lamu town on Lamu island is best reached by air either directly from Nairobi Fly 540 from Kenyatta airport, Safarilink and Air Kenya fly from Wilson Airport, Nairobi or from Mombasa or Malindi to the south operators include Mombasa Safari Air from Mombasa, which does not fly every day, and Fly 540 from Malindi. The airport is on an island opposite the main village necessitating a short boat/ferry ride. Tourists are generally charged a premium price for the short trip.
For those on a tighter budget a daily bus service does run from Mombasa via Malindi . This route was notorious for attacks by Somali bandits and buses have in the past been stopped and robbed. As of Oct 2005 the security situation was deemed to be OK. Armed guards are taken on board the buses for the most dangerous part of the journey close to Lamu. No incidents with buses have happened in years.
The trip from Mombasa to Lamu Mokowe on the mainland takes 5-7 hours depending on road conditions. The last part from Garsen to Mokowe is a mud road and can be rough. Get a seat in the front of the bus book in advance to get a pleasant trip. Several bus companies operate the route but few are express no unnecessary stops. Two express buses are Tawakal and Najaah.
To get from Mokowe on the mainland it is possible to take the slow and crowded ferry, a shared speed boat or hire your own speed boat. All options will take you to Lamu Town. You can usually negotiate to be taken to Shela if this is your final destination.
It's also possible -- but expensive -- to hire a car from Mombasa or Malindi.
