Watamu

Watamu

Watamu is a coastal town made up of several bays with white sandy beaches and a relaxed atmosphere. It is home to a large Italian community, which has influenced the local restaurant scene. You’ll find excellent coffee, good ice cream and plenty of Italian-inspired restaurants throughout town.

• Go snorkelling or scuba diving in Watamu Marine National Park. More than 20 dive sites can be reached within 30 minutes of town.
• Try kitesurfing at Turtle Bay, Garoda Beach or Jacaranda Beach.
• Join a dhow or dolphin-watching trip, often combined with snorkelling, a seafood lunch on a sandbank or a sunset cruise.
• Explore Mida Creek by kayak, paddleboard or traditional dhow. The creek is also a great spot for birdwatching and sunset trips.
• Visit Marafa (‘Hell’s Kitchen’), a sandstone canyon known for its colourful rock formations. Late afternoon is the best time to visit, when temperatures are cooler, and the light is at its best. And if you are lucky, the sunset can be very beautiful. Be aware of the baboons by the way!

• Lichthaus
  A waterfront bar known for its sunset views, relaxed atmosphere and hammocks overlooking the water. An Insta-famous location, but definitely worth it!

• Pilipan
  Indian cuisine, good cocktails and views over a prawn lake.

• Kokomo
  Lebanese dishes are served right on the beach in a sheltered bay.

• Naturalmente Pane Bakery & Coffee
  A good choice for breakfast, pastries, sandwiches and proper espresso coffee.

• Ocean Sports Restaurant
  A relaxed beachfront restaurant popular for lunch, seafood and sundowners. Quite funny; their pizzas are rectangular in shape.

Kilifi is a laid-back coastal town about an hour’s drive from Watamu. Set along a scenic creek, it has a more local feel than many of Kenya’s beach destinations.

On cloudy nights, you may be lucky enough to spot bioluminescence, sometimes called “sea sparkle”, in the creek.

Kilifi is popular with backpackers, digital nomads, kitesurfers and creatives. Some of our favourite places include:

• Salty’s
  Located on Bofa Beach, this popular beachfront spot serves good food and drinks and is especially popular at sunset. It also has a kitesurfing centre.

• Distant Relatives
  An eco-lodge set among the mangroves. Stop by for a meal or drink, or stay overnight in one of the lodge’s unique accommodations.

• Nautilus
  A seafood restaurant overlooking the creek.

• Vegan Basket
  Craving for some veggies? The portions are large, and it’s also possible to take away.

• The Food Movement
  A creative community space set on a former sisal plantation, combining workshops, studios, shared workspaces and sustainable development projects.

• Beneath the Baobabs Festival
  Visiting over New Year? This annual festival takes place in the baobab forest near Kilifi and attracts music lovers from across Kenya and beyond. The festival isn’t just about New Year’s Eve – it already kicks off on the evening of 30 December and continues into the early hours of 1 January. And a little insider tip from us: we personally enjoyed the first night the most! So don’t make the mistake of only showing up for New Year’s Eve.

Approx. 3 hours | 130 km

Moi International Airport is 130 km (approx. 3 hours) from Watamu.

Depending on your travel plan, your accommodation may arrange your airport transfer. If it wasn’t included, you can arrange this yourself with your accommodation.

Need to catch a flight from Nairobi? You can take a domestic flight from Moi or choose the comfortable Madaraka Express train, which brings you back to Nairobi in six hours. The train leaves from Mombasa (SGR) Terminus in Miritini.