Kisite Wasini Island Diving
Kisite Wasini Island Dhow Diving and Snorkeling Tour 2024/2025
Introduction:
Enjoy a full day at Kisite Marine Park for dhow sailing, dolphin spotting and snorkeling. You may also swim and sun bath.
Partake a mouthwatering Swahili seafood lunch at the Restaurant.
Have a glimpse of the local culture here by visiting Wasini Village.
The Island is within the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Reserve and is available to guests staying around Diani Beach.
This is a full day trip to the Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park which is found off the Kenyan Coast about 50-kilometer South of Diani Beach near the Kenya Tanzania border.
Highlights:
- Look out for dolphins and turtles that inhabit the area
- Learn to snorkel with instructors, if you have not done so before
- Enjoy an excellent crab and fish lunch
- Take in the views from a cliff-top restaurant
Description
You are collected from your hotel in Diani Beach early in the morning and drive to Shimoni, a small fishing village.
On the way, pass by small villages, sugar cane plantations and fields of cassava.
On arrival at Shimoni you board a traditional Arabian Dhow to cruise to the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park. Be sure to look out for dolphins as you head out to sea.
Tea, coffee, mineral water, soft drinks, biscuits, mandazis and pizza bread will be served on the dhow. You’ll go snorkeling at two different sites.
There will be plenty of photo opportunities, so bring your camera. If you have an underwater one, even better.
Lunch will be served on Wasini Island at a private cliff-top restaurant.
Admire the views and enjoy a delicious meal of fish and crab, followed by citronella tea or fresh Kenyan coffee.
Surrounded by a beautiful sandy beach, this island is a vital habitat for the various bird populations.
The Island is also a vital seabird sanctuary, and hosts colonies of roseate and sooty terns. The birds breed in July.
There plenty of turtles here and they ply through the clear waters. Look for green and hawksbill turtles gracefully swimming or sunning themselves on the rocks.
The Wasini Island mangrove boardwalk of the coral gardens is a community project that is maintained by the Wasini Women Group.
Formed in 1978, the group works to identify and implement projects that will generate income for the village.
The boardwalk takes you to excellent observation points to see the fossil coral gardens and mangroves.
You walk with an experienced and knowledgeable guide who explains the significance of the ecosystem, as well as mangrove species and significant coral formations.
Across the narrow channel from Shimoni is Wasini Island, 17 sq km of protected mangrove swamps and coral stone.
Two villages on the island house about 1500 inhabitants, mostly fishermen and craftsmen making items for the tourist trade.
Charlie Claw’s restaurant and bar is famous for massive seafood lunches.
Famously, the enormous crabs steamed in ginger and served on wooden platters washed down with a cold beer are a delicacy here.
There are loungers overlooking the channel and a small pool.
Offshore the reefs are named and graded according to difficulty and splendor.
Coral gardens reef is accessible to all grades of divers and snorkeling is good at low tide.
Turtles and sharks swim over the reefs and dolphins often follow the dhows carrying tourists around the marine park.
Around Kisite island are several dive sites, the colorful fish here are notoriously tame.
The parrotfish is very tame and visitors often see huge lobsters, surgeonfish, snappers and leopard moray eels hiding in large holes in the coral.
The Park is an important breeding ground for the rare coconut crab; the world’s largest species of crab.
The crab eats mainly fruit including coconuts, which its strong claws can break open.
The burrows made by these amazing blue and orange creatures can be seen on both Wasini and Kisite islands.
This area is one of the best places for game fishing in Africa, enormous marlin, sailfish, shark and tuna are among the regular catches.
The Package includes:
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Entry ticket for the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park
- Dhow trip to Kisite Island.
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Services of professionally trained marine escorts
- Tea, coffee, water or soft drinks on the dhow
- Lunch at the Restaurant.
Not suitable for:
- People with mobility impairments
- Wheelchair users
- Non-swimmers
Besides being one of the best snorkeling and diving areas along Kenya Coast.
The waters around Wasini are home to two species of dolphins: the gregarious bottlenose dolphin and the more elusive humpback dolphin.
Both dolphin species can be spotted in the vicinity of Wasini.
The humpback dolphin is more likely to be seen very close to Wasini’s shore, and the bottlenose dolphin generally a bit more offshore.
After lunch, relax for a while and then cruise back to the mainland for the drive back to your hotel and are dropped off.
Dhow Sailing Tour of Kisite Marine Park and Wasini Island
Kisite Wasini Island Diving
Conclusion:
This day is well spent and you will certainly enjoy it.