An unusual scenario, perhaps futuristic but certainly still stocked up and hopefully not the only possible future: Malindi and Watamu for this August begin to populate with local tourists, mainly from Nairobi.
These are not only Kenyans and foreigners with Kenyan citizenship, but also residents working in the capital or other regions of the country.
They have filled most of the villas and rented houses, they have taken possession of those they own and some have settled in the resorts they have decided to reopen.
In Malindi, the PlanHotel group claimed to be at 70% occupancy, for the week of August, Ocean Beach Resort also resumed with a good turnout, as did Driftwood and Leopard Beach Point. In Watamu, Crystal Bay and Medina Palms are starting to receive reservations and the good influx of vacationers is also witnessed by the reopening of Paparemo Beach, while in Malindi the two beach restaurants Rosada Beach and Osteria Beach have decided to "pass", as one would say in poker jargon.
But what destinations will the Nairobians find for their August holidays?
First of all, the curfew has taken away at least three of the pleasures of these places of fun and pleasure: the evening restaurants, full of gastronomic specialties, especially Italian, but also excellent fresh fish cooked in a thousand ways, from grills to Swahili gravies.
Then there is the lack of alcoholic support which, especially among Kenyans, is a pleasant company during the days of leisure. The lack of a properly prepared cocktail by the ocean or an ice-cold beer to drink in one of the many bars on the promenade or Lamu Road is definitely a bad thing, as well as not being able to combine a special lunch or "apericena" with a good glass of imported wine.
Finally, the nightlife: the beach parties (Monday the historical one of Rosada in Malindi, Thursday the one of Paparemo in Watamu) and the night clubs, especially with the colours and the "meltin' pot" of the local ones: Stars & Garters and Kienyeji in Malindi, Club Kalahari in Watamu.
As far as the beaches are concerned, tourists can attend them if they are guests of registered structures that request it to the local authorities, always respecting distances and avoiding assemblages.
Officially the decree of closure of the public beaches, in fact, has not yet been removed, but it is possible that this will happen in the next days.