Yes, it's shabby and gritty and there's donkey poop everywhere. It's a fascinating slice of real life with far more character than its whitewashed neighbor, Shela. I wandered the streets for hours, just listening to the singing and calls to prayer from the mosques, and watching people go about their daily lives. The people are incredibly kind and friendly; I cannot tell you how many friendly greetings I got from children and adults alike. Yes, you also will be approached by people wanting to sell you a tour or boat trip, but it's not constant and they readily take no for an answer. I stayed here for six nights and would highly recommend it to any traveler with an interest in culture and some sense of adventure.

Fascinating confluence of many cultures. The manager of my hotel set me up with a terrific guide for only 1500 Kenya shillings and we walked around for a couple of hours. Lamu is very hot and sunny but the Old Town is shady because the streets are so narrow (people give way to donkeys). Everyone is very friendly, as is true all over Kenya. If you are staying on a different beach (e.g., Shela) you can come over by boat.

We were told to stay in Shela but booked a fabulous guesthouse called Andavelo in Lamu Old Town. We are sooo glad that we did as we found the old town to be rich and authentic and the people warm and welcoming . We visited Shela and while it is lovely and worth visiting , we found it very sanitized and gentrified and not really a rich cultural experience that Lamu old town offers .