Mkoko, a coral stone house with a thatched roof rising above the trees on Manda Island

An island house, surrounded by nature.

Lamu Archipelago - Kenya

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Somewhere between the sea, the trees and the rhythm of island life

Mkoko is a private house on Manda Island, just across the water from Lamu.

Four bedrooms, open spaces, a garden alive with birdsong and a treehouse woven into the surrounding trees.

A place to slow down, live simply and let the island set the pace.

Living and dining room inside Mkoko, with a long timber table under a high thatched roof

The House

A home, not a hotel.

Four en-suite bedrooms for up to 8 guests, taken as one whole house. Whitewashed walls, exposed wooden beams, thatched roofs and natural materials. Verandas and open doorways mean you drift between inside and outside all day.

See the house

The Garden & Treehouse

The garden is part of the house.

Paths between mature trees and bougainvillea, a chair in the shade, a table beneath the vines. Up a flight of timber steps, level with the canopy, the treehouse is somewhere to read, rest, watch the garden and listen to the birds.

Into the garden
Treehouse surrounded by mature trees in the garden at Mkoko on Manda Island

Living with nature

An off-grid house, powered by the sun.

Life here follows sunlight, shade, rain, tides and the seasons.

  • Powered by the sun

    Solar power provides the house with its electricity.

  • Water from the rain

    Rainwater harvesting forms part of the house's water system.

  • At the edge of the mangrove

    Mkoko sits alongside a remarkable coastal ecosystem.

  • Wake up to birdsong

    The garden attracts a rich variety of birds, making early mornings one of the quiet pleasures of staying here.

  • And sometimes… visitors

    Monkeys occasionally pass through the garden. They are part of the neighbourhood — and they don't take reservations.

Living with nature
Idi holding a freshly caught fish among the trees beside Mkoko on Manda Island

Idi & Happy Man House

The person who gives Mkoko its rhythm.

Next door to Mkoko is Happy Man House, home to Idi, who is part of the everyday life around the house — helping with the practicalities of island life and sharing his knowledge of Manda. He is the house manager at Mkoko, and an amazing cook.

Meet Idi

Manda & Lamu Archipelago

Quieter on Manda. Lamu Archipelago just across the water.

Manda offers a quieter setting across the water from Lamu. Lamu Old Town, with its coral-stone houses, carved timber and narrow streets, lies across the channel — and the crossing by boat becomes part of the stay.

Wide sandy beach on Manda Island looking towards a makuti-roofed pavilion among palm treesManda & Lamu Archipelago
Carved wooden fish with circular shell inlays mounted on a white plaster wall at Mkoko House

What guests say

Mkoko is best described by the people who have stayed.

  • “The house is a great place if you want to be away from noise and distraction. A little paradise :)”

    — Airbnb guest

    Airbnb
  • “Our stay at Mkoko House was magnificent. The house is full of character and was the perfect spot, quiet and pristine, for exploring the rest of Lamu.”

    — Google Maps guest

    Google Maps

  • Airbnb

    4.87

    30 reviews

  • Tripadvisor

    5.0

    44 reviews

Read our Airbnb reviewsRead our Tripadvisor reviewsRead our Google Maps reviews

Book direct

A place to slow down, gather and let the island set the pace

€250 per night for the whole house, or €1,400 for seven nights. We reply personally.

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