Mtwapa has grown from a small fishing village into a bustling town, only 15 kilometres or so north of Mombasa. Mtwapa Creek is popular with sports fishermen and sailors as a safe anchorage or mooring area. Other water sports in the creek include water-skiing, jet-skiing, and motor boating, which can be arranged on a hire basis. The town has a lively entertainment scene, and is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike. It is home to the famous Jumba la Mtwana; The Jumba ruins are the remnants of an old slave port situated on Mtwapa Creek which date back to the 1400's. Mosques and houses lie in a coastal forest thicket close to the shore.