Watamu’s distinctive coast is dotted with tiny deserted islets. Sandbars rise out of the sea offering walkways to the islands at low tide or places to bask with a cocktail at high. The soft white sand beaches are sprinkled with starfish, weeny hermit crabs, and sometimes if you get there early enough in the morning a huge conch. The shoreline at Watamu is festooned with palms. Hidden within the lush bush are houses dating back to colonial times. Thatched roofs hide affluent KC’s lounging in pools, sipping gin and tonics. Some of the houses stand in disrepair; their walls stained black with time and salt winds, their roofs long since collapsed, the gardens are full of chattering monkeys and iridescent lizards. Occasionally the serenity of the coastline is broken up by a 5* resort, pale tourists lie in the shade and sip from the coconuts that boys sell on the beach. Away from the hotels, fishing boats pull up at lunchtime and disgorge their catch: octopus, prawns, snapper and a huge crayfish. Chefs from the nearby houses haggle at the boats; the fish is taken home and turned into curries for rich residents from Nairobi.
The land sweats, the boats bob, the tide comes in and turtles hatch and make their laborious way down to the waves. The sea washes into Mida Creek lagoon, it creeps its way under the mangrove trees where the leaves fall like rain and turn into thick brown silt. Terrapins bask in the dampness on branches that dip below the water and huge crabs climb the trees or into traps that are set by local fisherman.
No wind touches the inland creek. The humidity increases. Sweat beads the heads of the village ladies who carry babies on their backs in brightly coloured Kangas, and the men who labour over firewood with blunt pangas.
Up and along the dusty track and tuk-tuks bump along past ice cream parlours and thatched huts selling authentic Italian pizza. Stalls selling hippie pants, kaftans, woven baskets and beaded crafts line the road hoping to appeal to the few tourists. A hubbub of people gathers around stalls piled high with spinach, tomatoes and onion. Kids much on mangos and chase chickens through the streets.
Unspoilt white sand beaches in Kenya
Whilst half the world visits Asia in search of that elusive deserted beach, that Boho vibe, that off the beaten track gem, in reality, it lives on the eastern coast of Africa. Watamu is a beach paradise in Kenya. Whilst the central beaches are seeing some development and expansion they make very little difference to the pace of life. Even in peak season the beaches seldom hold more than a few people, the village remains little more than a rural outpost. No jet skis and paragliding, no beach bars and thumping nightlife. Tourists take dhows out to the marine park and tuk-tuks down to the market. It is Watamu’s languid rhythm that appeals. In Watamu, you swim and eat and drink and lie in the sun and look for shells. It is unreserved relaxation.
Watamu Marine Park and Mida Creek
Watamu proper features a long dusty high street that runs parallel to 3 beaches. At the Southern end is Mida Creek and the Watamu Marine Park. The creek stretches 12km inland; it is a silent place of mangrove swamp, weaverbirds, crayfish and black kite. Where fisherman drift on dhows and village life remains little unchanged from this century to the net. Watamu Marine Park is a 90 mile stretch of preserved ocean of which a coral reef forms the backbone. The reserve is inhabited by 1000 different species of fish including manta ray, whale shark, dugong and Olive, Ridley and Hawksbill turtle.
Watamu Beach Kenya
Next to Mida Creek is Turtle Bay is home to the larger resorts. Here you will find child-friendly Turtle Bay Resort, incomparably upscale Hemmingway’s Watamu, tourist favourite the Ocean Sports Resort and elegant Medina Palms. The long sandy beach fronts a shallow reef where you can snorkel and see rays, octopus, moray eels and an abundance of colourful fish.
Walk over the headline to the tiny crescent moon bay of Watamu Beach with its private houses and bay of shallow safe water. Over another headland and gaze across the incredible Papa Remo beach. Here are small islands that you can walk out to at low tide and a curved bay filled with shimmering sandbars. The out beyond the islands that protect the shoreline and the water deepens and waves crash. Ghost and red crabs scurry over rocks as moray eels poke their noses out from hidden caves. A bay made for snorkelling and wallowing in the shallows with a glass of wine
Here is the amazing Papa Remo Beach restaurant one of the only places you can just walk up to an enjoy a pizza or (incredible) margarita cocktail. You can rent sunbeds on the softest of white sand beaches and enjoy a view that is too good to be true. Several small hotels and residential holiday villages are along this beach but none touch the sand and it has the illusion of being completely remote.
Where to stay in Watamu
Where you stay depends on whether you are looking for a resort-style holiday or a private villa. The resorts tend to be on Turtle bay. Try Turtle bay Resort (good for families), Hemmingway’s (high end and luxurious), Medina Palms (luxury resort, less costly than Hemmingway’s but also fewer facilities)
Private houses and villas dot Watamu. Creekside houses tend to be cheaper but in the summer months can be unbearably hot, depending on where you stay it can be a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride to the beach so make sure it has a pool and air conditioning.
Visit discoverwatamu.com or Kilifi Connection for private houses and villas
Airbnb has lots of good options for cheaper accommodation.
Where to eat in Watamu
Papa Remo on Papa Remo beach has freshly caught fish from which they create amazing pasta dishes, authentic Italian pizza and incredible cocktails.
The Crab Shack on Mida Creek is a must-do for their scrumptious crab samosas and a cool beer watching the sunset over the lagoon. They do great but expensive seafood dishes and you can eat freshly caught crab in the most romantic of settings.
The Crab Shack Pilipan Papa Remo
Pilipan is a creek side restaurant with a to die for view across the lagoon. Cocktails are fabulous,
Where to shop in Watamu
Food shop at Blue Marmalade, which has Kenyan brands such as Kenchic, Farmers Choice and excellent local organic suppliers The Well Hung Butcher, Highlands Castle Farm, Browns Cheese, Delia’s, Haagen Daaz and Salmon from Smokey Oakeys. They have fresh fish and vegetables and other household goods and the wine and beer selection is excellent
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What to do in Watamu
Turtle Bay Resort
If you have kids then you can buy a day or afternoon pass to Turtle Bay Resort. 3000ppn full day and 1500ppn half (cheaper for kids) gets you food and free booze, the kids can go to the kids club swim in two huge pools or play on the playground
Gedi Ruins
A 13th Century Swahili settlement that was rapidly abandoned in the 16th century. No one knows why the villagers left so suddenly, plague or an attack by local tribespeople was suspected. What is unusual about Gedi is that no records of the town were kept and it was left to the jungle and hidden from the world until its rediscovery in the 20th century. Crumbling ruins and jungle trails lead through a world filled with monkeys, birds and butterflies. An amazing chance to gain insight into a forgotten piece of history. ADULT 1000/CHILDREN 500
Local Ocean Trust
This NGO works to rescue, rehabilitate and conserve the environment for turtles native to Kenya Coastline. The Watamu coast is a
Bio Ken Snake Park
The snake park just off the high street in Watamu is home to the largest collection of snakes in East Africa. A whopping 127 snakes that are native to Kenya. Primarily a research centre (this is probably one of the best places in Africa to get bitten by a snake owing to their expertise on snakebites and anti-venom). The facility is open to the public and a local guide will give you a 45-minute tour of the centre and a chance to meet the black spitting cobra, black mamba, horned viper and the deadly twig snake.
How to get to Watamu
Local flights fly into Malindi, which is the nearest airport and fly several times a day from around 70 USD. Flying from Nairobi to Mombasa is cheaper approx. 50 USD but you will need to take a two-hour taxi journey.
The SGR Train travels from Nairobi to Mombasa twice a day. The morning train takes 6 hours. Local tip: get out one stop before Mombasa at Marikani to avoid the city traffic and reduce time on both the train and in the taxi.
Tickets cost 3000 adult/ 1500 kids in first class and 1000 adults /500 kids in second class. Read my blog on the SGR here.
International flights fly into Mombasa or the Kenyan Capital Nairobi
When to visit Watamu
Watamu is fine to visit the whole year. Reports will warn you off the rainy season April – June but even at this time the temperature is warm (it rarely dips below 26) and rains are usually sporadic rather than a day-long deluge.
Insider tips:
The seaweed in Watamu beach can be pretty bad in the winter months. See the picture of the beach at Turtle Bay when we were last there. It doesn’t cover the whole of Turtle beach only the north corner near Hemmingways and Turtle Bay. Papa Remo Beach was mostly clear.
It’s illegal to snorkel in the water off Watamu without a permit. Buy a ticket at the KWS hut next to Turtle Bay; any tuk-tuk driver will take you there. Don’t be tempted to go without; they patrol the beaches asking for permits.
The reef is about 1km out to shore, boats moor at the northern end of Turtle Bay opposite Ocean Sports Club and will take you out for 2000 KSH adult (resident) 2500 (non resident). However, just tootling around n the shallows off shore we saw moray eels, blue spotted rays and a variety of tropical fish.
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