The South Coast is known for its long attractive beaches, vibrant night life, marine national parks, coastal national parks and remote islands. Highlights include Diani Beach, Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park, Shimoni Caves, Shimba Hills and Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary.
Overview
What is referred to as the South Coast is the southern half of Kenya’s east coast, linked to Mombasa Island by the Likoni car and passenger ferry. The beaches, joined by a coastal road, are Shelly, Pungu, Sand Island, Tiwi, Diani, Galu, Kinondo, Msambweni and Shimoni. The main islands are Chale, Funzi and Wasini. Ukunda Airport, near Diani Beach, has daily scheduled flights to destinations in Kenya. Moi International Airport is located on Mombasa Island. The area has traditionally been inhabited by the Wakamba, Digo and Duruma people.
Diani Beach is the longest and liveliest of the beaches. It offers a plethora of water sports including kite surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkelling and jet skiing. Golf courses, spas, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, tour operators and shops are all found here. The Colobus Trust, based in Diani, protects the rare colobus monkey; tours of the research station reveal the monkey in its natural habitat.
Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park covers a marine area with four small islands surrounded by coral reef. The islands have dense coastal equatorial forests; sea grass and marine algae cover the reef. Attractions include dolphins and coral gardens. More than 250 fish species have been recorded. Snorkelling, scuba diving, bird watching and camping are all on offer. The marine park headquarters, at which park fees should be paid, is situated on the mainland, at Shimoni.
Shimoni, meaning the place of the caves in Swahili, is a coastal fishing village south of Diani. The caves are believed to have been holding pens for slaves prior to their transportation to Zanzibar. Now a community owned project, the caves provide an income for the local people. From Shimoni, boat trips go to Wasini Island and Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park, both famed for snorkelling.
The Shimba Hills National Reserve has one of the largest coastal forests in East Africa, after Arabuko Sokoke Forest, near Watamu. Park gates are at Main Gate, Kivumoni, Kidongo and Shimba. There are four campsites, including one at the lovely Sheldrick Falls. The reserve is rich in flora and fauna, and is home to the highest density of elephant in Kenya. Other species of interest include the rare Sable antelope, leopard, genet cat, greater galago, elephant shrew, bushy tailed mongoose and fruit bat. 111 bird species have been recorded, including 22 which are coastal endemic such as African hawk-eagle, greater honeyguide, crowned hornbill and uluguru violet-backed sunbird. Activities include game viewing, bird watching, camping and trekking.
Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary was established in 1995. A community owned project, it covers an ancient elephant migration route between the Shimba Hills and Mwaluganje Forest. The sanctuary is also known for its rare cycad forest.
Chale Island, Funzi Island and Wasini Island are all little developed, rustic islands, with mangroves, dolphins and crocodiles. The Wasini Women’s self-help group manages the boardwalk. Boat trips and water sports can be arranged.
Itineraries
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Listings In The South Coast Region
In large beachfront gardens on Tiwi Beach, two luxurious villas overlook the ocean. The 25-acre forested gardens include two freshwater lakes, private stables and helipad. The team gives a personal service and utmost privacy. Ocean Villa has 4 en-suite bedrooms, including master bedroom with private Jacuzzi. The rooms surround a designer ...
This collection of cottages is centrally located in Diani, near restaurants, bars and shopping centres, and a short walk from award winning Diani Beach. There are 6 en-suite cottages, made up of 2 2-bedroom cottages and 4 1-bedroom cottages. Each cottage has a fan, mosquito net, and a veranda with a Lamu daybed ...
In shared gardens in the centre of Diani, Footprints House can be taken as a whole, or the rooms can be taken individually. The beach is a short walk through the compound along a private path. The compound also has a shared swimming pool. The 4 en-suite bedrooms are made up ...
In spacious beachfront gardens, Diani House is a welcoming and friendly house. The 5-acre gardens are filled with frangipani, palms and coral rag forest, and the lawns run down to the beach. The house has 5 en-suite rooms, each designed individually with whitewashed walls and coastal flair. There’s a spacious ...
Based around a PADI 5 star dive centre, Diani Marine Divers Village has rooms and cottages set in tropical gardens. The centre has 3 dive boats and modern equipment, and is involved in the protection of marine life. The Village consists of 10 en-suite rooms set around an open courtyard, made up of 7 ...
Established in 2003, Diani Campsite and Cottages has a collection of bandas, rooms and tents. Located almost opposite the Petro station in the centre of Diani, the campsite is only a short walk from Diani Beach. There are 4 1-bedroom bandas, 5 2-bedroom bandas and 1 3-bedroom banda. Each banda is attractively painted and ...
Named after the owner’s mother, The Zubeida is a collection of villas on Diani Beach. There are 8 villas, with white washed walls and lawns to the beach. Villa One is larger, and has 4 en-suite bedrooms, a spacious living and dining area, and a rooftop terrace. Villas 2 to 8 have 2 en-suite ...
On the beachfront of Diani Beach, Ocean Village is set in indigenous gardens with plentiful birdlife, bushbabies and coastal views. This is an adult-only hotel, a peaceful haven, and over 18s are welcome. There are 25 en-suite rooms, with ocean views, TV, tea and coffee, and lounge area. Sails Restaurant serves ...
On Diani’s famed beachfront, Ishallah has been developed from one of the earliest houses on Diani Beach, dated to about 1920. The three cottages are set in three-acre gardens filled with indigenous trees, including 1,000-year-old baobab trees, coconut palms and flamboyant trees, and home to colobus monkeys and coastal birds. ...
Coral Beach Cottages and Apartments are in beachfront gardens that fringe Diani Beach. The self-catering cottages surround an attractive freeform swimming pool, while the apartments overlook the garden. There are 17 cottages and 13 apartments. The cottages are whitewashed, with thatched roofs, and have 1, 2 or 3 en-suite bedrooms. All cottages have a fully ...
Diani Sea Resort is set in 4½ hectares of tropical gardens overlooking Diani Beach. There are 170 en-suite rooms in 2 and 3-floor buildings that face onto palm-filled gardens. The superior rooms, with either double or twin beds, have a terrace or balcony, mosquito net, satellite TV and aircon. The family rooms have ...
A charming collection of self-catering cottages, Kusini Cottages are beachfront on Galu Beach, with an infinity pool that appears to tumble onto the beach. The cottages opened in 2006 and were refurbished in 2020. There are 6 cottages, made up of 2 1-bedroom, 1 2-bedroom, 2 3-bedroom and 1 4-bedroom cottages. All bedrooms are en-suite. The cottages ...
Set in 10 acres of mature tropical gardens on Diani Beach, Southern Palms Beach Resort blends traditional Swahili forms with Arabic architecture. The huge freeform swimming pool meanders attractively through the resort. The 298 en-suite rooms comprise superior and ocean front, and the larger superior deluxe and ocean front deluxe. All rooms ...
Diani’s only hostel is a welcoming spot with rooms, dorms, buzzing bar and great parties. A short distance from Diani Beach, the hostel makes a good place to stay, or to hang out for the evening. Of the 5 private rooms, 2 are in the main house and have aircon and ...
The chic modern Saffron Villas were established in 2021, sharing a compound with beach house Kitu Kidogo. The properties are a near Flamboyant and Ali Barbour’s Cave, and an easy walk from Diani Beach. The 6 Saffron Villas are made up of 3 one-bedroom, 2 two-bedroom and 1 three-bedroom; all bedrooms are en-suite and ...
On the beachfront of Diani, Searenity opened its doors in 2020. What was once a traditional Diani property has been transformed into a sleek white boutique hotel. The 7 en-suite rooms are made up of 4 rooms in the main villa including 2 suites with Jacuzzis, and 3 one-bedroom bungalows in the garden. All rooms ...
Established in 2013, The Maji was a private house that has been converted into a boutique hotel. The elegant hotel is in tropical gardens, with intimate private seating areas, on Diani’s beachfront. There are 15 en-suite rooms, including garden view, ocean view and a selection of suites. Each room is designed ...
On Diani Beach, Soul Breeze offers rooms and dorms, beachfront restaurant, kite surfing centre, scuba diving centre and buzzing parties. The 19 rooms are made up of 3 sea view, 10 standard, 6 shared dorms and 6 wooden bandas. The main house has a lounge and terrace. Camping is also permitted. The lively beachfront bar ...
This elegant coastal house sits in gardens of palms and baobabs on Galu Beach. Built with love over many years by an adventurous couple from Belgium, the house opened to guests in 2020. There are 5 en-suite bedrooms, 4 on the ground floor and 1 set into the sloping gardens. The rooms can be ...
This chic coastal house opened in 2021 and sits in sweeping gardens on Diani Beach. The house is owned by The Sands at Nomad, one of Diani’s most popular resorts. There are 8 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. The house is divided in two, each side mirroring the other; each half has 3 bedrooms, ...
This collection of three villas is near Diani Beach. The circular villas with thatched makuti roofs are in lush tropical gardens around a swimming pool. Green Coral Villa and Red Coral Villa have 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen on the ground floor, and a spacious en-suite double on the ...
This elegant villa in Lamu style, with whitewashed walls and distressed wooden furniture, is on Diani Beach. The manicured garden stretches out in front of the house, with palm trees and bright coastal flowers. There are 5 en-suite bedrooms, 4 in the main house and 1 in the pool house; all are in ...
This spacious villa is located in large beachfront gardens on Galu Beach. White columns and sweeping verandas along the front and back of the house give it a very imposing appearance. There are 7 double or twin bedrooms, 6 of which are en-suite. The towering centre of the house, open to both ...
Diani Beachalets is a family-owned business. This collection of self-catering cottages, located in beachfront gardens, offers budget accommodation on Diani Beach. The cottages face the gardens or the sea; the beachfront gardens are filled with a wide variety of birds, lizards and monkeys. There are 4 garden cottages, with 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms, ...
On the escarpment overlooking Mwalugange Elephant Sanctuary, Arcadia Cliff House has sweeping views of the sanctuary and the Shimba Hills. The house is designed to fit elegantly into the tree-filled slope; some rocks have been built into the walls and are a feature of the house. There are 3 en-suite bedrooms ...
These houses on Msambweni’s beachfront opened at the start of 2021. They are affiliated to the Nice View Children’s Home, which was founded by the same family in 2000. The 3 houses are in lush tropical gardens overlooking the ocean. Villas 1 and 2 have living room, open-plan kitchen, bathroom and veranda on ...
Overlooking Msambweni Beach, Karabishwa House is a modern and sleek design. The house has a glass front looking over the swimming pool onto the beach. The 4 en-suite rooms, on the first floor, are made up of 3 doubles and a single. One of the doubles, at the front of the house, ...
Eurika Villas has a lush garden with two villas overlooking a swimming pool. The villas, a short walk from Diani Beach, host one group at a time. Both villas have whitewashed walls and makuti thatched roofs. One villa has 3 en-suite bedrooms, and the other has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On the ...
On Diani Beach, Kenyaways offers beachfront rooms, friendly atmosphere, welcoming beach bar and kitesurfing. The 10 en-suite rooms are named after kites; all are individually decorated in coastal style with terraces. Rebel, Tribal, Crossbow, Raven and Fuel are more spacious and have ocean views. Bolt, Park and Cult face the garden ...
This attractive Swahili resort is on the beachfront of award-winning Diani Beach. It’s named in honour of Asha bin Shariff who raised the hotel’s owner, John Cosgrove. In a touching tribute, he remembers her as wise, caring, protective, a good disciplinarian and loving. The 6 en-suite chalets each have ...
On the beachfront of award-winning Diani Beach, Tequila Sunrise is in 4 acres of natural forest that hosts Colobus, Sykes and Vervet monkeys. Ancient baobab trees surround the resort; the villa and apartments can be taken together or separately. The villa has 3 en-suite rooms and can sleep 6 adults and 2 children. It ...
Facing onto the white sands of award-winning Diani Beach, AfroChic is an exotic getaway. The boutique hotel lives up to its name by being both African and chic. The 10 en-suite rooms are made up of ocean view, garden view, junior suite and executive suite. All rooms are designed individually with ...
The Ocean Spa Lodge, on a private beach south of Msambweni, offers exclusive luxury and elegant beachfront villas. It has the largest infinity pool in East Africa and a state-of-the-art spa tailored to health and wellness. There are 14 luxury suites in 6 beautiful thatched villas. Every suite has an ocean view, ...
Meaning land of the Sable antelope, Msambweni Beach House and Private Villas is as striking as this rare creature. The Arabic architecture of the house sets whitewashed walls, high arches and turreted roofs against the bright colours of the coast. A 25m infinity pool and the winding jetty end in ...
Established in 1984, Shimoni Reef was originally an outpost base for One Earth Safaris, the first company to really explore these waters, diving in the Pemba Channel and investigating the outer reefs. Now Shimoni Reef Lodge gives guests the chance to experience this pristine ocean reserve. The lodge has 6 Swahili style ...
Tucked away on an idyllic island, Funzi Keys is a remote and exclusive resort. Funzi Keys, surrounded by water on its own private peninsular, offers luxurious seclusion. There are 9 seafront cottages, including 2 cottages designed for families. There are also 8 sea view cottages. The spacious cottages have stone walls, thatched roofs ...
Chale Island, about 50km south of Mombasa, is a stunning island fringed by white sand beaches and a coral reef. At its centre is a tidal salt water lake surrounded by mangroves. The Sands at Chale Island is a contemporary mix of Swahili structures, Italian stucco, Lamu furniture and African ...
Situated in a private cove alongside a fishing community, Cove Retreat is a unique collection of tree houses. Its rustic design and secluded location make it a true retreat from modern living. There are 6 tree houses, each in its own baobab tree. Each tree house has its own Jacuzzi, terrace ...
Located on a tranquil private beach south of Diani, Kinondo Kwetu is surrounded by holy forests and sacred land. Kinondo Kwetu is both an all inclusive luxury resort and a serene retreat. Mama Taa Villa has 6 suites, 3 upstairs and 3 downstairs. Mama Tina Villa has 1 en-suite double room and 2 single rooms ...
Situated on Galu beachfront, Pinewood Beach Resort and Spa is known for its personal service and peaceful ambiance. The 60 en-suite rooms are made up of 18 garden view suites, 2 executive suites with sea view, 36 garden view deluxe rooms and 4 executive rooms with sea view. All rooms have chunky wooden furniture, African ...
In tropical gardens on Galu Beach, Sentido Neptune Village Beach Resort has a wide selection of facilities and activities. The 166 en-suite rooms are made up of 90 standard rooms, including 15 interconnecting rooms for families, 66 superior rooms and 2 junior suites. The rooms are all equipped with telephone, satellite TV, safe and aircon, ...
With a name that means embodied perfection in Swahili, Mzima offers luxury, wellness and balanced living. Mzima was established in 2011 and combines coastal architecture with that of ancient Rome. The resort faces directly onto Galu Beach, and is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and a swimming pool. There are 5 en-suite ...
Almanara Diani Beach Resort is an exclusive collection of private villas in lush beachfront gardens. The 6 executive villas each have 3 en-suite double bedrooms, an open plan dining and living area, a study area with PC, printer, WiFi and international telephone, a fully stocked kitchen, a rooftop terrace and a spacious ...
Four Twenty South is named for its latitude, since at the time it was built there was nothing on the site to locate it. This delightful collection of beachfront cottages was built in the 1950s, and has been run by the same family since 1966. There are 6 well-spaced cottages in palm ...
Set in 80-acre indigenous forests, Baobab Beach Resort & Spa is surrounded by grounds humming with over 100 species of birds, 4 species of monkeys and other forest dwelling wildlife. The resort won the TUI Environmental Champion Award in 2006 and 2007. Baobab Beach Resort has 323 rooms in three separate parts. In the centre, ...
Originally known for Nomad, its popular beach bar and restaurant, The Sands at Nomad is an elegant boutique hotel. The Venetian stucco building is adorned with traditional Swahili furniture and hand-carved African artefacts. The hotel is set in 25 acres of indigenous coastal forest stretching along Diani Beach. There are 29 en-suite ...
Named after the vivid tree in its luxuriant garden, Flamboyant Boutique Hotel was a family house that has been redesigned as an elegant small hotel. The hotel is family run and offers privacy, quality service and attention to detail. The 10 en-suite rooms are made up of 2 honeymoon suites and 8 standard ...
Combining Mediterranean and Swahili styles, WaterLovers is a charming, small hotel on Diani’s beachfront. The hotel provides chic décor and personal service. The 6 split-level cottages are equipped with aircon, fan, mosquito nets, security box, kettles and SIM cards for guests to use in their personal mobile phones. Both ...
One of the original houses in Diani, Watano House is an attractive and spacious beachfront villa. Behind Watano House, also with access to the beach, are 2 smaller cottages available for rent. The compound can be taken as a whole, or the house and cottages can be taken separately. Watano House ...
Alfajiri Villas are 3 elegant villas on coral cliffs, with magnificent views of the coastline. The villas are ornamented with Lamu doors, African artefacts and flowing fabrics. The Cliff Villa, Caribbean style, has 2 double bedrooms, 1 twin room and 1 triple room, all en-suite with aircon. It also has a dining room, sitting ...
Swahili Beach, a luxurious and sophisticated resort, was established in 2011. The resort blends the architecture of the East African coast with the influences of Arabia, India and Zanzibar. It was designed with state of the art technologies to ensure minimum ecological impact. There are 140 en-suite rooms, made up of 16 standard, 110 ...
Leopard Beach Resort and Spa is set in 25 acres of beachfront tropical gardens. The 158 en-suite rooms are made up of 70 standard rooms, 20 superior garden view rooms, 48 superior sea facing rooms, 7 suites, 10 Chui class cottages with private gardens or patios and 3 luxury villas. All rooms are equipped with aircon, satellite TV, ...
The award winning Diani Reef Resort and Spa offers a wide variety of facilities and activities on Diani Beach. There are 143 en-suite rooms, made up of 2 presidential suites, 2 penthouse suites, 9 junior suites, 6 deluxe rooms, 104 sea facing rooms and 20 garden facing rooms. All rooms are equipped with aircon, satellite TV, internet, ...
Amani Tiwi Beach Resort is set in 20 acres of lush tropical grounds. The resort was fully refurbished in 2011, and is designed with stunning views of the Indian Ocean. There are 213 en-suite rooms, made up of 178 standard, 10 premier, 16 superior, 3 junior suites, 2 executive suites and 4 rooms designed for guests with disabilities. The ...
Set in beachfront gardens on Sand Island Beach, Hillpark Hotel Tiwi Beach, formerly known as Maweni and Capricho, offers a selection of cottages and hotel rooms. The cottages either face the beach or are surrounded by attractive gardens. There are 26 self-catering cottages, made up of 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom cottages. There are ...
Overlooking its own private and secluded beach between Mombasa and Diani, Tijara Beach Boutique Hotel is a perfect location for a peaceful, romantic holiday. Situated approximately 9km south of Mombasa Island, the house is a luxurious retreat. There are 4 cottages in 5 acres of beachfront gardens, made up of 3 standard and 1 ...
Lantana Galu Beach, on Galu beachfront, is a collection of luxury villas, apartments, bungalows and penthouses in landscaped gardens. The contemporary Swahili architecture, traditional carved furniture and coral walls create an atmosphere that is both lavish and modern. The accommodation is all self-catering, with housekeeping service. The 20 villas have 3 en-suite ...