Manda is quieter. Lamu is just across the water.

Mkoko is on Manda Island, a quieter setting across the water from Lamu. For more than seven centuries, Lamu Old Town has remained a living Swahili settlement, shaped by the meeting of African, Arab, Persian, Indian and European cultures.

Coral-stone houses, carved timber, narrow streets and verandas still form part of everyday life. Out on the water, traditional dhows remain part of the rhythm of the archipelago.

Reached by boat from Manda, Shela has its own pace. Sandy lanes, the seafront, the minaret above the roofs and the beach stretching away. It is a place for walking, swimming and eating late under the stars.

Dhow excursions are one of the best ways to see the archipelago — sailing between islands, fishing, or simply drifting with the tide. At Mkoko, the house becomes a place to return to after a day on the water, in the old town, on the beach or simply under the trees.