Watamu Guide

Watamu Kenya

Things to do in Watamu

Find things to do in Watamu with this comprehensive Watamu Travel guide. Watamu, Kenya is situated two hours north of Mombasa and 30 minutes south of Malindi. Characterised by sandy coves, coral islands and shallow bays with sand bars and low lying reef.  Watamu beach is easily one of the most picturesque place on the Kenyan coast. Watamu is heavily Italian influenced, restaurants here serve up pizza and gelato as good as any you will find in Italy.  Watamu beach is a sleepy place of few shops and a scattering of hotels and villas. While there are number of things to do in Watamu it is ultimately a place to spend hours on the beach or beneath the waves.  Watamu Marine Park is one of the best snorkelling and diving destinations in Africa, even from shore you will see a dazzling array of tropical fish. 

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Watamu Weather

Watamu weather is always warm and welcoming.  The best time to visit is during the cooler winter months of July & August, when the humidity drops, the wind picks up and you might just get to snuggle in a light sweater at night.   During the rest of the year Watamu weather is hot, hot, hot and you want to make sure you have a beach front house or at least a pool and good A/C. The rains fall in April – June and October – November but it rarely rains the whole day.  With climate change it is increasingly hard to predict when the usually timely rains will fall

diani beach kenya weather

Things to do in Watamu Kenya

BioKen Snake Farm

One of the best things to do in Watamu is to visit the BioKen Snake farm.  The snake farm  has the largest collection of snakes in East Africa, 127 species in total.  Rather than being a zoo for snakes this is a research facility (and one of the best places to be close to if you get bitten by a snake).  BioKen are keen to teach people about the difference between venomous and non venomous snakes and to promote their Save the Snake Campaign.  It’s a fascinating and educational excursion for both children and adults.

Gede Ruins

I come over all Indiana Jones at mentions of the spookily interesting Gede Ruins.  A 12th century Swahili village that was abandoned 600 years ago. No one knows why, it appear that inhabitants left in a rush leaving basic supplies such a cooking implements and precious objects behind.  The village was lost to time until it was discovered at the end of the 19th century.  

45 acres of ruins remain buried in the forest,  there is evidence of mosques and even a palace in the once vibrant town.  The ruins are one of the best things to do in Watamu, a collection of crumbling ruins overgrown with trees and vines and over run by monkeys

Dhow cruise on Mida Creek Watamu

Mida Creek Watamu is a 32km stretch of inland tidal creek. It reaches from the ocean into the Arabuko Sokoke Forest and is a placid expanse of water surrounded by mangroves and palms. A protected area for many migratory seabirds the creek also welcomes breeding sea turtles.  Flamingoes, fish eagles and kingfishers can be spotted in the trees and the creek is filled with crabs, making an easy source of food for the divine crab shack restaurant which is the best place to watch the sun go down over the creek.   Dhow cruises run all day along the creek but the best time to go is sunset when the creek turns orange.  Water sports are available in the central waters but this is a calm place, so rather hire a kayak or a SUP a take a moment of meditative solitude.

Watamu Marine Park 

Watamu Marine Park is second only to the Great Barrier Reef for the extensive list of aquatic species.  Now a protected UNESCO heritage site. Watamu Marine Park is a one the best places to snorkel or dive in Africa.  The reef lies 300m out to sea but even inside the reef you will be able to spot a huge number of different tropical fish.  Outside the reef there is a sharp drop into the Barracuda Channel where you will find shark, whale, manta ray and other larger forms of ocean going life.  Watamu beach was voted one of the best beaches in the world. Please snorkel or dive with care, as the increase in tourism is damaging the fragile reef system which we need to traverse with care and keep protected

Hotels in Watamu

Hotels in Watamu range from 5 star hotels, medium sized resorts, luxurious villages and sweet little cottages.  This is Kenya so the huge tourist resorts that will be familiar to beach goers from other parts of the world don’t exist here. Instead you will find cool villas or thatched houses in a resort with one or two restaurants and a pool or two at best.  Watamu has a handful of all inclusive resorts, the most popular with families is Turtle Bay Beach Club.

Most locals prefer to get a villa or cottage, many places come with staff including a cook, so its less self catering and more indulgent relaxation.   The closer to Watamu beach you get the more you will pay but in the summer months you may feel that the extra money for a sea breeze is worth it. If you are off the beach front then try to make sure you have access to a pool and ideally air conditioning.  It can be hellish hot and humid. I have written a complete guide to the best and recommended hotels, right here.

Travel to Watamu

Nairobi to Watamu

Watamu, Kenya sits approximately 3 hours to the north of Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city and closest international airport.   

Transport from Mombasa to Watamu is best taken by taxi, cost should be between 60 – 90 dollars one way.  Don’t be tempted by the far cheaper tuk-tuks,  you will waste hours of your life bumping in slow motion towards your destination. 

Matatu’s also run between Mombasa and Watamu,  its a crowded, hot and sticky affair but vastly cheaper.  There are also a couple of bus services, check Kenyabus more information.

Direct flights to Malindi are frequently available from several Kenyan destinations. Flights from Nairobi to Malindi and vice versa run up to 6 times a day, take an hour and are pretty cheap. (Approx 70 USD one way).  Once at Malindi its an easy 30 minute drive to Watamu

Kenya Airways, Jambojet and Fly540 flights from Malindi to Nairobi and return fly throughout the year. 

You may also fly into Mombasa, which is slightly cheaper and take the taxi on to Watamu

The SGR train runs a twice daily, very cheap, clean and comfortable service from Nairobi to Mombasa.

Things to do in watamu

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