Beach Holidays in Kenya

Diani Beach is Kenya's most popular beach, and is easily accessible from Mombasa. 

The best time to visit is in the dry season from June to September, these months give the best weather conditions, but the beaches will be more crowded. 

December to January is another popular time to visit, during the second annual dry season. Visitor numbers are fewer during these months, meaning the beaches can be less crowded.  

Diani Beach is an excellent place for snorkelling and diving, and there is dense marine life off this coast including turtles and dolphins. Reef Sharks also patrol these shores, and between October and April you can even spot Whale Sharks.

Diani Beach is also a popular spot for water sports. 

North of Mombasa, further up the Kenyan coast you'll find Watamu Beach. Another picture-perfect beach, Watamu has white sands and pristine waters. 

Tribe Watersports, one of the world's leading kite-surfing training centres is based in Watamu. They offer classes and equipment for hire for many water sports around Watamu, including kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing, bodyboarding and more.

Watamu is also known for its turtle conservation work, especially at the Local Ocean Trust, a non-profit dedicated to protecting marine areas and the endangered species that live there. Their rehabilitation centre houses turtles, and they also commit to providing anti-poaching measures and nest protection. 

Mida Creek is a great place to find varied birdlife and turtles, flamingos, and crabs, and it is a kayaking and paddleboarding paradise. Wakeboarding and waterskiing is also amazing in this area. 

Lamu Island and Manda Islandare a bit out of the way of the main travel circuit in Kenya, but well worth making the journey. 

Lamu and Manda Island are often perceived as dangerous due to their proximity to the Somali border, however government bodies do not advise against travel to these islands, and they are safe to visit. 

Visitors must travel by air to reach Lamu or Manda.

The islands have some of the most extraordinary beaches in the world, and water sports are possible here. 

For simply relaxing and switching off, Shela Beach or Takwa Beach is your best bet. These beaches are known for their sprawling white sands and crystal-clear waters, and the remoteness of the islands means there are minimal crowds on these beaches. 

Slightly further east than the main island of Manda, Manda Toto truly captures that remote island feeling. A real isolationist's retreat, a pocket of paradise surrounded the vast Indian Ocean.