Hell’s Kitchen Marafa Canyon :: Odd Sandstone Depression Malindi

Hell’s Kitchen Marafa Canyon :: Odd Sandstone Depression Malindi

The Marafa Depression, also known as Hell’s Kitchen, is an odd sandstone canyon outside of Malindi, Kilifi County Kenya. Known locally as Nyari – “the place broken by itself” – it was once a great sandstone ridge worn by wind, rain, and floods into a series of jagged gorges. The layer-cake colors of the sandstone reveal whites, pinks, oranges, and deep crimsons, making the gorge particularly striking at sundown when tones of the ribbed sandstone gullies are highlighted and mirrored by those of the setting sun.

Naturally, local stories accompany the “place broken by itself.” According to legend, there was once a town located where the gorge is now. One day, all the town’s inhabitants received a vision telling them a miracle was coming and to move their town. Everyone moved except one old woman who refused to leave. The abandoned town then supposedly vanished – with the remaining woman still inside – leaving the Marafa Depression in its place.

Malindi Beach: Malindi Beach is one of the beaches that form Coastal Kenya. Found on the shores of Lake Malawi in the Mangochi district. It’s commonly known as Melinde in the town of Malindi Bay at the Mouth of River Galana in the Indian Ocean. The Malindi beach is located in the Northeast of Mombasa around 120 kilometers away from the business hub Mombasa.

The beach is the largest urban town in Kilifi County with a population of 207,253 people according to the 2009 population census. The beach is a major tourism industry in Malindi with the most tourists coming from Italy. Malindi Beach is served by flights that are domestic directly to Malindi airport and Broglio Space Center and by road through Mombasa and Lamu.

It borders the Watamu resort and Gedi Ruins also called Gede on the south of Malindi, River Sabaki on the North, and Malindi Marine and Watamu national parks on the South. Malindi Beach is a home of Swahili architecture and they term it as the origin of Muslims and Swahili in East Africa. The beach has the highest population of Muslims. The beach is mostly occupied by Arabs, the beach is popular due to the early historical events when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama visited and the Malindi Authorities.

The common attraction at Malindi Beach includes the Vasco da Gama Pillar. The pillar is found standing at the point where Vasco da Gama entered the beach from the water where the Muslim Sheik received him.

Malindi Museum Society. This is a home of the historical books for the beach and all the Coat of Kenya. The Museum building itself is a historical house with columns that were recently renovated.

Another attraction at the Malindi beach is the Portuguese Chapel located in Silversand Road was built by Vasco da Gama in 1948 during his first visit to India.

Falconry of Kenya. This is a small zoo found at the beach mostly dominated by birds and reptiles. It’s very interesting to visit the zoo during your stay at Malindi Beach.

Watamu fishing village is worth visiting.