Malindi and Watamu Beach Holidays
Watamu and Malindi are two towns about 20km apart in the middle of the tropical coast of Kenya. The area can be reached by road and also via flights from the capital city Nairobi, taking just over an hour in total by air.
When to Go
Best Time to Go
Visit Malindi and Watamu Beach between July and October for the best experience.
Tropical coast of Kenya
Tropical beaches and secluded areas
Vibrant and cultural towns
Vibrant cities & beautiful beaches
Vibrant Cities & Beautiful Beaches
Differences between the two towns guarantee that there is something for everyone in this exotic and exciting part of Kenya! With some great culinary options, spectacular accommodation, vibrant nightlife, and one of the best beaches in the whole of Africa, Watamu and Malindi are two destinations that are well worth visiting during your African holiday!
Malindi
The bigger town of the two, Malindi has all the vibrancy and culture you expect of city life. There are bountiful shopping opportunities, plenty of fairways for golf fanatics, as well as casinos, restaurants, bars and nightclubs that stay open until the first light of dawn! Malindi also boasts a lot of natural beauty, in the form of a number of tropical beaches and other secluded areas.
Watamu
Watamu provides a more serene location for a beach holiday. This is a quiet fishing village that has maintained all of its traditional and local characteristics. There are some lovely restaurants, featuring delicious local seafood, as well as a handful of pubs that stay open after regular hours to turn into discos. Watamu also has beautiful beaches, including one that enjoys a reputation as among not only the finest in Kenya but in all Africa too! Accommodation in Watamu consists of a number of established holiday resorts just outside the main village, in addition to a few private lodges and guesthouses in the surrounding wooded areas – these make excellent use of the awesome views and provide a great mix of activities too.
Activities
There is loads to do throughout Malindi and Watamu, including dhow boat cruises, watersports, jungle treks and visits to a marine national park.
Visit Watamu Marine National Park
Enjoy the coast
Visit the Marafa Depression
Explore Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve
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A Marine National Park has been created at Watamu, offering diving and snorkelling opportunities for daytrippers.
The coast offers many activities, such as dhow boat cruises, fishing expeditions, kite-surfing, wakeboarding, and kayaking.
To the north-west of Malindi, just a short drive away, visitors can marvel at the magnificent collection of sandstone gorges and gullies at Marafa Depression, which has become part of the mystical local folklore and is popularly known as Hell’s Kitchen.
Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve provides thick and luscious jungle for intrepid explorers! Trek along the many winding paths, binoculars at the ready for viewing some rare bird species. You can also see herds of elephant! It is here that the lost Swahili town of Gedi is located – a crumbling and deserted trading town that tells a story in its emptiness.
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