Last Friday, Nelson and I went to coast and met a childhood buddy, Wahome who acted as our tour guide in sampling the much-hyped Mombasa’s night life. The first stop was at club Bobs; situated at Kenol, along Mombasa-Malindi highway. It’s basically an open-roof, terraced, rectangular courtyard with bars counters and stools on the sides. There is ample parking and dancing space as only a third of the center area is occupied with tables and seats. The following are reasons to why I’m convinced partying in Mombasa maybe better than in Nairobi’s C.B.D clubs.
1) Feel Connected to the world
Being the most magnificent tourist city in this part of the continent, it’s the melting pot of diverse cultures and traditions. Here you get to meet people of all races, from different parts of the world.
As we are dancing to ‘Azonto’, six British ladies are dancing to our right and to our left are three Jamaicans dudes who just can’t stop laughing. A Chinese couple seems to be having a life of their time. You feel connected to the world. On a normal Friday in Nairobi CBD clubs most guys you meet are from within the city the only ‘foreigner’ you will be lucky to meet is some bewildered dude from Marakwet.
2) Adequate Security and sober-minded bouncers
Having witnessed an inebriated reveler hurled down the staircase by bouncers back at the capital, I was surprised by how sober-minded bouncers in Mombasa are. They treat patrons with extraordinarily great respect.
The washrooms are also well lit and secure unlike some joints on the upscale side of Nairobi’s Moi Avenue. You could be going about your private business in the gents only to be jacked up by some ruffian hanging down from the roof like a bat, relieve you of your valuables even before you cry out for help.
When you get lost around Mombasa, just ask anyone for directions and they would gladly walk you to wherever you want. Try the same in Nairobi and high chances are you would end up on the cold slabs of the city mortuary.
3) Mature patrons
When is the last time you went to a night joint in Nairobi with predominantly young people who were all having their drinks in peace? In Mombasa patrons are cultured. You would rarely find some campus student, with cheap liquor in their system, spilling over your drinks or puking all over your dazzling outfit.
You can also comfortably dance with your lady without having to fight off ‘mafisi’ guys shamelessly trying groping her.
4) Weather perfect for summer outfits
Mombasa is more of a paradise to fashionistas. The warm weather allows you to try out the great summer outfits in your closet without risking contacting pneumonia. I noticed the male patrons are not into the cheap, brightly colored and super-tight outfits that Nairobians love so much. Men here prefer comfort of their wares and quality over color. I never saw any ‘fashionable’ dude in some dark, counterfeit, designer sunglasses at night.
5) Fewer wannabes
There are a lot of people in Nairobi who can afford to go dine and drink at the Tribe hotel every weekend without worrying about the bill. You would also agree with me, a bigger chunk of partygoers in Nairobi are wannabes. They save up some cash then at the end month go blow it all in some exclusive joint in Hurlingam pretending to be oil sheikhs rich. A week after one can hardly pay their rent.
In Mombasa people are so true to themselves. They don’t try so hard to impress other people. As the Swahili saying goes ‘kila mbuzi hukula kulingana na urefu wa kamba yake’ this loosely means ‘people should go after things they can afford or handle’. The average club in Mombasa charges an irredeemable entrance fee of at least Sh200 bob and a bottle of beer goes for Sh240 – 300.
6) Daring ladies (true to their feelings)
Picture this, you are seated at the bar counter sipping at your favorite poison when this young, ravishing beauty suddenly wraps her delicate arms around your neck from behind. As her sweet fragrance wafts through your nose she whispers into your right ear “Mie mtoto wakike Nimekumindi!” She then invites you to her table where she has two other great looking lady friends.
Just when you begin cursing yourself think of how much cash you’ll be forced to spend, she surreptitiously slips a couple of notes in your pocket. That is for you to pay the bills. You later learn that the lady is some successful entrepreneur. Back in Nairobi there is a high likely hood that a lady who pulls such a stunt is a hooker. The only reason she may be interested with your pockets is stealthy trying to pinch your wallet.
There are so many great things about nightspots in Mombasa that make them cooler than those in Nairobi. In order to fully comprehend this you need to experience it firsthand. Make an effort of going down to coast over the Kenya@50 celebrations and try out the following joints: Casablanca and Bella vista along Moi Avenue, Bobs and Sheba lounge around Kenol or Club Lambada and Club lollipop in Mtwapa.
Wish you all a patriotic week as we celebrate to mark 50 years of self-rule!
