Last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful coast of Kenya-Diani Beach, Mombasa.  I got a chance to get out of the city with some truly genuine people and found what has become one of my favorite Kenya souvenirs-the kikoy.  They can be used as a sarong, wrap, head cover, towel, scarf, blanket or really anything you want.  For awhile, I was accidentally calling them kiokos, which incidentally is a common African last name and was causing a lot of confusion when I was asking the women on the beach if they were selling Kiokos….

Several of the kikoys I bought at Diani Beach

Kikoys can be bought for about 500 ksh (roughly $6.50) with some bargaining.  The ones that I especially love with towels sewn on one side (shown in photo above-purple stripe one side, solid purple towel other) can be bought for about 900 ksh (roughly $10.50) with some serious bargaining.  One late afternoon on the beach, on the suggestion of my new friend, Philip, I took a picture of the women who sell the kikoys leaving after a days work.

I think this picture is really beautiful.
Thank you for the kikoys, women of Kenya.

I am planning another trip to the coast in November, it is safe to say I will be on the lookout for more kikoys.

xoxo

-s