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    Diani Beach
    Tall Black / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Kenya

    Diani Beach

    City

    Diani Beach is the most famous resort town on Kenya's South Coast, south of Mombasa, about an hour's drive from the city center depending on the route and traffic.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Kenya
    7. Coast
    9. Diani Beach
    Diani Beach is the most famous resort town on Kenya's South Coast, south of Mombasa, about an hour's drive from the city center depending on the route and traffic. A long white sandy beach, restaurants, and hotels are situated right next to coastal forest, where the organization Colobus Conservation protects endangered colobus monkeys.At the southern end of Diani, you can visit the sacred Kaya Kinondo forest of the Digo on guided walks.

    Sights in Diani Beach

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Colobus Conservation
    Point of Interest

    1Colobus Conservation

    The non-profit organization on Diani Beach Road rescues and rehabilitates injured monkeys, including Angola colobus, and conducts reforestation and environmental education. Visits are possible Monday to Saturday from 8:30 AM; it's best to book in advance.
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    Diani Beach
    Attraction

    2Diani Beach

    The long, white sandy beach is the heart of the resort, lined with hotels, restaurants and beach bars. For safety advice, see the FCDO travel advice linked on the country page.
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    Kaya Kinondo
    Place of Worship

    3Kaya Kinondo

    Approximately 30-hectare sacred forest of the Digo. UNESCO explicitly excluded it in 2008 from the World Heritage listing of the Mijikenda Kaya Forests. Guided walks are available through an ecotourism project, with rules such as appropriate clothing and a photography ban.
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    Restaurants in Diani Beach

    1

    Ali Barbour's Cave Restaurant

    Evening restaurant in a natural coral cave, lit by candles, specializing in fish and seafood. Guidebook opinions on the cuisine vary, the ambiance is unique.
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    2

    Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant

    A long-standing fixture in Diani, boasting a terrace and sea views. Prices tend to be on the higher side.
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    3

    Sails Beach Bar & Restaurant

    Stylish beach restaurant under a white sailcloth roof, with fish and seafood on the menu.
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    Food and Drinks

    In Diani, fish and seafood dominate, alongside Swahili dishes and international restaurants for holidaymakers.

    Samaki wa Kupaka

    Gegrillter Fisch mit einer dicken Soße aus Kokosnuss und Tamarinde, ein Klassiker der Küste.

    Pilau

    Rice spiced with cloves and cardamom, often cooked with coconut milk and served with Kachumbari.

    Mahamri

    Fried yeast pastry, for breakfast with pigeon peas cooked in coconut milk.

    Tusker

    Kenyan lager beer, served ice-cold in the beach bars of Diani.

    Culture and Nature

    Kaya KinondoKayas are the sacred forests of the Mijikenda, where fortified settlements once stood and which still serve as places of prayer today. In 2008, UNESCO designated several Kaya forests as World Heritage Sites, but the World Heritage Committee explicitly excluded Kaya Kinondo in its decision. This approximately 30-hectare forest of the Digo is accessible through an ecotourism project with a guide. Rules apply: appropriate clothing, speak softly, do not touch plants, and no photography.Colobus ConservationThe organization on Diani Beach Road cares for injured and rescued monkeys, including the endangered Angola colobus monkeys. It responds to emergency calls concerning electrocutions and road accidents, plants trees, and conducts environmental education. Visits are possible Monday to Saturday from 8:30 AM; it's best to book tours in advance.

    Nightlife

    1

    Funky Monkey Cocktail Bar & Restaurant

    Cocktail bar with a restaurant and music program in a colorful courtyard on Diani Beach Road, opened in 2022. The menu features classics with a unique twist like Smoked Negroni or Pineapple Basil Smash, alongside international cuisine.
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    2

    The Salty Squid Beach Bar & Restaurant

    Beach bar with restaurant in the southern part of Diani Beach and sister establishment of the Funky Monkey. A relaxed spot for a drink right on the sand.
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    Getting There and Around

    Getting ThereFrom Moi International Airport in Mombasa, you travel via the Likoni Ferry or the Dongo-Kundu Bypass to Diani. The ferry can significantly extend travel time during peak hours.Domestic flights from Nairobi land at Ukunda Airstrip near the town; airlines provide current connections.Getting AroundDiani Beach Road runs parallel to the beach. Tuk-tuks, taxis, and boda-bodas ply it.Excursions to Shimba Hills and Wasini Island are easily done as day trips from Diani.SafetyFor current and authoritative travel and safety advice, see the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice, linked on the country page.

    Accommodations in Diani Beach

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    Nearby

    Shimba Hills National Reserve

    Shimba Hills National Reserve

    The Shimba Hills National Reserve is a forested highland near Kwale, approximately 33 kilometers from Mombasa and 15 kilometers from the coast. It is known for Kenya's only population of Sable Antelope, for elephants, and for the Sheldrick Falls, to which a path leads through the coastal rainforest.To the north, it is adjoined by the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, a corridor through which elephants roam between the areas.
    Mombasa

    Mombasa

    Mombasa is Kenya's second-largest city and the historic center of the Swahili Coast, an island city connected to Nairobi by the Madaraka Express in four and a half to six hours, depending on the train. The Portuguese built Fort Jesus here starting in 1593, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the narrow streets of the Old Town adjoining its walls.North of the island lies Haller Park, located in a rewilded quarry, as well as the beaches of Nyali and Bamburi with hotels, restaurants, and vibrant nightlife.
    Wasini Island & Kisite-Mpunguti

    Wasini Island & Kisite-Mpunguti

    Wasini Island and the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park are located in the very south of the Kenyan coast, approximately 75 kilometers south of Mombasa, near the Tanzanian border. Boat trips from Shimoni lead to dolphins and coral reefs, and on the car-free island, seafood lunches are served.On the mainland in Shimoni, the Shimoni Slave Caves are a reminder of the slave trade on the coast.
    Kilifi

    Kilifi

    Kilifi is situated on a wide creek, approximately halfway between Mombasa and Malindi. The Kilifi Creek, with its mangroves, sailboats, and birdlife, defines the area, and on the southern bank, atop a hill, stand the Mnarani ruins of a Swahili city.Kilifi also features Bofa Beach, a long sandy beach with several beach restaurants and a kitesurfing centre.
    Coast

    Coast

    Kenya's coast on the Indian Ocean stretches from the Tanzanian border to the Lamu Archipelago, combining white beaches, coral reefs, and a Swahili culture shaped over centuries. Here are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Lamu Old Town, the Gede Ruins, and the sacred Kaya Forests of the Mijikenda.Many travelers combine an inland safari with a few days by the sea, for example in Diani, Watamu, or Malindi.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI