Currencies, payment and
money
Asha Cottage accepts Euro, US Dollars, GB Pounds and of
course Kenya Shillings. All currencies may also be
exchanged at any of the local banks - Diani currently
has branches of Barclays, Central Bank of Africa, Equity
Bank, Fidelity Bank, Imperial Bank and Kenya Commercial
Bank. Asha Cottage does not
currently accept credit cards, so payments to
Asha Cottage may be made in cash or through bank
transfer in Kenya Shillings, Euro or US Dollars. Given
the number of banks present, there are also a number of
ATM machines around Diani, where visitors can access
their personal funds from abroad, provided they have ATM
cards valid for international circuits. The major hotels
in Diani and some of the shops and boutiques will accept
credit cards - mostly Visa and/or MasterCard - however
it is best to be equipped with cash as the credit card
machines are not always reliable. Tour operators and
diving centres all accept credit cards. |
Health and medical
Diani Beach is home to two very modern hospitals (with the
Diani Beach Hospital highly recommended by Asha Cottage, see
www.dianibeachhospital.com) both of which can provide a
selection of general practitioners, but also paediatricians,
gynaecologists, surgeons, dentists and other specialists as
may be needed. The latest equipment is available for
physiotherapy and both host very modern laboratories for
blood tests and other analyses. There are three very well
stocked chemists in Diani, and in addition, any medicines
not available in Diani may be ordered through the hospitals
and obtained from Mombasa the next day. Emergency treatment
and ambulance service is available in both hospitals, and
both have various operating theatres available. Both
hospitals also accept most major health insurance schemes. |
Obligatory vaccinations
None. A Yellow Fever vaccination may be required if guests
are arriving in Kenya from countries where yellow fever is
present (in which case it is essential that one have one's
yellow international vaccination booklet handy).
Malaria
Malaria is
present along Kenya's coastal area, around Lake Victoria and
in many of the parks, particularly during the rainy season.
It is therefore recommended that guests seek medical advice
and take an appropriate anti-malaria prophylaxis. In all
cases, if any symptoms such as fever, joint or bone pain or
general flu-like conditions should appear, visitors should
immediately seek medical assistance locally as opposed to
taking generic antibiotics. For more information, please
read the
health tips
provided by the Diani Beach Hospital.
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Entry visa
An entry visa may be obtained through the Embassy of Kenya
in one's country of origin, or upon arrival
at the airport (USD 50, only USD accepted). Tourist visas
are valid for three months and can be renewed for an
additional three months from within the country.
A visa application form may be
completed online through the
Kenya Airways official website - this is advisable as it
will save you time once you land.
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Arriving in Kenya
Most guests coming to Asha Cottage in Diani Beach will land in Kenya in Nairobi, at the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport, with a connecting flight for
Mombasa, although it is also possible to fly directly into the Mombasa
Moi International airport (direct flights from Europe
available with many national and local charter airlines).
Asha Cottage offers a Meet & Greet service at both
Nairobi and Mombasa airports to assist with entry
formalities. Please request this service if it is your first
time to Kenya.
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TOURIST INFORMATION
Please click on the items listed below for additional
information:
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