top of page

What to do in Diani, Kenya


ali barbour's cave restaurant diani

We only had a day and a half here as before we arrived we weren't sure there was much to do, other than relax on the 25km long beach of course. Here there are all the expected watersports on offer - jet ski, kayak, SUP, windsurfing, kitesurfing etc. There's even the chance to try hoverboarding or jetpacking, if you have a spare £90 for a half-hour taster.

We were wrong about not much to do though. There are so many different activities on offer, so perhaps allow a little more time.

Shimba Hills National Park It's only a 45 minute drive from Diani and in the park you can see some great scenery, a nice waterfall and animals like elephants, antelope and buffalo. The park fee is $25 a person and a day trip with a guide and nice lunch costs £80-100.

Alternatively, you can go here for sunset from the incredible viewpoint, if you're lucky you might even spot elephants roaming the landscape. Transport (minimum 5 people) is about £7 each, a bargain considering so of the snaps we've seen.

Three sisters caves 40km south of Diani are the second largest caves in East Africa. As well as stalagmites, stalactites and coral formations there are approximately 40,000 bats of seven different species. It's quite a rarely-visited spot so is quite the adventure and is best booked through Mwarambo on 0714549385 for the latest prices.

Bicycle tours There are several different bike tours you can do, ranging from about £20-30. Options include the village (visiting a local school, traditional medicine man and market), the forest (learning the local culture and history of this sacred place) or the beach (cycling to the Kongo River and taking a canoe ride along it).

Quad biking You can head to Kwale to quad bike off-road through the village for two hours at about £50 for one person or £60 for two.

Wasini Island snorkeling or diving A full-day trip to the island and protected marine park has a beautiful coral reef to swim in, as well as the chance to see dolphins, turtles and rays and a variety of fish. Lunch is included and you get to visit two different sites for different swims - this is one of the most popular trips in the area and starts at £55.

Horse riding on the beach In Galu, 8km south of Diani, you can take an hour's ride from the paddock down along the beautiful beach from about £40. There's actually also camel rides available along Diani beach - with prices negotiable.

Colobus monkey conversation centre The organisation, based in Diani, rehabilitates Sykes, Vervet and Colobus monkeys, offering tours to explain how they do it and give you the chance to see the pre-release monkeys for about £4.

Snake park Here you can see many of Kenya's deadliest snakes up close. You can hold rock pythons Anna sand snakes, as well as seeing chameleons and interesting plants from the region, again for about £4.

Ali Barbour's cave restaurant In the middle of Diani, a set of naturally-formed caves, about 10 metres deep, have been turned into a sumptuous setting for a fine dining experience. You can go here just for a drink, but if you can, make sure to book and go for dinner (on the expensive side, but not astronomical) - the smells from the food whilst we were there were insane. And they offer free pick-up and drop-off services, so you feel extra special for the evening.

ali barbour's cave restaurant diani

So at least ten different things you could try whilst in the area, we just wish there'd been more information we'd seen about all the choice before we arrived.

0 comments

Comentarios


bottom of page