There is nothing as wonderful as spending a week bathed in the warm African sun and feeling the warm white sand from the beach between your toes. Many tourists conclude their African safari with a visit to the Kenyan coast where they wind down and take a break before traveling back home. Having lived in Kenya all my life, I thought it may be useful for me to share with you some of the best safari beach holiday destinations in Kenya and outline some of the pros and cons of each to help you decide on which of them you will spend the last days of your Kenyan Safari.
Diani
Diani is one of the most popular places to go on a beach holiday in Kenya. I have personally not boarded in any of the hotels there: ( price slightly out of my range), but I have visited the beaches there on several occasions. in helping me to get you better information I did a bit of research on the pros and cons of Diani and here they are.
How to get there: Plane (Ukunda Airport), or car
Pros
Beautiful white sandy beaches
Diani Have some of the most beautiful white sandy beaches in Kenya. The beaches here also have a number of coconut trees that are the beauty of the scenery. I personally loved these beaches more than any of the other pictures of been to on the Kenyan coast
Not very crowded
Partly due to the High-end nature of the hotels on this stretch, you will not find large crowds in Diani. this also helps to keep the beaches clean and pristine.
Beautiful resorts
Some of the highest-rated hotels in the Kenyan Coast are located in Diani. Many of these are more high-end and more expensive than the hotels on some of the other beaches but, as it is in Kenya, service is usually very highly correlated to how much you pay.
Feeling of Exclusivity
Diani feels more exclusive than any of the other beaches on the Kenyan coastline. It has a high-end feel to it and depending on the kind of traveler you are, you may or may not enjoy this.
Cons
Water shallow when the tide is down
I personally feel like this is a problem that many of the beaches on the whole of the Kenyan coast Line have. when the tide is down the water is usually too shallow to swim and makes for a bad beach experience if what you’re looking for is deep water for swimming. If you want to swim you may have to walk a bit of a distance to find water that is deep enough and this may be frustrating.
Slightly more expensive
The prices on this stretch are generally higher than most of the other beaches in Kenya and you have to be prepared for this. Especially as a tourist, you will find that prices sometimes get slightly exaggerated because you are a foreigner. these higher prices affect everything: your hotel your taxi fare and how much of a tip your guide will ask for after showing you around.
Recommended Hotels
Watamu
I have personally been in Watamu on a number of occasions and all that I’ll write here is based on my own personal experience. I personally consider Watamu the most worth-it beach holiday destination in Kenya. it has a mix of prices and beautiful pristine beaches that are not very crowded. if you are on a budget I would advise you to go for Watamu. it is definitely worth it
How to get there: Plane (Malindi Airport), or car
Pros
Beautiful white sandy beaches
Watamu has some really beautiful beaches. I found them to have a lot of seaweed but little or no trash. I also enjoyed some really amazing views of the sunrise on some of the cliffs there.
Lots of Italian influences
Watamu as a lot of Italians and you will find their influence is everywhere. from a lot of Italian restaurants to Vilas that have a distinctly Italian feel.
More Laid Back
Compared to some of the other places I’ve visited on the Kenyan Coast Watamu Felt More laid back and relaxed. life their seems less fast-paced compared to some of the other coastal towns in Kenya.
Great hotel prices for budget travelers
I personally use cabins that are more affordable than hotels in Watamu. this is my personal preference because I’m more of a budget traveler and I have a good understanding of how Kenyan culture works so I’m not afraid of things like security as much as a foreigner would. However, having said that, I found that Watamu has a variety of great accommodation options for the budget traveler. These would ideally have good beach access and you’ll pay a fraction of what you might spend at a resort in a place like Diani.
Cons
Shallow water for swimming
one of the things that I really didn’t like about what ammo is how shallow the water is. While this is great for children, I felt that it wasn’t sufficient for a good swim. You also need to walk a bit of a distance for you to get to water the is deep enough for you to comfortably swim in.
Slightly more crowded
Watamu sometimes gets crowded. Especially with local travelers who know Watamu to be a great place for bargain accommodation prices. You probably want to avoid Watamu during the major holidays like Christmas and Easter.
Far from Mombasa
Watamu is 2 hours away from Mombasa and this may be inconvenient if you had other activities in Mombasa or are traveling by road from Nairobi
Recommended Hotels
Nearby attractions
Watamu Marine park
Mtwapa
Mtwapa is a popular destination for the Kenyan reveler who is looking to have a great time in the clubs and what is that usually happen in this area. I’ve personally not spent any nights in Mtwapa and so I had to do a bit of research to get accurate information.
Location Map:
How to get there: Plane (Ukunda Airport), or car
Pros
Busy Nightlife
Mtwapa is famous for its epic parties and an awesome nightlife. If this is your kind of holiday then Mtwapa is a place for you.
More facilities
Mtwapa has more malls, clubs, and restaurants than most other places on the Kenyan coast. this means that you will be better connected to the outside world and feel less isolated when in Mtwapa.
Cons
Noisier
Based on the vibrant nightlife mtwapa is usually noisier than any of the other tourist beach destinations.
More Crowded
Since Mtwapa really popular with a lot of Kenyan travelers, it makes it more crowded than many of the other beach holiday destinations in Kenya.
A Final Word
As you prepare for your trip to Africa, I would like to recommend a few products that would help make your life easier.
- Shoes: I recommend that you check the Keen Hiking shoes. I have written an extensive article on the best shoes for an African safari and this shoe checks all the boxes for things you should look for when choosing a shoe for Africa. (Check out the Keen Hiking Shoes on Amazon)
- Camera: If you are not big on photography, I would not advise you to buy a brand new camera for your African Adventure. Good cameras can be expensive and buying a camera you will not use is not a good use of your limited budget. I advise that you rent a camera instead and Lens Rentals have a great Safari Camera Kit perfect for someone traveling to Africa. If you are thinking of getting into photography, then you can invest in a new camera but before you do, check out my pick for the best Safari Camera for a Beginner like Me
- Information About Africa: I have created a YouTube channel that focuses on things about traveling to Africa that only Africans can tell you about. Check out the channel for insights about African culture and things you can do as a traveler to optimize your trip. You should also visit TripAdvisor forum posts (Here is the Kenya Forum) and ask questions about your particular situation. There are a lot of people who are happy to help you out.
- Choosing a Safari Company: I have written an extensive article on how to choose a safari Company. You can. Check it out before starting the process of searching for a safari company.
- Consulting Session: If you have any questions you would like to ask me about Kenya, I would invite you to contact me for a 30-minute consultation session where I will share my knowledge about East Africa and share experiences that will help you make your trip easier. Reach out to me on email – antonynjoro@gmail.com
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