Pate Island is about three times the size of Lamu and located about 20 km to the northeast. Unlike both Lamu and Manda, it does not have a large area taken up by dunes. The island is divided into two parts – indeed it may have once been two islands, but the channel dividing them is so shallow that only the smallest boats can go down it. The land is very low lying and the towns are situated on shallow inlets that can only be reached at high tide. The only deep-water landing point is at Ras Mtangawanda in the west of the island, but as it is not a sheltered harbour it has never had a major settlement. Although it is fairly easily accessible it does not receive many visitors.
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Pate Island information
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Getting There
Ins and outs
To get Pate Island, there’s a motorized public ferry that departs usually daily from the Lamu jetty about one hour before high tide – you’ll need to check locally when this is. The reason for this is the Mkanda Channel is only accessible by boat at high tide. The ferry not only carries passengers but goods from Lamu to Pate, so it’s a long and uncomfortable ride and you may find yourself wedged between boxes and many other people. You will also need plenty of food and water. However they do pull a blue tarpaulin over the boat to protect against the sun. After two to three hours, it stops at the near on deserted Mtangwanda on Pate Island, which is the nearest point to Pate Town. It takes about an hour to walk to Pate Town from here. After a further four to five hours the ferry stops at Faza, and then goes on to Kizingitini, which takes about another hour. Again you’ll have to check locally when the ferry returns from these places on its run back to Lamu as times are determined by when it is high tide in the Mkanda Channel. Sometimes much smaller dhows link the points on Pate Island but again are dependent on the tides. Generally, when visiting Pate Island the best thing to do is to get off the ferry at Mtangwanda, walk to Pate Town, and then walk through Siyu to Faza from where you will be able to get the ferry back to Lamu. Alternatively a group can organize a dhow in Lamu to explore for a few days, but there is nowhere to stay as such though camping is possible if you have a tent.
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