Best Beaches in Kenya

Diani Beach is 30 km south of Mombasa in Kwale County, a 17 km stretch of white sand running from the Congo river down to Galu. An offshore reef keeps the lagoon shallow and calm, and Ukunda airstrip is ten minutes inland, so most safari packages fly Masai Mara to Diani rather than driving. It has the widest choice of resorts and the busiest watersports scene on the coast.

Activities: Kitesurfing, diving, snorkelling, skydiving, dhow trips to Wasini Island
Getting there: Ukunda (Diani) airstrip 15 minutes; Moi International Airport, Mombasa about 1.5 hours by road
Good to know: The liveliest stretch for bars and restaurants, if you want quiet head south to Galu

Watamu Beach is in Kilifi County, 15 km south of Malindi and about 105 km north of Mombasa. Its bays sit inside Watamu Marine National Park, which gives the clearest snorkelling water on the Kenyan coast and green turtles that nest on the sand. Turtle Bay, Watamu Bay and Blue Lagoon are the three main swimming coves.

Activities: Snorkelling, diving, dolphin spotting, kitesurfing, boat trips on Mida Creek
Facilities: Restrooms, changing rooms, showers and sunbeds
Good to know: Marine park entry fees apply; the Gede ruins are 15 minutes inland

Nyali Beach is the closest good beach to Mombasa city, about 2 km north of the island across Nyali Bridge. White sand, reef-sheltered water and a run of long-established hotels make it the practical pick if you only have a day or two on the coast before flying out. Shiva Cave sits at the southern end.

Activities: Diving, snorkelling, kite surfing, volleyball, game drives at Nguuni Nature Sanctuary
Getting there: About 20 minutes from Mombasa city centre, 30 minutes from Moi International Airport
Good to know: Closest beach to Fort Jesus and Mombasa Old Town

Bamburi Beach runs about 5 km along Mombasa's north coast, roughly 9 km from the city centre on the Malindi Road. A reef offshore keeps the water calm enough for children, and this stretch carries most of Mombasa's mid-range package hotels, so it is the cheapest way to buy a beach leg on the north coast.

Address: Malindi Road, Mombasa
Length: 5 kilometres
Activities: Swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving
Good to know: Haller Park, the rehabilitated quarry with giraffes and hippos, is a 10 minute drive inland

Malindi is a coastal town in Kenya, sitting along the Indian Ocean on the country's north coast. It's famous for its beaches, coral reefs, and lively marine life. Many Italian tourists love visiting here, so it's often called "Little Italy." Tourism is the main industry, with plenty of beautiful beaches and hotels. Situated about 120 kilometers northeast of Mombasa, Malindi offers a blend of natural beauty, water activities, historic sites, and a laid-back atmosphere.

Lamu Island, located 150 miles from Mombasa, Kenya, is a bustling city and port in the Indian Ocean. As part of the Lamu Archipelago, the island boasts a history that dates back to the 14th century, and is known as one of the oldest continuously inhabited Swahili settlement in East Africa. With a population of just over 25,300 people, it is a melting pot of different cultures with influences from Arab, Persia, India, and Europe. Featuring narrow streets, coral stone buildings, and intricately carved wooden doors that reflect its storied past, the Lamu town is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.

Tiwi Beach is in Kwale County about 20 km south of Mombasa, just north of Diani and reached across the Likoni ferry. It is quieter and cheaper than Diani, with tidal pools inside the reef that suit families, and small self-catering cottages rather than large resorts.

Address: Off the Likoni to Ukunda road, Tiwi, Kwale County
Activities: Snorkelling, diving, birdwatching, tidal pool walks
Facilities: Restrooms and showers; sunbathing equipment for rent
Good to know: Little nightlife and few restaurants outside the cottages

Galu Kinondo Beach is the southern continuation of Diani in Kwale County, sharing the same reef and lagoon about 40 km from Mombasa. Low tide uncovers a very wide bank of white sand, and the hotels here are smaller and set further apart than on Diani proper, which makes it the quieter half of the same stretch.

Activities: Kitesurfing, jet-skiing, snorkelling, dhow trips, safaris to Shimba Hills
Good to know: Pick Galu for Diani's reef without Diani's beach bars and vendors

Shanzu Beach is on Mombasa's north coast beyond Bamburi, on the road out towards Mtwapa and close to Mombasa Marine National Park. The kilometre-long strip changes completely with the tide, from wide firm sand at low water to a narrow swimming beach at high water, so check the tide table before booking a day here.

Address: Serena Road, Shanzu, Mombasa
Length: 1 kilometre
Timings: 09:00 AM to 06:00 PM
Activities: Dolphin spotting, kitesurfing, windsurfing, glass-bottom boat trips, deep sea fishing, dhow sailing, snorkelling
Facilities: Restrooms, lifeguards and beach loungers

Kilifi Beach, also called Bofa Beach, is in Kilifi County 56 km north of Mombasa on the north side of Kilifi Creek. It is a 5 km run of white sand with clear water and far less building than Watamu or Malindi, which is why it draws long-stay visitors rather than package groups. The Mnarani ruins, with mosques and tombs dating from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, stand above the creek in town.

Length: 5 kilometres
Activities: Snorkelling, dhow and boat trips on Kilifi Creek, birdwatching, swimming
Parking: Available
Facilities: Lifeguards, restrooms, chairs and umbrellas for rent
Good to know: The Gede ruins and Watamu are about 45 minutes further north

Chale Island lies about 10 km south of Diani in Kwale County, at the northern end of Msambweni Bay and a short transfer from the mainland by boat or tractor depending on the tide. The island is sacred to the Digo people and is named after a Digo elder. A single resort holds the whole 1.2 km beach and the reef around it, along with a mangrove lagoon on the landward side.

Length: 1.2 kilometres
Activities: Snorkelling, diving, mangrove walks
Accommodation: The Sands at Chale Island
Good to know: Access is limited because the island is privately run, so plan an overnight rather than a day trip

Manda Island faces Lamu town across a narrow channel in Lamu County and holds Manda Airport, the arrival point for almost everyone visiting Lamu. Takwa, a walled Swahili town abandoned in the seventeenth century, is a national monument on the island. Manda Toto, the islet off the western tip, has the best snorkelling in the archipelago and takes about 40 minutes by boat from Lamu.

Activities: Takwa ruins, snorkelling at Manda Toto, dhow trips, kiteboarding in the channel
Getting there: Fly into Manda Airport, then boat to Lamu town or Manda Bay
Accommodation: Manda Bay

Mambrui Beach is a golden sand strip in Kilifi County about 10 km north of Malindi, reached by crossing the Sabaki river. Backed by dunes and an old Swahili fishing village, it is the coast's main kitesurfing base outside Diani, with steady wind and shallow flat water over a long uncrowded stretch.

Activities: Kitesurfing, windsurfing, water-skiing, dune walks
Facilities: Restrooms and parking available
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes
Good to know: Wind is most reliable during the December to March kaskazi season

Kikambala Beach is in Kilifi County about 30 km north of Mombasa, on the run of coast just south of Vipingo. Low tide uncovers coral rock along much of the 12 km strip, so reef shoes matter here and swimming is easiest around high water. Few hotels and few visitors make it one of the emptiest beaches you can still reach on a short drive from the airport.

Length: 12 kilometres
Activities: Kitesurfing, glass-bottom boat trips, snorkelling
Food: Two basic refreshment kiosks
Facilities: Restrooms available
Pet policy: Dogs allowed

Gazi Beach sits in Kwale County on the south coast, roughly 55 km from Mombasa and about half an hour past Diani. It is quiet and largely undeveloped, and the reason to come is the Gazi Women's Mangrove Boardwalk, a community-run walkway through the mangrove forest behind the sand. Olive baboons and colobus monkeys live in the trees around it. The village is also spelt Gasi.

Activities: Mangrove boardwalk, birdwatching, swimming, snorkelling, kayaking
Facilities: Restroom, shower room, cafe and restaurant
Good to know: Almost no hotels here, so treat it as a day trip from Diani

Copacabana Beach lies on Mtwapa Creek in Kilifi County, about 16 km north of Mombasa. It is a local weekend beach rather than a resort one, filling up with Mombasa families in the late afternoon and known mainly for the bars and clubs along the creek. Copa Cabana Beach Bar and Restaurant is the anchor.

Address: Maweni, Mtwapa
Activities: Swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, water skiing, boat trips on the creek
Facilities: Restrooms and baby changing; parking at the clubs
Good to know: This is creek water, not open ocean, so come for the atmosphere rather than the swimming