Kenya has some of the most intriguing and historically significant coastlines in Africa, and there are plenty of beautiful beaches for relaxation and fun.In general, the best beaches in Kenya are very safe, not too deep or wavy, and there are no dangerous or poisonous fish to detract from such a unique landscape.
In this article, we will show you the most beautiful sandy beaches in Kenya. Many of them frequently appear at the top of many lists of Africa’s best beaches.
Most Beautiful Beaches In Kenya
1. Watamu
Best beach for snorkeling and marine life.
About 108km north of Mombasa, the coral gardens of Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve are home to parrotfish, angelfish, three species of turtles and many more marine species, making this an underwater paradise. If you’re here between November and February, there’s a good chance of spotting whale sharks and manta rays, while July to October is the season for humpback whales. Tribe Watersports can arrange kitesurfing and other water activities.
Watamu is made up of three bays – Watamu, Blue Lagoon and Turtle – and they’re all white-sand, aquamarine, coconut palm-lined natural wonders. What makes this area particularly special are the nearby wetlands and mangrove forests – the Arabuko Sokoke Coastal Forest is one of the largest tracts of coastal forest in Africa and a thriving habitat for wildlife, including elusive elephants, various reptiles and amphibians and the adorable-looking Sokoke scops owl.
While Watamu is still a relatively sleepy beach town, a growing number of hotels have put it on the map, including the popular Hemingways, named in tribute to the US author who spent a vacation here deep-sea fishing. Others, such as Ocean Sports & Turtle Bay have raised Watamu’s profile for watersports; the hotel’s activity center can arrange scuba dives, fishing trips, kayaking and windsurfing lessons.
Accommodation: Hemingways Watamu & Turtle Bay Beach Resort
2. Nyali Beach, Mombasa
Best beach for easy access from Mombasa
When people talk about Mombasa’s beaches, they often mean the long stretches that lie north and south of the city, such as Diani and Watamu. But Nyali, part of a larger residential area just north of central Mombasa, has plenty going on to suit all ages, and it’s one of the most accessible and convenient stretches of sand.
Nyali’s long, white-sand beach has a good selection of hotels and restaurants across all budgets, and you can enjoy a variety of beach activities and watersports. It’s not the most beautiful of Kenya’s beaches, but with the New Nyali Bridge connecting Nyali to Mombasa Island, it’s easy to reach the Old Town and sights such as ancient Fort Jesus.
A good base is Tamarind Village, a stylish complex of serviced apartments on Mombasa Harbor with gorgeous views over the water to Mombasa Island. It’s white exterior and high arches are a design homage to traditional Arab architecture on the Swahili coast. Its popular, open-sided Tamarind restaurant is excellent for seafood, and you can also book a trip on a dhow (traditional sailboat) for a crewed sunset cruise around the harbour. You can request drinks and snacks, or even a full dinner, or bring your supplies.
The beach itself is close to Mombasa Marine Park, where you can go snorkelling. You can also opt to view the marine life through a glass-bottomed boat. Spend time off the water at Haller Park, Mamba Village Centre or Nguuni Sanctuary. At night, hit the club scene in Mombasa or Nyali.
Accommodation: Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, Nyali Sun Africa Beach Hotel & Spa, Voyager Beach Resort & Prideinn Hotel Mombasa.
3. Bamburi Beach, Mtwapa
Camel rides, snorkeling, scuba diving, and coral reefs? Sign us up. Bamburi Beach, in Mtwapa, is home to these activities and more. The beach, on Kenya’s northern shores, is lined with beachfront hotels, eateries, and bars with views of the sea. Sit back in the golden sand and enjoy the beauty or submerge yourself in the clear blue-green water. Bamburi Beach is a go-to tourist destination in Kenya, so don’t expect to be the only beach lover on the sand. On the other hand, a beach this popular must be good.
4. Shanzu Beach
A beach that’s the perfect combination of a built-up tourist destination and a peaceful waterside vacation — that’s Shanzu Beach. The beach, right off Kenya’s Mombasa-Malindi Highway, boasts miles of soft gold-coloured sand and clear, refreshing blue water. The palm tree-lined beach gives you plenty of shade — just watch out for falling coconuts from the coconut palm trees. Shanzu’s host of hotels, hostels, restaurants, and bars mean you don’t need to venture far to find a place to sleep, eat, or drink, while the miles of coastline means if your section of beach gets too crowded, you can walk along the water in either direction until you find a little more privacy for your stay.
Accommodation: Serena Beach Resort & Spa
5. Malindi
Best beach for Italian flavours
Malindi is one of Kenya’s most intriguing beach towns. While it has a predominantly Muslim population, it’s also known as ‘Little Italy’ after the Italian-run Broglio Space Center opened in the late 1960s and a growing Italian community made a home here. While fewer Italian residents live here permanently today than in Malindi’s heyday, the town is still home to an above-average number of Italian restaurants, gelaterias and grocery stores selling pasta and Parmesan cheese.
Malindi has a long and lovely stretch of beach, and while the town has a somewhat faded feel, that’s also part of the charm. Lodges and resorts line the beach road leading to Malindi town, including the unusual sculpture-park-meets-hotel, White Elephant, owned by an Italian art collector. Two of the best Italian restaurants in the area – Osteria and Baby Marrow – are also on this beach road.
6. Mambrui
If kitesurfing is what you are looking for, then this is the place for you. The Che Shale kitesurfing centre was the first on the Kenyan coast and is the ultimate spot for beginners and pros alike to hop on a board and enjoy the warm wind and waves that lap this uncrowded beach. Although kitesurfing dominates this expanse of golden sand, it is also the perfect place to kick off your shoes and indulge in miles of serene and deserted beaches. When legs are tired from a full day in the waves, the lush backdrop of coconut palms and indigenous vegetation creates the ultimate setting to relax with a plate of fresh fish and a cocktail as you watch little dhows sail into the sunset.
7. Kilifi
Best beach for cool, creative vibes
In recent years, Kilifi has come into its own as young professionals have made a base here, leading to an explosion of cool cafes and bars, coworking spaces and concept venues such as The Food Movement and FoMo, where artist studios, an organic farm and market days come together in one creative space. Kilifi is also the setting for the annual three-day Beneath the Baobabs Festival – Africa’s first carbon-neutral festival – mixing East African music and culture with a focus on sustainability.
Kilifi is around 35km south of Watamu at the mouth of Kilifi Creek, with a primarily local population of Giriama and Chonyi people from the Mijikenda tribe. Palm-lined Bofa Beach is a beautiful spot and home to the lively beach bar and kitesurfing centre, Salty’s Kitesurf Village. The south side of Kilifi Creek is home to the smaller Shauri Moyo Beach with more white sand.
The creek itself, an estuary of the Goshi River, is a haven for birdlife. Take a boat to the bird island in the middle of the creek to see fish eagles and flocks of southern carmine bee-eaters. Kilifi is also a good base for a trip to the Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve, one of Kenya’s oldest marine parks. Take a boat to snorkel and dive among groupers, lionfish large rays and whale sharks in season.
On land, Kilifi is home to the Mnarani Ruins, the archaeological remains of a centuries-old Swahili settlement on a bluff overlooking the creek. The site includes two 15th-century Mnarani mosques and a 900-year-old baobab tree.
8. Diani Beach
Best beach for long walks and watersports
About 30km south of Mombasa, Diani Beach is a long-time traveler favorite, with a long stretch of soft, powder-white sand, and an excellent and vast choice of hotels, hostels and serviced beach villas, as well as countless restaurants and bars. Diani is popular for pretty much all the popular beach activities, including standup paddle boarding, kitesurfing, kayaking and deep-sea fishing. You can even go skydiving for views from above.
Diani is a dream for divers and snorkelers, with many dive sites less than an hour away by boat. Reef sharks are a big draw, as is spotting endangered hawksbill and green turtles. From November to February, you might see whale sharks. For kids, glass-bottomed boat tours offer an easy glimpse of the underwater world.
If you’re after a safari fix, the rainforest park of Shimba Hills National Reserve is 16km (10 miles) inland, and it’s home to elephants, monkeys, mongooses, bird species and the endangered sable antelope. Inside the reserve is the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, created for elephants to roam around this area freely.
Accommodation: Kinondo Kwetu, The Sands At Nomad, Swahili Beach, Baobab Beach Resort & Spa & Leopard Beach Resort and Spa
9. Kikambala Beach
Best beach for the local atmosphere
About 33km (21 miles) north of Mombasa, Kikambala Beach is not the most accessible spot – the road ends a few hundred meters away from the shore – but if you like quiet sands and snorkeling, it’s worth the effort. The sand is blinding white and at low tide, you can stroll out to the coral reef. It’s a popular beach with the local community, which makes it particularly atmospheric at the end of the day, with children kicking soccer balls around and people relaxing with cold beers at small beach kiosks.
10. Galu Beach
Best beach for eco-tourism and kitesurfing
Galu (sometimes called Galu Kinondo) is often seen as an extension of Diani Beach, and it’s another endless stretch of coastline south of Mombasa. This patch of sand is a little more secluded and less developed than Diani, and there’s more coastal scrub. Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest is the last remaining jungle on the Kenyan coast, home to vervet and colobus monkeys, and it’s a sacred site for local communities.
While white sands are the big ticket, the eco-tours run by Colobus Conservation are worth investigating. The organization was set up to protect these threatened primates and conserve their habitat after locals voiced concerns over the increasing deaths of colobus monkeys on busy Diani Beach Road. Your tourist dollars will go some way to support research, education, animal welfare and habitat protection.
Galu Beach is also popular with kitesurfers and paddle boarders, and the Polish-run KiteMotion kitesurfing school is a good first port of call if you want to join in. Snorkelers and divers can swim among scorpion fish and moray eels, as well as rarer fish such as sea horses and ghost pipe fish.
Accommodation: Lantana Galu Beach Resort
11. Lamu Island, Lamu Archipelago
Best beach for experiencing Swahili culture
Slow travel rules on Lamu Island, and visiting his dune-dusted archipelago can feel like a step back in time – traditional dress, donkeys for transport (cars for private use aren’t allowed) and traditional trades such as carpentry and boat-building are still commonplace. Continuously inhabited for more than 700 years, the 13th-century port city of Lamu Town is one of the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlements in East Africa, and you’ll see African, Asian and European influences on the islands’ architecture, particularly the ornate doors.
As well as exploring the beaches (Shela Beach is particularly stunning), a sunset dhow boat trip around Lamu island and into the mangrove forests is a must. These beautifully carved traditional sailing vessels were once used to ferry spices and other goods between Africa, Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. Today, they take people on sunset cruises, snorkeling day trips, and even overnight trips where you can swim in sparkling phosphorescence and sleep on deck under the stars.
In Lamu Town, make a trip to Ali’s boatyard to see the FlipFlopi Dhow, the world’s first recycled plastic sailing boat, part of a project to reduce waste in coastal communities.
Accommodation: Kipungani Explorer & Peponi Hotel
12. Chale
Kenya’s only private island resort floats less than the length of a soccer field off the mainland but feels like a million miles away. Surrounded by coral reefs and covered in thick tropical vegetation, the island has one main beach as well as several small secluded strands where yours are likely to be the only footsteps in the sand. Except for amphibian fins, that is, because Chale is a nesting place for several species of endangered sea turtles.
The Sands at Chale Island Hotel curls around the main beach on the island’s windward shore. Beach bumming is the main activity, but the resort can also arrange snorkeling or scuba diving in Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park, kayaking in the nearby mangroves, catamaran sailing, deep-sea fishing and excursions up the coast to Diani Beach.
Accommodation: The Sands at Chale Island
13. Tiwi
This is a real hidden gem. This tranquil beach is often snubbed in favour of its neighbour, Diani Beach, due to its lack of amenities. Besides the 4-star Tiwi Beach Resort, the only other accommodations are cottages and guesthouses, with no bars and restaurants to hang out.
Tiwi makes up for this deficit by being one of the best snorkelling spots – you can touch the coral reef as you walk along the shores of the beach. It is well-liked by locals, particularly those from Nairobi. What makes this beach more appealing is the lack of beach boys. If you still insist, you can easily cross the Mwachema River in low tide to get to Diani Beach.
Accommodation: Amani Tiwi Lodge
14. Kenyatta Beach
Kenyatta is a public beach located in the Bamburi Area, Mombasa. The beach attracts many Kenyans and international tourists as it is always bustling with activities. Although the beach experiences some drawbacks such as overcrowding and pollution, it is good for fun activities like swimming with family and friends.
The beach is a suitable location to enjoy playing in the sun and surfing with other tourists. You will notice plenty of vendors hawking sodas, ice cream treats, and other snacks. Watersports and sailing trips are popular activities on this beach.
15. Funzi Beach
Funzi is an ideal getaway beach for people seeking a private experience of the best Kenyan beaches. The beach is located on Funzi Island, which lies on the south coast of Kenya, 65 km from Mombasa and 35 km from Diani Beach. Funzi Beach will stun you with its untouched tropical beauty, pulsating wildlife, and exclusive accommodation. It’s best known for its relaxation blend with culture, wildlife, and unique scenery.
You’ll find the ultimate swimming experience on the natural sandbank just offshore from the village. The best excursions are the unforgettable crocodile safaris down the Ramisi River and the vibrant cultural tours in Funzi village.
Accommodation: Funzi Keys Lodge
