Best Beaches in Kenya
Best Beaches in Kenya: What a better way to end or start your road trip safari in Kenya than with a refreshing dip in the Indian Ocean? Kenya boasts an amazing coastline featuring white sand beaches, warm blue waters, excellent deep sea fishing and diving, fantastic kite surfing, and an abundance of hotel options catering to all budgets.
Diani Beach | The best kite surfing spot in Africa.
Lively Diani is roughly 19 km south of Mombasa’s well-known Fort Jesus landmark. It’s the most well-liked beach resort in Kenya and is approximately ninety minutes’ drive from Mombasa.
There are 15 km of developed beach between Diani and the nearby beaches of Tiwi and Galu. Nevertheless, Diani exudes a very carefree and easygoing atmosphere and draws a diverse mix of visitors, expats, Nairobians, digital nomads, and kite surfers.
Are you trying to find an exciting vacation? Galu Beach provides consistent conditions (warm water, sunshine, and a steady afternoon breeze) for one of the best kitesurfing locations in the world. One of the greatest locations in Africa for snorkeling is Wasini Island and the Wasini Marine National Park, which are located south of Diani.
In and around Diani, there are a tonne of affordable cafes, restaurants, bars, and resorts. Only beach villas and small-scale resorts are included in Road trip Africa’s hotel guide, allowing you to fully experience the genuine atmosphere of the Kenyan Swahili coast. We are pleased to provide this guide to travelers only.
Kilifi | For backpackers, digital nomads and surfers.
Kilifi Town is a hospitable, simple, and genuine village situated beside a picturesque creek, approximately two hours’ drive from Mombasa. Diani Beach to Kilifi is a pleasant and picturesque drive on a good tarmac road, which also includes a picturesque ferry ride.
Kilifi is a favorite destination for backpackers, digital nomads, kite surfers, and yogis, and has not (yet) been discovered by fly-in tourists. Kilifi offers a surprising number of hip hangout spots to explore.
Great food, great music, cool vibes Salty’s is the place to go for sunset drinks on gorgeous Bofa Beach. In addition, they manage a pro kitesurfing facility.
Nestled in the mangroves is the eco-friendly, backpacker lodge called Distant Relatives. Not only is it a great place for good food and drinks, but it’s also a great place to stay for families, friends, and budget travelers.
Nautilus is a very good seafood restaurant, located right at the creek.
For lunch, The Food Movement is a great spot to visit. Currently transformed into an eco-playground for creatives, it is situated in a former sisal plantation and features ateliers, shared office space, eco-housing projects, and a school.
Watamu | the best diving beaches in Kenya.
Another 40 km north of Kilifi you’ll find Watamu, a well-developed resort town with plenty of excellent restaurants and accommodations catering to every budget. Watamu is home to a sizable Italian community and has a number of bays with white sand beaches. Many Italians have set up businesses in Watamu, so expect good Italian coffee, delicious ice cream, and rich pasta dishes.
Within less than half an hour’s drive from the main beach town, Watamu boasts 20 of the best diving spots in the world. The Watamu Marine Reserve guards every diving site. In the stunning Mida Creek, kite surfing, snorkeling, dolphin watching, sunset tours, with canoe rides are among the other well-liked activities.
Malindi | A historical Swahili beach town.
Only 25 kilometres north of Watamu lies Malindi, a seaside Swahili town. Already founded in the 13th Century, the city centre offers interesting, yet crippling, historical buildings.
Malindi and the Italian community
Malindi has been referred to as “Little Italy” since the 1960s. Numerous Italian-owned eateries, pizzerias, delis, and gelato shops can be found throughout the tourist resort. After-dinner Limoncello shots are offered on Italian restaurant menus, and African beach boys who sell woodcarvings, ganja, and snorkeling trips all speak Italian. What a strange sight.
Why do so many Italians reside on the coasts of Watamu and Malindi? This stretch of the Kenyan coast was home to Italian regiments during World War II. In exchange, they received land, allowing them to move to the town and bring their families. When the Italian-run Broglio Space Centre opened here in the 1960s, more Italian scientists and engineers were drawn to the area, and those who were lucky enough to follow in their footsteps became involved. Malindi town was home to more than 4,000 Italians during its peak in the 1980s and 1990s.
Malindi, regrettably, is now hopeless. The majority of Italians abandoned Malindi in favor of Watamu. However, we believe Maldini is worth stopping by for a day when you’re travelling along Kenya’s coast. It’s a place to take up history and experience a Swahili seaside town inhabited by locals, instead of tourists and expats.
Lamu Island | A yogi hotspot.
Looking for an off-the-beaten-track beach destination? You might want to try Lamu Island before.
Lamu town is the best-preserved remaining settlement of the Swahili tradition, an eclectic mixture of European, African, Arab and Asian traditions and cultures. The island forbids cars, so you’ll have to walk through the tiny lanes to explore them.
Lamu Island focuses on rather higher-end tourism. It’s adopted by the international yogi scene and offers plenty of upmarket and small-scale boutique hotels. You can drive yourself through Kenya to Malindi, but not any farther north. You must take a domestic flight from Nairobi, Mombasa, or Diani Beach to Lamu Island.
