Manda Airport Transfer  From Lamu Airport to Lamu Island, Shela & Beyond

You've just landed at Lamu's Manda Island , now what? There's no road bridge and no car waiting on the tarmac. The only way off the airstrip is by boat, and if you don't already have someone waiting for you, that first hour on the ground can feel disorienting.

You're in the right place. We run a tight-knit transfer network across the Lamu Archipelago, and we know exactly what new arrivals struggle with: touts quoting inflated "mzungu prices," handing your bags to a stranger you can't vet, and not knowing which jetty gets you where. Our airport transfer service solves all three - a licensed boat, a fixed fair price, and someone who actually knows where you're going.

Is It Lamu Airport or Manda Airport?

Both names are correct, and that's exactly why it confuses first-time visitors. The airport's official name is Manda Airport (IATA code LAU), and it sits on Manda Island — not on Lamu Island itself. Locals and airlines also call it Lamu Airport, since it's the main gateway to Lamu Town and the wider archipelago. So if your ticket says "LAU" or "Lamu," you're flying into the same small airstrip on Manda Island. Its not an error or wrong booking.

Because the airport is physically separated from Lamu Town by a channel of water, every onward journey including to Lamu Island, Shela, or any beach resort on Manda itself starts with a boat.

Lamu Airport to Lamu Island

This is the transfer almost every visitor needs. Lamu Island - home to Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site  sits across the channel from Manda Airport, and the only way across is by boat. The crossing itself takes roughly 15–30 minutes by motorboat, depending on the tide and your final jetty.

What we handle for you:

• A boat waiting close to your flight's actual landing time, not a vague pickup window
• Direct drop-off at Lamu Town's main jetty, close to hotels and guesthouses
• Help with luggage from the airstrip to the boat - no scrambling to find a porter

Lamu Airport to Shela

Heading to Shela Village instead of Lamu Town? Shela sits a little further down the channel, past Lamu Town, and is best reached directly by boat rather than a boat-plus-walk combination — especially with luggage or at high tide. We run direct transfers from Manda Airport straight to Shela's beachfront, so you skip the extra stop and the guesswork about which path leads to your hotel.

Lamu Airport to Majlis

If you're staying at The Majlis Resort, you're actually still on Manda Island — the resort sits on Ras Kitau Bay, only a short boat ride from the airstrip itself. It's one of the quickest transfers we run, but it still needs a proper boat and someone who knows the resort's private jetty, rather than a general Lamu Town drop-off.

Lamu Airport to Manda Bay

For guests heading to lodges and properties around Manda Bay — the sheltered bay area on Manda Island near the airstrip — the transfer is short, but timing and the right landing point still matter, particularly around tide changes. We coordinate directly with the property so your boat and your arrival line up.

Lamu Airport Arrivals: What Happens When You Land

There's no arrivals hall in the way you might expect. After you disembark and collect your luggage at the small terminal, you'll walk a short distance to the jetty and that's where the confusion usually starts for first-timers. Without a pre-arranged transfer, you're negotiating a boat price on the spot, often at a disadvantage. With us, your transfer is already booked before you land: we track your flight, meet you at the terminal, and walk you straight to the boat.

Lamu Airport Departures: Getting Back in Time

Departures work in reverse, and timing matters more than people expect — boat schedules, tides, and the short check-in window at the airstrip all need to line up. We build in a buffer so a slow tide or a busy jetty doesn't turn into a missed flight, and we track your flight's status in case of last-minute changes.

Why Book Your Manda Airport Transfer With Us

• Fixed, fair pricing  agreed before you fly, so there's no negotiating on arrival
• Vetted boat operators -  the same trusted network we use for our own clients
• We adjust pickup times to your actual landing, not the scheduled one
• You only have one point of contact from Lamu Airport to your hotel door, jetty to jetty

Ready to arrange your transfer? Send us your flight details and destination - Lamu Island, Shela, Majlis, or Manda Bay - and we'll have a boat waiting when you land.