The coast
They are not interchangeable
Four quite different stretches of coast, and at least one of them is wrong for you.
The four
Where to spend the beach half
Diani
Long white sand, a reef a short boat ride offshore, and by far the widest choice of hotels. Easiest flights, best for families and first visits. Our default suggestion.
Our Diani guideLamu
An old Swahili town with no cars, dhows instead of taxis and extraordinary atmosphere. Wonderful for some people and completely wrong for others — the beach is a walk or a boat ride, not outside your room.
North coast — Kilifi and Vipingo
Where the villas are. Best for a group taking a whole house, with a cook and staff. Less to walk to; more privacy.
Choosing quickly
| If this is you | Go here |
|---|---|
| First trip, want it easy | Diani |
| Travelling with young children | Diani — most facilities, shallowest swimming at the right tides |
| Diving or snorkelling is the point | Watamu |
| You want somewhere that feels old and strange | Lamu |
| A group of eight taking one house | North coast |
| Honeymoon | Diani for ease, Lamu for atmosphere — genuinely depends on the couple |
The tide, which nobody mentions
The Kenyan coast has a big tidal range. At low tide on much of Diani the water retreats a long way and you walk out over exposed reef flats; at high tide it comes up to the hotel steps.
This is not a problem — it is a rhythm, and the tide tables are published — but it surprises people who pictured swimming whenever they felt like it. If that matters to you, say so and we will suggest hotels on the stretches that hold water longest, or ones with a good pool.
More from our Kenya guides
Specialist guides across our Kenya network
Each of these is a focused guide we publish. Same Kenya specialist behind every enquiry.
Ready to turn this into a real itinerary?
Send us your dates, who is travelling and roughly what you want to spend per person per night. Our Kenya specialist comes back within 24 hours with a plan built around them and a costed quote.