{"id":3668,"date":"2026-09-09T12:47:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T12:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/?post_type=guide&p=3668"},"modified":"2026-09-09T12:47:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T12:47:41","slug":"watamu","status":"publish","type":"guide","link":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/kenya\/travel-notes\/watamu\/","title":{"rendered":"Watamu"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Watamu<\/h2>\n

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\u2019ll find excellent coffee, good ice cream and plenty of Italian-inspired restaurants throughout town.<\/h4><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Covered on this page:<\/h2> \t
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  1. Things to do<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Restaurant tips<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Day trip to Kilifi<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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    Things to do<\/h2> \t
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      Go snorkelling or scuba diving<\/strong> in Watamu Marine National Park. More than 20 dive sites can be reached within 30 minutes of town.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Try kitesurfing<\/strong> at Turtle Bay, Garoda Beach or Jacaranda Beach.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Join a dhow or dolphin-watching trip<\/strong>, often combined with snorkelling, a seafood lunch on a sandbank or a sunset cruise.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Explore Mida Creek<\/strong> by kayak, paddleboard or traditional dhow. The creek is also a great spot for birdwatching and sunset trips.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Visit Marafa (\u201cHell\u2019s Kitchen\u201d)<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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      Restaurant tips<\/h2> \t
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        Crab Shack<\/strong>
        A community-run restaurant in the mangroves. Canoes can be rented here for a paddle through the creek. Don\u2019t miss the crab samosas!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Lichthaus<\/strong>
        A waterfront bar known for its sunset views, relaxed atmosphere and hammocks overlooking the water.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Pilipan<\/strong>
        Indian cuisine, good cocktails and views over a prawn lake.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Kokomo<\/strong>
        Lebanese dishes served right on the beach in a sheltered bay.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Naturalmente Pane Bakery & Coffee<\/strong>
        A good choice for breakfast, pastries, sandwiches and proper espresso coffee.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Ocean Sports Restaurant<\/strong>
        A relaxed beachfront restaurant popular for lunch, seafood and sundowners.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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        Day trip to Kilifi<\/h2> \t

        Kilifi is a laid-back coastal town about an hour\u2019s drive from Watamu. Set along a scenic creek, it has a more local feel than many of Kenya\u2019s beach destinations.<\/p>\n

        On cloudy nights, you may be lucky enough to spot bioluminescence, sometimes called \u201csea sparkle\u201d, in the creek.<\/p>\n

        Kilifi is popular with backpackers, digital nomads, kitesurfers and creatives. Some of our favourite places include:<\/p>\n

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          Salty\u2019s<\/strong>
          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.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Distant Relatives<\/strong>
          An eco-lodge set among the mangroves. Stop by for a meal or drink, or stay overnight in one of the lodge\u2019s unique accommodations.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Nautilus<\/strong>
          A seafood restaurant overlooking the creek.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          The Food Movement<\/strong>
          A creative community space set on a former sisal plantation, combining workshops, studios, shared workspaces and sustainable development projects.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Beneath the Baobabs Festival<\/strong>
          Visiting over New Year? This annual festival takes place in the baobab forest near Kilifi and attracts music lovers from across Kenya and beyond.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":170,"featured_media":3751,"menu_order":15,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3668","guide","type-guide","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"feed_page_to_atlas":true},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide\/3668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/guide"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/170"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide\/3668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4034,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide\/3668\/revisions\/4034"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}