Do you have Frequently Asked Questions? We have Frequently Answered Questions.
Roughly 20 km of good road, consider some 30 min. drive
A little more than 120 km through a very nice scenery, on a good paved road, it will take you a couple of hours.
Yes, we do. You can book a transfer during the reservation process, or get in touch with us later on. [more info].
It depends on the Country you’re from, probably yes. The good news is that you can register online and apply online, easy and quick, simply head to http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html.
note: always use this official government website, avoid third party entities charging you abnormal amount of money.
Clearly you should first at all check with your doctor, who knows your health situation, or the medical advice released from your Country. We’re not doctor ourselves, but we know by direct experience after 16 yrs in Kenya that a vaccination against malaria for a holiday in Watamu is very rarely needed.
Yes, of course there are. But Lonno Lodge is so clean that mosquitos do not reproduce as quickly as other places with stagnant waters, and the breeze and the wind on the cliffs where we sit further reduce their presence. Btw .. all of our beds have mosquito nets.
We always stock some mosquito repellent to offer to our guests, particularly if they plan to visit restaurants in Watamu at night. It’s not that much needed at the Lonno Lodge, but in case it is readily available.
During the rainy season (roughly May and June) it is very common to have .. ergh .. rain, and a slightly colder weather, any other month is just perfect.
Too many to list them all! Let’s here remember the Turtle Watch, the Snake Farm, the Old Gede Ruins, the Mida Creek, the Ecoworld Watamu, the community owned Crab Shack, Marafa Depression, Arabuko Sokoke National Park, …
Diving and snorkeling (we are inside the Watamu Marine National Park), kite-surfing, canoeing inside the Mida Creek, sailing for a Dhow Cruise, following a Yoga class or enjoying a relaxing massage, …
We got you covered, read this Beach & Safari packing list.
The official currency of Kenya is the Kenya Shilling (KSH; KES) but Euros and US Dollars are widely and commonly accepted. There are banks and a couple of Money Exchange where you can change your money. Always pay attention to the exchange rate of the day.
Technically speaking … yes, all the most important credit cards are accepted, but clearly depends on the single activity’s decision. The larger it is, the more common that they accept credit cards. As for the Lonno Lodge, we accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. And PayPal too.
Yes, and in Watamu too. Please check commission or additional fee for ATM withdrawal with your bank before leaving home.
Not always, more often you will not. A shop can decide to include its commission on the sale price, or to add it on top. Remember to verify that before concluding a purchase.
The standard socket is the UK type, and the voltage is 230V. Our rooms offer several multi-standard sockets, so that you do not have to travel with a lot of adapters
Yes, it will, but we suggest to pay attention to roaming costs, you better get a local SIM. Your phone will probably not work while on Safari 🙂 but several lodges or tented camps have some WiFi.
There are a lot of stores where you can get a SIM card, you only need your passport in order to be able to get one. The SIM itself only costs 100-200 KSh (1-2 USD), then you can add voice traffic or data traffic. Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom are the three carriers active in Kenya
Widely, and the speed is improving day by day, not only in big towns but in Watamu too. Do not expect optic fibre speed, though, but it’s good enough to upload your photo on social media account, make video calls, check Youtube or other streaming sites. Btw .. at the Lonno Lodge WiFi is complimentary.
Yes, you could, but you may not want to. Everything you “bring in” is not purchased in Kenya, which is a detriment to local activities. You may want to consider to buy something locally to be donated to kids and children, you’ll be surprised to discover that almost everything you need can be purchased locally, usually at cheaper prices, so to help children as well as local businesses. Two birds with one stone 😉
Yes, it is. Crime in tourist areas is not common, Kenya also has a Tourist Police patrolling areas with the highest concentration of tourists. The so called “beach boys” too are not a threat, maybe they tend to be a little bit too “pushy” (they live on selling) but that’s all.
Watamu sits on the Watamu National Marine Park, a real heaven for snorkeling and diving. And from the Lonno Lodge, at low tide, you can reach the coral reef simply walking, we have a couple of very nice spots to suggest you.
Sure! There are a few options, and a PADI centre too.
There are several Taxi available, day and nights, and you can also book them in advance, get in touch with concierge for assistance. A nice option for short routes (for example reaching Watamu from the Lonno Lodge) is represented by a Tuk-Tuk (a three-wheeled motor vehicle) or, if you’re really brave, a Bajaj (basically a motorcycle with a driver). We also offer transfers to Watamu and close by attractions with our private van for a nominal fee.
Yes, there are two different supermarkets and several grocery stores.
A tip is always appreciated, and Kenya is not different in this sense, but tipping is not mandatory (like it is in USA, for example), you can leave a tip if you’re particularly satisfied with the service.
Absolutely yes, we’re on a cliff overlooking the ocean, with direct access to the beach in just a few steps.
At low tide you can walk down to three small secluded beaches, or visit the tiny islands in front of us, or even take a longer walk to the centre of Watamu (remember your reef shoes). This means that at low tide our position lets you enjoy the beach if you want it, or appreciate privacy, silence and relax when you’re not “all that interested” in curio sellers.
No, sorry, we don’t. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are always with service at the table.
Yes, we do, we also a free cookbook for you to download to let you have a first glimpse on our menu. [more info]
If you mean “at the Lonno Lodge” the answer is: absolutely yes! Not only out of the dispensers you find in your room, but also from the taps of your room. We have a water maker, a desalination plant if you prefer, and we produce our own water to serve to our guests, and to ourselves.
Get in touch with the reception, we can assist you and purchase for you the missing toiletry items at the local supermarket.
The best and quickest way to know the whole range of our rates is to reach out for www.lonnolodge.com/booking, type in the desired dates and number of guests, and the rates will be immediately returned, always updated and including special offers too.
Yes, a Half Board is also a possibility, we suggest and price our Rooms and Suites in Full Board for ease of mind, so that you don’t have to wander around under the sun looking for a restaurant, if you don’t want to. Beside regular lunch and dinner we also have Light Meal menu and a Bar Snack menu [more info].