Nkhotakota was originally a group of villages in the 19th century which later served as a market for Swahili-Arabian slave traders.

[2] David Livingstone convinced Chief Jumbe to stop trading slaves under a tree in Nkhotakota in the 19th century, which is currently in existence under a mission.

[4] Today, Nkhotakota is the largest traditional African town in Malawi[2] and bears a strong Swahili-Arab influence.

Most locals are smallholder farmers of rice, cassava and maize, while many others are small scale fishermen, who regularly fish along Lake Malawi's shores, Chia Lagoon and many other rivers including Bua, Dwangwa, Dwambazi and Chilua, using triangular nets on poles, hooks, etc.

Mawira hot springs is situated at the central area of the district, some 5 km from the Ntchisi/Kasungu road junction.

[3] Sungu Island (made of sand and rocks) is another fascinating place to visit in Nkhotakota central.

[15][16] In its efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the Society for Women Against AIDS in Malawi (SWAM) implemented a two-year project in Nkhotakota.