Travel Eye on Watamu (Kenya)

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Overview:

About 24 km south of Malindi, Watamu, is smaller than Malindi and has its own marine national reserve. Once a mellow little fishing village with makuti-roofed cottages, Watamu has retained its charm, despite the mushrooming of snazzy hotels, pseudo German beer halls and curio stalls. It is now a town of contrasts with neon clad package tourists walking among the striding Maasai. Watamu's Turtle Bay is one of the most lovely beaches in Kenya with glittering white sand and coral heads emerging from the sea like sculptures.

Watamu has excellent snorkelling in the marine reserve and is a good base for exploring the Gedi Ruins, Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek.

This area is suitable for families with children, couples and singles, of all types and nationalities. British package tours concentrate on the area south of the village, with Italian to the North . A mecca for water-sports enthusiasts and deep-sea fishermen. The accomodation ranges from small budget properties and guesthouses in and around the village to larger, bustling package-tour hotels along the peninsula.

There is the possibility of terrorist attacks on tourists in Kenya; Foreign Office advisory notices offer the latest official advice and should be consulted before booking.

Locality:

Watumu is located halfway up the east coast facing the Indian Ocean (365 mls south east of the capital, Nairobi. 15 mls south of Malindi. 25 mls north of Kilifi. 55 mls north of Mombasa. 13 mls south of Malindi airport; 62 mls north of Mombasa's Moi international airport). Watamu village lies on the neck of a narrow, sandy peninsula which points south west parallel with the coast. Watamu is bounded by the mangroves of Mida Creek to the west and the Indian Ocean with its coral reefs to the east. Both areas are part of Watamu Marine National Park.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

The thick jungles of the Arabuko Sokoke Forest reserve hide a world of wonders. In the cool of the forest winding paths will take you in search of rare endemic birds and mammals, and visiting herds of Elephant.

The forest holds another secret, the lost town of Gedi, a deserted trading Swahili town hidden deep in the forests, whose winding passages and crumbling walls tell of a long and mysterious past.

Walk through the Forest, explore the mangroves by boat, dive on the reef or try your hand at big game fishing. At the North coast you have all these choices and more, with the space and freedom to relax, unwind, and soak up the atmosphere.

During the daytime there are plenty of water sports which include glass-bottomed boat trips over the coral reefs, windsurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving and sailing, bird-watching; tennis and cycling.

The evenings offer a handful of lively discos and bars in the village, patronised by locals, expats and tourists, the atmosphere is invariably laid back. The bigger resort hotels also have discos and entertainment, but these lack the character of the village venues.

There is a small choice of good upmarket restaurants, these are mainly Italian, with 1 or 2 meriting a splurge. Otherwise, many basic eateries serving both local food and unexciting fast food; many food kiosks open late into the night.