10 Fun Things to Do in Diani Beach, Kenya

Diani Beach is a major beach located along the Kenya coast and its about 10 kilometers long. It is located 30 kilometers south of Mombasa, in the nearby Kwale County. It has been voted Africa’s leading beach destination for the fifth time running since 2015. It is a major touristic destinations where hundred of thousands of tourists visit annually for holidays. It is characterized by warm, clean sandy, warm, shallow edged beaches. There are a lot of star rated hotels along the beach stretch.
We have a lot of fun thing you can do in Diani Beach and some we have highlighted.

1. Deep Sea Fishing

Deep sea fishing is a water sport activity for the majority who wants to have the biggest catch! With fully equipped fishing boats and highly experienced crews and captain, the team share a full or half day on the deep waters of the Indian ocean, to return with their catch in the evening. The deep sea fishing includes pick-up from your hotel and drop-off, swimming equipment and sometimes lunch according to the agreement.

The crew and captain on board are skilled and guide you through the activity. The trip booking however may require a certain minimum number of booking persons mostly four. The Diani sea has a lot of fish species and you can never be out of the thrill without  making a good catch.

Check out Kenya Holiday and Safari packages with starting points Diani

2. A visit to Wasini Island ( Dolphin & Whale watching)

Wasini island is one of the most visited attraction site in Diani. It is about 45 minutes drive from Diani and there are full and half day organised tour packages to wasini Island.

It is adjacent to the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park and the Shimoni slave caves. A full day excursion to Wasini Island includes a dhow sail to the island, to the Kisite Marine Park and to the Shimoni Caves. During the Sail you cannot fail to spot the great numbers of Dolphins as they tease you by jumping playfully up from  the waters. Wasini is rich of colourful corals as well as lots of marine life.

Some of the activities that you can indulge in include; deep sea diving/scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming and visiting to the villages to learn of the swahili culture.

Learn more about an excursion to Wasini Island,

3. A visit to Shimba Hills National Reserve

The Shimba Hills National Reserve is a small National Reserve about 45 min drive from Diani.

Some of the leading wildlife attractions in this reserve include: Elephants, Sable Antelope, Genet, Leopard Civet Cat
Waterbuck, Hyenas, Buffalo, Bush Pig, Bushbuck, White Columbus, and Coastal Black, Bush Duiker, Back faced, vervet monkey, Serval Cat, Sykes Monkey, Red Shrew, Red Duiker, and many others. The forest is an important bird area and is endowed with forest birdlife while the grasslands hold localized species such as red-necked-Spur fowl, Croaking Cisticola and Zanzibar Red Bishop. There is also a fresh water fall where you hike to the fall through the forest and with a guide.

Check-out a day excursion to the Shimba Hills from Diani

4. Indulge in Health and Beauty Spa

There are lots of health and Spa facilities spread all over Diani and some along the Diani Beach. However most of the hotel, resorts, holiday homes have Health and Spa facilities.

5. A visit to the Mombasa City

Mombasa is an ancient city with history traced as from the 16th century. The city was inhabited by the Arabs initially and was the center of their ivory and slaves as from the 8th to the 16th century. Portuguese also had their influence on the port that changed the face of the land by burning it almost three times. It is believed that Vasco da Gama was the first known European to visit Mombasa, whose purpose of exploration was to spread the Christian faith to further expand Portugal’s trading area. Mombasa became Portugal’s main trading centre of spices, cotton and coffee, where Fort Jesus was constructed. The Fort served as the major center for trading goods that protected the Portuguese from conflicts with locals the remains of which still attracts a great deal of tourists and visitors. As slavery was highly practised during that era, the local slaves were exchanged for goods. Portuguese controlled the city, but soon the Omani Arabs took over the charge.

Finally, the British took control of Mombasa in 1895, wherein the British East African Protectorate was established.

Colonisation perpetuated in Mombasa that promoted European culture over the town and the Kenyan lands. Like in India, the British gained momentum and established control of the port. They even completed a railway line in the early 1900’s from Mombasa to Uganda which is perhaps the major landmark in the history of Mombasa. Thus, from 1887 to 1907, Mombasa remained the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate.

The Mombasa city has in itself maintained the ancient architectures and there are attraction sites that date up to the the 18 Th century. These attractions include the Fort Jesus, the Vasco Da Gamma Pillar and the Elephant Task. A day excursion to Mombasa city is enough to visit and learn the ancient History of Mombasa.

Check out a day excursion to Mombasa City from Diani/Mombasa

6. A visit to Chale Island

Chale Island is a headland rather than an island, located south of Diani Beach. Chale Island is a 1.2 kilometers long and 0.8 kilometers wide tropical paradise surrounded by stunning turquoise Indian Ocean and inland mangrove forest lakes subjected to the natural changes of the tides, considered to be one of the most unique treasures. The picturesque shoreline is included among the best beaches in Kenya. The views on inland mangrove lakes to the West and open Indian Ocean to the East are breathtaking! It has a fine sandy beach with much sea weed witnessed every morning due to high tide.

A trip to Chale Island will include a sail on a glass boat, snorkeling and a board walk.

Check out an excursion to Chale Island

7. Water Skiing & Jet Skiing

8. Kite Surfing in Diani Beach

9.  Scuba Diving & Snorkelling

10. A marathon Safari to Tsavo East.

Tsavo is one the largest National Park in Kenya with large herds of Wild animals and hundreds of elephants. A one day safari to Tsavo East starts early in the morning with a 3 hour drive into the park where you start your game drive once in the park. Tsavo East is home to most of the larger mammals, vast herds of dust –red elephant, Rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, pods of hippo, crocodile, waterbucks, lesser Kudu, gerenuk and the prolific bird life features 500 recorded species.

You can also have a 1 day safari to Ngutuni Game Santuary or Taita Hills wildlife Sanctuary.

check out a marathon safari to Tsavo East