Watamu

Highlights

• Watamu Marine National Park, one of the oldest marine reserves in Africa, with coral gardens reachable by short boat trip
• Turtle nesting and a long-running local watch programme that visitors can learn from directly
• Mida Creek — mangroves, boardwalk, birdlife and some of the better sunsets on this coast
• Gede Ruins, a substantial abandoned Swahili town in the forest, still only partly explained
• Whale shark season, broadly around the turn of the year, and migrating humpbacks mid-year

Getting around

• Fly to Malindi and transfer by road in well under an hour, or drive up from Mombasa in about two.
• Tuk-tuks handle local trips between the bays and the village.
• Boat trips to the reef and creek are arranged through your stay or the local operators at the beach.

Good to know

• Three to six nights. The reef, the creek and Gede each deserve their own morning.
• Snorkelling is tide-dependent; the best conditions are usually around high tide on a calm day.
• Do not stand on or touch coral, and choose operators who brief you on it without being asked.
• Mida Creek is at its best in the late afternoon for birds and light.

Currents around the reef channels can be strong — snorkel with an operator who knows the tides. Respect marine park rules; they are the reason the reef is still worth seeing.