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A re-adaptation center and orphanage for Angolan colobus in the Kwale County. If you want to see one of the six primates species in South Coast Kenya visit the colobus trust for an informative walk to spot one of the many wild primates. There are opportunities for volunteering.
This is a special forest which can only be visited with a guide. It is better to phone ahead to confirm there is one, especially if you want to go early while it is still cool. Allow 2 hours for a full tour. Better if you don't have mobility problems. It's very safe and quite different from the beach attractions. It's a place rich in cultural heritage as well as sacred ambience. One has to tie a black kanga as a sign of respect to the spirits residing in the holy forest. Through the nature trail one gets to learn of different plants and a cleared area shows the residence of the ancestors. You can make wishes while hugging a tree that's sacred. After that long walk you can enjoy a cultural dance.
Entrance is directly between "Spice Bar" and "Asin's Hotel" on the beach road near Southern Palms beach resort. The cave system runs from the entrance to the sea at Leisure Lodge in one direction and to the mosque by Kongo river and possibly even to Tiwi in the other. The cave system is being developed as of 2017.
The Slave Caves are in Shimoni, the start and finish point for trips to Wasini Island. In these coral rock caves slaves were captured before they were sold in Zanzibar. A sad and yet interesting place, now inhabited by bats. The caves are now run as a community project. Short guided tours are offered (Ksh 400).
Just before reaching Shimoni, near Fikirini village, there are the three Fikirini caves or “Three Sister’s Caves”, one of them quite big with thousands of flying foxes and bats. These enormous underground caverns once served as a hiding spot during the time of the slave trade. Reachable by guided tours and definitely worth a visit if you like caves.
Shimba Hills National Reserve is one of the largest coastal forests in East Africa. This reserve is rich in flora and fauna. Sometimes it's difficult to see the animals as they hide in the forest. Other animal species found in the area are Sable antelope, elephant shrew, bushy tailed mongoose and other small mammals like fruit bats. The forest is an important bird area and is endowed with forest birdlife. The scenic Sheldrick Falls and the dense Mwaluganje Forest are also found here along with four campsites. All hotels will help to organize the trip. The park is 40 km from Diani Beach. Entrance fee: Ksh 2200, transport by taxi about Ksh 6000 both ways from Diani Beach. Booked travel about Ksh 10,000 including lunch at park. It is worth spending few days in one of the hotels at the edge of the park. They offer a marvelous panoramic view across the Shimba Hills, the Mwaluganje Elefant Sanctuary and the river valley (Kutazama, Shimba Green Lodge, Mahindri Lodge).
It lies in the coral gardens south of Wasini Island and encompasses three small coral rag forest islands, each with considerable areas of fringing reef. Kisite is one of the most rewarding snorkelling locations at the coast with special habitats of a wide range of endemic marine animals and breeding migratory birds. Tours are offered at all travel agencies at Diani Beach and Ukunda
Although it is only half an hour by car from the touristic hub of Diani Beach, package tourism has not arrived in these parts yet - on the long beaches you rarely meet a white person. Msambweni consists of a cluster of ten villages; all together they have about 12,000 inhabitants, predominantly Muslims and members of the locally dominant Digo tribe. People in Msambweni make their livelihood mainly from agriculture, fishing, crafts and trade and some public service. Coconut palms, mango and neem trees, and sugar cane plantations characterize the area.
At the end of Tiwi Beach there is a long section with coral reefs without a sandy beach. The Africa Pool is a natural photogenic rock pool, which is located here in the coral reef and is only visible at low tide and has the shape of the African continent. You can snorkel in it.
Small zoo with giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, imalas, monkeys, crocodiles, etc. located on Diani Beach Rd. Particularly popular with Kenyan school classes who cannot afford a safari and have the opportunity to see the wildlife of their home.
Leisure Golf Club is part of the Leisure Lodge.
Drive with quads on a guided trips on dirt roads through small villages and beautiful scenery.
Mwazaro Beach is also a well known spot for kite surfers.
There are two big diving schools at Diani Beach, Diving The Craband Diani Marine
The best places are Kisite Marine Park and Wasini Island. In comparison to the well known snorkelling places like in Egypt, Maldives there is less to see in Kenya.
Make a day tour by boat with snorkeling, delicious food and have a look at the coral gardens and the slave caves. Prices: €60-100 for tours with lunch, €15-20 for simple tours with beach boys. There is a strong current between May and June and the sea is very turbulent. During this time the tour is only partly recommendable.
A day tour to or to Shimba Hills Green Lodge enables travelers to relax in impressive natural surroundings and enjoy a marvelous panoramic view across the Shimba Hills, the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary and the river valley.
On a boat trip up the Congo-Tiwi-Mwachema River you get a nice impression of the river flora and see a lot of birds. The tour can be best organized by a local travel agency but also by beach boys if you go for cheap. They charge for a 1-hour trip about Ksh 1000 for 2 people.
It is easiest if you book a day tour by boat. At the end of Diani Road at Chale Harbor you can take a ferry to Chale Island. There are tickets at the booth at the pier. Costs: Ksh 5000 per person including dinner at Sands Hotel. Chale is the only individual resort island in Kenya, which explains the high entrance fee.
trips offered by the beach or on tours to Wasini Island
Visit the Gazi Mangrove Boardwalk, learn something about the mangroves and watch the bird life, visit Gazi village, the Congo Mosque and the pristine beach at Gazi from where you can get boats for a tour along the river mouth. Tours are offered at local travel agencies in Ukunda and Diani
Calculate about €25/5 hr. Tours are offered along the beach
A trip with a glass bottom boat or a canoe on the sandbank
South of Galu Beach and Kinondo, along the peninsula that leads to Chale Island, lie a series of pristine, very photogenic lonely bays with deserted beaches. On the first 2 km are the most beautiful bays, so you do not need to go further.
Some organizations offer to visit such institutions to collect donations. It is good to get informed in advance about the reputation of the institutions, so that the donations benefit the needy and not just the organizers. Especially popular with older ladies these tours have been recognized as a lucrative business among the locals.
Wildcoast Airline offers scenic flights along Diani Beach, past Chale Island, Msambweni, and Funzi Island.
ReefoDivers
Gain a maximum experience of ecotourism! Dive and actively help to restore the valuable and fragile coral reefs. After a 3 day course you can help underwater with growing corals and outplanting these on a degraded reefs, while being surrounded by turtles, octopus, stingray, lots of fish and sometimes even dolphins. The course is an official PADI specialty, so after the course you can help with coral reef restoration around the world.
Most people who come to Kenya want to combine beach fun with a safari tour. If you want to visit the Masai Mara Park, it might be financially worth travelling to Kenya via Nairobi to save the high costs of the flight from Ukunda to the Mara and back. Or if you have plenty of time and want to keep costs low book the safari tour from Diani driving to Tsavo, Amboseli, Nairobi, Naivasha, Mara and then back to the coast by flight or train from Nairobi.
There are quite a number of travel agencies at Diani Beach organizing safaris, serious companies and private people that do it illegally to avoid taxes. The illegals can be cheaper of course. For your safety the company should properly service and insure their vehicles and have a working permit. A notice of proper handling can be an own office and vehicles, which clearly show the company logo painted on the bus. For these companies, a muddle would be far more difficult because they are easy trackable. Signs on the car should be firm and not interchangeable with a handle for the next car. In general, however, everyone should inquire about the necessary regulations before booking a safari. A good organizer will be able to answer these questions with pleasure. If you book via Internet you have to ask several agents because every company works either with different hotels or gets different conditions at a special place. It's really worth comparing several offers. Prices are easily researched online, and depend strongly on the season. During animal migration prices are at top level. Not to be put with 6 others into a minivan its advisable to book the safari at a company situated at Diani Beach and to ask for the transport conditions. If you want to book a safari for several days do it also at a local company via internet from your home country. Than you don’t need to book and pay your hotel at the beach for the days you are out. For good offers it is necessary to know the travel time, the number of persons, which accommodation in the respective park, how many days you want to stay in which park, Jeep or Minivan transport.
Maasai Mara is colder than the Tsavo parks and Amboseli. In the morning it gets sometimes under 10 °C and safari vehicles are usually open. From 9AM it will be warm and a T-shirt and shorts are sufficient. Therefore, the "onion look" is recommended, e.g. Zip-off pants, T-shirt and fleece jacket, a "multi functional scarf" (as a hair band with hair blowing in open jeep, as cap in the morning for cold, as scarf for draught in the car or because of the air conditioning, as sun protection for the head) and possibly a hat and gloves for sensitive people. It is also important to carry sunscreen, sunglasses, mosquito repellents and enough batteries, because electricity is turned off often overnight in the lodges leaving no chance to charge rechargeable batteries. Light shoes or flip-flops (to step the seats) are sufficient as you will leave the car if at all only shortly during the tour. At night in the camp, a fleece jacket is comfortable and jogging suit. In Tsavo and Amboseli short clothing plus windbreaker, multi functional scarf, mosquito repellent and sunscreen sunglasses and spare batteries are enough. In the evening if you want to stay outside a little longer then a jogging suit and maybe a windbreaker
set inside an ancient coral cave and lit by warm candlelight. The à la carte menu specializes in seafood, international & traditional cuisine and is accompanied by a great wine-list. The restaurant opens every day from 7PM. Reservation required. Courtesy transfer from hotels in Diani. Dress code: smart casual. No shorts, no children 6 and under. 6PM-midnight.
Seafood, European, vegetarian. Noon-11:30PM.
Italian, bar, pizza, seafood, sushi, European, international, gluten-free options, 7AM-10PM.
Seafood, barbecue, European, African, vegetarian.
Seafood, barbecue, European, African, vegetarian.
Delicious seafood and meat dishes with ocean view.
Delicious cake and other tasty sweets. Also good steak and fish dishes.
Fresh fish and seafood, sushi, exquisite presentation, attentive servers, reasonable prices.
A good restaurant, blends African European food, quality and value for money, very good.
Nice place to enjoy in peace freshly prepared seafood and fish.
Country style food.
Country style food.
Country style food.
Simple but good restaurant for Swahili dishes, diagonally opposite to Barclay's bank.
Simple restaurant and bar at a beautiful and quiet beach.
A drinking hole with nicely flavoured local food (stews, greens, beans, rice, etc.) including complimentary chunks of pineapple for dessert. Look for the blue painted sign.
Pub at the Beach Road with cheap beer mostly visited by Kenyans.
Only real club, which is not attached to a hotel.
Cool club outside the hotel with a mixed audience of locals and tourists. Amenities include pool table and guest house.
Beach bar and restaurant with good music and other shows and entertainment in the evening. Their food is good and the pricing is fair.
popular beach bar and restaurant
There are nice tree houses single/double/triple Ksh 1,800/1,400/1,000 with shared bathrooms, or cottages single/double/triple/quad Ksh 3,000/1,800/1,400/1,000 with attached bathrooms per person per night. Wi-Fi available at the bar for Ksh 300 per room for your whole stay.
Budget place located about 1.5 km from Diani Beach Road (close to the Diani children's village). Double rooms with shared or private bath rooms available. Dorms are just under the same roof with some spacers inbetween the "rooms". Has a nice swimming pool but the stretchers almost all broken. Shared kitchen available but a fee is charged to use it! Poor Wifi. Do not confuse with "Diani Backbackers" (a few minutes walk on the same road).
A backpacker spot with dorms from Ksh 1050 and privates from Ksh 2600. Free Wi-Fi.
No-frills hostel/guest house with double rooms and dormitories. Private rooms are self-contained and include wall-mounted fan, small table, chair. Every room has a small patio and seating out-front. Shared kitchen for cooking available. Meal options available. Decent Wi-Fi (free). Some noise from monkeys jumping on the roof and the airstrip. Good value for longer stays (7+ nights).
On the most beautiful beach of Diani Beach, friendly staff, good food
On the most beautiful beach of Diani Beach, friendly staff, good food.
Very large pool, lots of space at beach, good with kids. Popular with Indian families and thus the food has Indian touch.
Central, short distances to the supermarket Chandarana and in the evening to the pubs Tandoori and Shakatak.
Small and luxurious.
Simple resort but top cuisine, great animation and nice ambience.
Nice hotel, Indian building style, very large pool area, unfortunately, the beach section is not so good. But walking a few distance over the reef tops there is a great beach. The hotel is very central for shopping and restaurants.
Small, luxurious.
Beautiful hotel, great beach, delicious cuisine.
This tiny beach resort in Msambweni is far away from any kind of package tourism.
Far from any tourist infrastructure at Mwazaro beach.
Bahari plaza is a large shopping area spread on both sides of the main road. Ushago restaurant and Chandarana foodplus supermarket. You will find here also a pharmacy, Fidelity bank, a large vegetable-fruit shop, Ushago restaurant, safari companies, jewellery shop and a few boutiques. Chandarana supermarket is a Western-style supermarket with all products for daily use. There is also an ATM (Fidelity Bank).
Carrefour Diani Beach is a modern hypermarket with a few boutiques on the upper floor and a pharmacy and a restaurant with cafeteria on the ground floor. The shopping centre is located in the central area and is easy accessible with local matatu transfer. In the Carrefour Supermarket you will find all the goods you would get in a large supermarkets in Europe. Right next to the shopping centre is DTB bank and ATM.
There is the supermarket Muthaiga, a pharmacy (Good life Pharmacy Health and Beauty), two restaurants and a sport bar, a large local shops for vegetable, fruits, spices, few boutiques, African art gallery, internet café, Italian bakery, bank and an Apple Store for computers.
In Ukunda with Naivas Supermarket.
By plane
By taxi
Taxis from Mombasa city centre will be around Ksh 3500, from the Mombasa Airport a little more (Ksh 4000-5000). Uber or Bolt (formerly Taxify) will cost a lot less.
By bus
The cheapest way to get to Diani Beach is by local bus-taxis (matatus). From Mombasa town to Likoni Ferry is about Ksh 30.
Likoni Ferry
To get to Diani Beach from the airport, you have to take a ferry across an estuary. This runs 24/7. It is very busy at peak times.
Many travelers use the insecure means of transport to save a tiny amount of money from stinginess or to feel like "locals". You should really consider whether the risk is worth the small savings.
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