"Lapped by East Africa’s oldest marine reserve, the mediaeval port of Malindi and nearby resort village of Watamu offer perhaps the finest range of activities on the Kenyan coast. The swimming beaches are delightful, while offshore coral formations harbour 300-plus species of reef fish, and jungle-bound Gedi ranks as the country’s most atmospheric historical site. ”
- Philip Briggs
Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations.
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PLAN MY JOURNEYWatamu & Malindi Coastline
Malindi, situated 120km north of its main historical rival Mombasa, is Kenya’s second-largest coastal port, and arguably its most glitzy and popular beach package destination. Known for its wide sandy beaches, scintillating snorkelling and superb game fishing, Malindi also offers a full range of terrestrial tourist amenities, including nightclubs, casinos and fine seafood restaurants. Historical relics dotted around the low-rise old town include 15th-century Swahili pillar tombs and the windswept limestone cross erected in 1499 by the pioneering Portuguese navigator Vasco Da Gama.
There’s no finer introduction to the submarine wonders of Kenya than Turtle Bay, whose clear turquoise waters lap the resort village of Watamu, 15km south of Malindi. A magnificent archipelago of mushroom-like formations protrudes above submerged coral gardens offering a combination of calm water, good visibility and a kaleidoscopic array of reef fish, making it as suitable to novice snorkelers as it is to experienced divers
Just inland of Watamu, pedestrian-friendly Arabuko-Sokoke National Park is home to a furtive population of 120 elephants, as well as the oddball yellow-rumped elephant-shrew, and half-a-dozen endemic bird species. The tangled undergrowth of Arabuko-Sokoke encloses the haunting ruined city of Gedi, a mysterious mediaeval Swahili trading outpost whose jungle-bound old mosques and palaces have the feel of the archetypal Lost City.
When to go
Find out when is best to visit
- Excellent
- Good
- Poor
DRY SEASON
This period is the driest in the year, with blue skies the majority of the month. An ideal time to visit the region.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
DRY SEASON
This period is the driest in the year, with blue skies the majority of the month. An ideal time to visit the region.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
DRY SEASON
This period is the driest in the year, with blue skies the majority of the month. An ideal time to visit the region.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
WET SEASON
The exact start and end of the rains are always a little uncertain, but generally, this period is the wettest time of the year, with at time significant rainfall amounts. Between the showers and thunderstorms there is still a good amount of sunshine to enjoy, so potentially a good time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
WET SEASON
The exact start and end of the rains are always a little uncertain, but generally, this period is the wettest time of the year, with at time significant rainfall amounts. Between the showers and thunderstorms there is still a good amount of sunshine to enjoy, so potentially a good time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
DRY SEASON
A more stable and predictable time of the year, usually with clear skies. There can be the occasional shower, but these are few and far between. All in all a great time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
DRY SEASON
A more stable and predictable time of the year, usually with clear skies. There can be the occasional shower, but these are few and far between. All in all a great time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
DRY SEASON
A more stable and predictable time of the year, usually with clear skies. There can be the occasional shower, but these are few and far between. All in all a great time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
DRY SEASON
A more stable and predictable time of the year, usually with clear skies. There can be the occasional shower, but these are few and far between. All in all a great time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
WET SEASON
Like the rains early in the year this The exact start and end of the rains are always a little uncertain, but generally, this period is the wettest time of the year, with at time significant rainfall amounts. Between the showers and thunderstorms there is still a good amount of sunshine to enjoy, so potentially a good time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
WET SEASON
Like the rains early in the year this The exact start and end of the rains are always a little uncertain, but generally, this period is the wettest time of the year, with at time significant rainfall amounts. Between the showers and thunderstorms there is still a good amount of sunshine to enjoy, so potentially a good time to visit.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
DRY SEASON
This period is the driest in the year, with blue skies the majority of the month. An ideal time to visit the region.
Its location so close to the equator and along the Indian Coastline means that Watamu and Malindi have a tropical climate with consistent warm to hot temperatures throughout the year. The maximum midday temperature averages around 31°C or 88°F through the majority of the year. Mornings are more pleasant at 21°C or 70°F on average.
There are two wet seasons in Kenya. The long rains take place between April and May, the second wet season is known as the short rains which also tend to be a little less intense, these take place between October and November. The height rainfall amounts can be expected during these periods, but showers and thunderstorms can happen throughout the year, with no distinct dry season.
Explore Watamu & Malindi Coastline Properties
Hemingways Watamu
Hemingways Watamu
A luxury resort on the sandy beaches of Watamu Bay, Hemingways Watamu is a relaxed, sleek property renowned for big game fishing and excellent service. Sister hotel to Hemingways Nairobi, this accommodation is an ideal beach ..
Medina Palms
Medina Palms
Medina Palms is a serene, spacious accommodation on the shores of Watamu Beach with a buzzy atmosphere and an exquisite setting. Inspired the medinas of Morocco, the property is ideal as a peaceful beach retreat between wildlife ..
What People Say
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The personalised service provided was far beyond my expectations. A three week trip visiting four countries in Africa, multiple game reserves, wineries and much, much more was flawless. While a close encounter with a leopard and her cubs…
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We got in touch after hearing about Hide & Seek from a friend. Have to say hats off to Jamie, he was so patient throughout, even through our indecisiveness! Ultimately we ended up with the most incredible holiday of our lives. Thank you again, we will be back!!
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Thank you for arranging our Safari holiday in Kenya and Tanzania for us. It was to celebrate our 40th. Wedding anniversary which was on July 1st. 2018, and through your arrangements, we have had a holiday that we will never forget...
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Thanks so much for a truly unforgettable once in a life time holiday. Hopefully we will be in touch again soon!
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Spot on in terms of itinerary . We not disappointed by any of the suggestions and had the best holiday ever! Thank you!
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Jamie was very helpful throughout the booking process and recommended the perfect holiday. There was nothing we would change having now been out to Tanzania. I would highly recommend Hide & Seek to friends and relatives.
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Jamie was excellent. Once I described what we wanted I knew he would come up with the business. ..and he did!!! 5 stars
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We spoke to numerous travel agents over the period we looked at booking our honeymoon and only hide and seek gave me the confidence I was looking for. Really pleased with our decision.
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Hide and seek dealt with our last minute travel plans extremely well. Obviously, our accommodations shifted as availability diminished but ultimately they came up with a vacation that we will never forget.
