Asembo Bay
Asembo is the name of an area in North Nyanza, close to Lake Victoria's Winam Gulf. It is these days part of Bondo District. The town of Asembo Bay was the main port of entry for the area, until the road got built. The old steel jetty is still there and, while the wooden planking is rotting away, the steel structure looks like it will remain for another century or two.
What is there to see?
As a town Asembo Bay doesn't have much to boast of. The only in-town sight is an old colonial building that stems from 1930 and looks as if the last coat of paint was also done at that time. It is a beautiful building nevertheless, used for functions and meetings.
The main asset of the town is its position on the lake. The lake view from here is fantastic. Walk down to the lake, past the old and overgrown ferry booking office with a sign in three languages. On the shore is the old jetty. You can walk on it, but be very careful of the planking! The view, however, is great from here and you might see some fishing boats come or go. The large mountain on the South side of the lake is an extinct volcano, Mount Homa.
Where can I stay
There is no accommodation available in Asembo Bay. Bondo and Kisumu are the closest towns to go to.
Where do we go for food and drinks?
Basic local meals are available at local hotellis. Try the fish: you can't get it fresher than here on the lake shore. It usually comes with sukuma wiki and rice or chapatis.
How do we get there?
Well, not by ferry anymore, unfortunately. A Kenya Railways ferry used to run between Kisumu, Kendu Bay, Homa Bay and Asembo Bay, but that was stopped a long time ago. There undoubtedly is a market for such a ferry (certainly with the roads being so bad) but no one has stepped into the gap yet.
By vehicle is what remains. From Kisumu take the road towards Busia. Turn left after about 10 km in a village called Kisian. This is the Bondo Road. Only one tarmac road branches off this one (to the left), in a small town ('shopping center') called Ndori, about 45 minutes out of Kisumu. Take that road. After about 15 minutes there is a well-traveled dirt road on the left leading to Asembo Bay. Because the road has been re-done recently (beginning on 2007) all the signs on that junction have been taken away. It is to be hoped that they will be put back.
Matatu services run from Kisumu to Bondo, get out at Ndori. From there get a vehicle to Asembo Bay.
What else is there to see nearby?
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