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The Best Beaches
Northern beaches: A coastal highway runs north from Mombasa all the way to Kenya's northern frontier and provides access to Kenya's northern beaches. From the outskirts of Mombasa there's a string of popular vacation resorts that finally peter out on the north side of Malindi, from where the road continues through coastal bush to the islands of the Lamu Archipelago. Each resort has access to the beach, and the Indian Ocean marine life of coral, fish, sea turtles, and dolphins can be seen by snorkeling and diving or more sedately from a dhow or glass-bottomed boat. Directly north of Mombasa, the palm-fringed Nyali and Bamburi beaches fall within the small Mombasa Marine Park, while beyond, the bustling town of Mtwapa is flanked by the sheltered Shanzu Beach. Then the beaches are broken by the wide mouth of Kilifi Creek, whose azure waters are a popular port of call on the international yachting circuit. The sleepy village of Watamu is fronted by a wide white sandy beach with several well-established resorts and the Watamu Marine Park, with its small offshore islands, has an excellent fringing coral reef that attracts a number of colorful fish. Further up the coast, Malindi has another set of idyllic tropical beaches; although seaweed can be a problem here, it's one of the few places on the East African coast where there are breaks in the reefs allowing rollers to come crashing onto the shore. The Malindi Marine Park offers reefs full of tropical fish, and you can dive and snorkel around Casuarina Point. In the extreme north, the island of Lamu has a lovely 13km (8-mile) isolated beach at Shela with perfect sand and no reef, which means substantial waves. Dhow safaris can take you beyond Lamu into the surrounding archipelago, where isolated villages, ancient ruins, and a few luxurious and exclusive resorts lie hidden among the islands of Manda, Siyu, Pate, and Kiwayu.
Southern Beaches: Not as crowded with resorts as the north, the southern coast is reached from Mombasa Island by a rickety old car and passenger ferry known as the Likoni Ferry, which only takes a few minutes to cross Mombasa Harbor. The coastal road then runs as far south as the Tanzania border at Lunga Lunga, about 96km (60 miles) south of Mombasa. The beaches are backed by lush green coastal forest with prolific birdlife and a variety of wildlife, including baboons and black and white colobus monkeys. Tiwi Beach is about 21km (13 miles) south of the ferry and has some large hotels popular with families and budget travelers; when the tide goes out, hundreds of rock pools are exposed and are ideal for children to explore. Further south, Diani Beach is one of the nicest on the coast with bright blue water and a long expanse of white sand. There are several reefs offshore that can be explored by snorkeling from a dhow or glass-bottomed boat, and you can wade out to the nearest ones at low tide to see the fish. Off the coast, Funzi Island is home to a luxury lodge popular with honeymooners, while the southernmost section of the Kenyan coast falls within the Kisite Marine National Park. The sea here is an intense turquoise blue and the park has a range of reefs and small islands where dolphins and turtles are regularly spotted. If you are staying at Diani Beach, day trips to the park are available that include dhow rides, snorkeling, and a seafood lunch on Wasini Island. The island is reached from the small fishing village of Shimoni on the mainland, which is home to a series of deep mysterious coastal caves that stretch from the sea to deep into the forest. Historically, these caves were used as a refuge for Arab slavers and explorers. Shimoni is also an excellent base for big game fishing in the waters of the Pemba Channel.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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