Best Kenya Beaches
Unwind on Kenya’s sun-drenched beaches, a dream destination in their own right, or as a perfect safari add-on. Dive into the vibrant, dynamic heartbeat of Kenya’s coast destinations and beyond.
With this in mind, we are, very much, recommending you to travel to the central and southern beaches of Kenya where destinations such as Watamu, Msambweni and Diani now offer some of the best beach safari holidays in Africa, if not the world. Featuring stunning white sand and azure waters, the price ranges that are on offer suit almost all budgets and with some excellent diving, fishing and watersports, there is easily enough to entertain even the most active beach goer for a week or so.
Guide To Top Kenya Beach Holidays
When you just think of Kenya, you most likely have visions of the ever-dramatic Wildebeest Migration and classic Big Cat safaris. While this holds true, the country is also home to exotic Kenya’s beaches which are a great add-on to a safari holiday in the country, and a bucket list holiday destination in their own right – offering the perfect break after a long, hot, and dusty safari.
Kenyan coastline; this is where you’ll find Kenya’s pristine and endless stretches of white sand beaches fringed with palm trees and rich in marine life. In addition, Kenya’s coastal area is dotted with twisting mangrove-lined channels shaded by elegant palms, where the vibrant colours of the tropics seamlessly merge with the sparkling turquoise of the Indian Ocean.
Discover on walks through some of the coastal towns like Mombasa and Lamu, and prepare to be taken back in time as you discover the mixture of African, Persian, the Arabian trade, and Portuguese influences. Explore the vibrant local markets, taste the flavours of Swahili cuisine, as you enjoy these best beaches.
“therapy for the soul”
said Richard
Kenya Beach Safari Holiday Highlights
After your big game safari, it is easily possible to enjoy a few days relaxing on the white, sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean coast, creating the perfect Kenya ‘safari and beach’ holiday. This is especially appealing to honeymooners and families looking to balance safari adventure and relaxation on a Kenya beach. The best beaches in Kenya offer a choice between tranquility with romantic settings to vibrant beaches with watersports, shops and restaurants. Below we explore some of the best beach holiday highlights.
Snorkeling, fishing and diving to see dolphins and sea turtles.
Warm, tropical Indian Ocean waters.
Explore Mombasa’s historic Old Town.
Visit the exotic Diani Beach.
Enjoy the beautiful, traditional Swahili culture.
Sunset dhow excursions and glass bottomed boat trips.
Excellent wildlife safari and beach holidays.
Watersports – best water-based activities on the Kenyan coast.
Kenya Coast Holiday Experiences
Traveling to the Kenyan coast is a popular way to finish off your wildlife safari around the country. If you’re planning your beach holiday in Kenya, the Kenyan tropical coastline offers a chain of long stretches of white sand beaches, warm turquoise waters, rich marine life, coral reefs, top of the class skydiving in Diani beach, active beach water-sport adventures, indulgent cuisines and again it’s a melting pot of cultural tours showcasing all manner of influences from Africans, Persians, the Arabian trade, and Portuguese.
It’s not hard to see why the Kenyan Coast is a popular beach holiday destination, attracting travelers from all walks of life. Most travelers, go for Kenya tours that combines some of Kenya’s best beaches with a classic Big Five (5) Kenya safari destination. Kenya beach holidays checks all the boxes from sun-soaked white sand beaches, bird-filled coastal forests, and gloriously luxury beach resorts perfect for honeymooners and multi-generation family beach holidays in Kenya.
What’s more, getting to the Kenyan Coast is very easy after a safari. You can fly either directly from the Maasai Mara or have a short stopover in Nairobi before taking an hour’s flight to the Kenyan coast. Both Diani and Lamu have their own airports, but Watamu beach and Malindi are each about an hour’s drive from the airport closest to them.
Top 10 Best Places to go for a Kenya Beach Holiday
Offering an appealing blend of exotic beach experiences, it’s most likely you are still wondering where to relax your head after finishing your big game safari tour, or desperately looking for the best safari & beach holiday combinations as you plan your family trip to Africa or beach wedding trip in Africa. Likewise, this might be the case for both honeymooners and couples looking to balance their safari adventure. Allow us uncover for you some of the best places to visit for beach holidays in Kenya
The main access to the Kenyan coast by air, rail and road is through Mombasa, a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean, flanked by some luxury beaches, including Diani, Nyali and Bamburi. There are also plenty of other Kenya beach-vacation options elsewhere along the coast, in Watamu, Malindi and Lamu Archipelago. Listed below we introduce you to 10 of the best beaches in Kenya, this is also where to go for Kenya beach holidays, what to do & expect at each:
1. Diani Beach – A tropical paradise
Start off with Diani – otherwise known as Kenya’s very own ‘Maldives’ paradise. Remember, Diani has been consistently voted as being one of Africa’s leading beach destinations. In addition, Diani Beach stands out as one of the best beach water sports destinations in the whole of East Africa. All sorts of activities are possible here, from Kayaking, jet-skiing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, paddleboarding and scuba-diving – whatever your skill level, and age we promise you’ll find lots of experiences and things to do at Diani.
2. Watamu Beach – Best known for snorkeling and scuba diving
Coconut filled palm trees, soft white sand, and soothing warm water, Watamu Beach features as Kenya’s other perfect destination to wind up after a safari adventure in Kenya. You will remember its coral gardens for its over 250 fish species, its Marine Park, excellent boating activities, and coral heads. Similarly, snorkelling and diving enthusiasts can make Watamu the central point of their adventure to Kenya. Other additional activities include skydiving, beach sports, snorkeling, sea diving, surfboarding, and surfing.
3. Malindi Beach – Best known for its nightlife and water sports
Still popular with Europeans, (in details – the likes of Italians). Malindi is famed for coral reefs that lie just 1,000 feet off its shore, best seen at Malindi National Marine Park or nearby Watamu. The beach is popular with game fishing, kite surfing and other related active water sport activities. Malindi promises lots of shopping opportunities, plenty of fairways for golf fanatics, as well as casinos, restaurants, bars and nightclubs that usually stay open until the first light of dawn. Additionally, Malindi also boasts a lot of luxury Kenya beach hotels in other secluded areas.
4. Lamu Archipelago – Best known for culture and luxury
Lamu Island, a UNESCO-listed destination since 2001 and a centre of Swahili and Islamic culture for over 700 years, is the most popular and most developed of the islands with its luxury hotels having gained a reputation for delivering excellent ‘barefoot luxury’ experience. Expect exotic beaches, dazzling coral reefs, a wealth of activities, great cuisine and friendly, discreet service while on a Lamu holiday tour. Additionally, wander along endless sandy shores, the sun kissing your skin or embark on a traditional sunset dhow boat, gliding through turquoise waters.
5. Chale Beach (Chale Island) – Unwind in luxury
There’s so much to love about Chale Beach on Chale Island, from the dense mangrove forest that cover much of this tropical island providing a lush hideout for all sorts of native wildlife. Chale Beach is completely secluded, away from the crowds and blends effortlessly with an abundance of natural beauty with a luxury accommodation filled with lots of mouth-watering dining options for the foodies. Chale also offers bucket-list water sport activities that allows you to connect with nature, leaving you craving memories to last a lifetime. To sum up, enjoy your beach holiday retreat in Kenya’s Chale Island against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean.
6. Galu Kinondo Beach – Where luxury lives
On the South Coast of Kenya lies Galu Beach – home to some of the best luxury beach accommodations in Kenya, Galu joins the list as one of the most exclusive and pristine beaches of the Kenyan coast. About your stay here, enjoy the tasteful Swahili dishes, and relax in well served Kenyan beach villas; expect much of the same in terms of quality of sand and sea in Galu, with some of the best all-inclusive beach hotels in Kenya. An additional highlight of your trip to Galu beach is visiting the Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest, explore more of its background and both cultural and historical significance of the forest.
7. Shanzu & Bamburi Beach – Much of shorter beach holidays
Amongst the list of the most popular beaches in Kenya, Shanzu and Bamburi are next-door beaches that cover more than 5km/3mi south of Mtwapa Creek. Their setting is somewhat suburban, but the beaches are thoroughly serene, and great for swimming at high tide.
Located 10km north of central Mombasa City, sits Shanzu Beach; a small slice of picture-postcard perfection where young families, and romantic couples soak up in what we seemingly refer to as the endless days of fun in the sun. The crystalline turquoise water gently laps at powdery white sand and swaying palm trees provide natural shade.
The list of things to do here include: Windsurfing; diving and snorkeling trips into Mombasa Marine National Park & Reserve; wining and dining at a scattering of classy seaside restaurants – providing endless opportunities for marine life adventures or just soaking up the sun from the comfort of your boutique Kenya beach resorts.
In the case of best places to stay; there exists at least a dozen all-inclusive beach hotels in both Shanzu and Bamburi.
8. Kilifi Beach – Best for cultural experiences
Located approximately 70 kilometers north of Mombasa; unlike some of the more touristy beaches, Kilifi beach offers a more relaxed and unhurried coastal holiday vacation. In addition to the beach, the town has some top attractions, such as the Mnarani ruins which dates back to the 14th century; it incorporates Kenya’s largest baobab tree and the well-preserved ruins of a medieval Swahili trade port.
This small Creekside town is fringed by a gorgeous palm-lined tropical beach that still remains relatively unknown to travelers planning beach vacation tours in Kenya.
Some of the things to do in Kilifi Beach includes: good swimming opportunities at high tide and Marine life excursions.
9. Gazi Beach – Home to nature walks
Tucked 45km south of Mombasa, Gazi’s northern part of the bay supports one of southern Kenya’s largest mangrove swamps, while the eastern shore is lined by an attractive and relatively undeveloped swimming beach. Even more stunning is the small beach on Chale, though this is reserved only for the guests sleeping at the island’s only lodge.
The list of things to do in Gazi beach include the following: in addition to the usual active beach watersport activities, Gazi is home to a mangrove boardwalk run by a local community women’s group. Here you can see six species of mangrove tree, the amphibious mudskipper fish and the dazzling mangrove kingfisher. The sleepy Swahili fishing village of Gazi runs down to a beautiful bay sheltered by a narrow peninsula that ends at Chale Island.