Watamu Beach is located at 120 km/74 mi in the north of Mombasa and 28 km/17 mi in the south of Malindi, the nearest big town. The shoreline of this area consists of white sandy beach and offshore corals forming three bays, namely Watamu bay, Turtle bay and Blue Lagoon. The bay is protected by a coral reef almost 0.5 km/546.81 yd off the shore.
The reefs lying in-front of Watamu beach make a perfect spot for snorkeling. Snorkeling is open all year round although the best time to go snorkeling is from October – April, because of great weather and much more visibility.
May to September is not advisable for snorkeling because of the strong winds and a great deal of seaweed both on the beach and within the reef.
Water temperatures range between 20-30°C/68-86°F with depths standing at 8 m/26 ft. The reef offers amazing variety of fishes and coral life. One can choose to have a guided tour or just a freelance one. Common encounters here would be the manta rays, turtles, whale sharks and dolphins. What’s more, night dives are also possible, depending on the weather and tidal conditions.
