Other Activities

Cycling

We have several options of routes depending what you want from your cycling trip. We recommend either cycling to the Mida Bird Hide or to the Arabuko Sokoke Forest, travelling along small winding paths in the shade of the coconut groves and mango plantations to reach your final destinations. It gives the visitor a chance to see a completely different side to the area, travelling past small rural homes and villages, glimpsing a way of life far from the hustle and bustle of the Beach and Watamu Village.

We have various sizes of Trek 4500 Off-Road bicycles with Shimano Gears.

All rides are accompanied by qualified cycle trail leader with vehicle back up, spares and first aid kit.

Kayaking with Aqua Ventures

Our Kayaks are basic ‘sit-on’ kayaks which are very stable, though don’t be surprised if you end up getting a bit wet during your paddle! We can offer you helmets and Life-jackets for safety.

Paddle around Turtle bay in front of Ocean Sports Resort. Practice your balance, paddling technique, and have fun. At low tide you can kayak and snorkel around the sand bank. A perfect family activity.

Guided tours in Mida Creek lasting around 3 hours can allow you to fully enjoy the Scenery and Bird life. Following the tide you will paddle the small channels, which are too shallow for any boat. – A truly magical experience.

Dhow Cruises

Large, traditional, wooden Dhows are used to travel around the approximately 10km of unspoiled and peaceful mangrove-lined waters of Mida Creek. It is the perfect sanctuary for large numbers of birds such as Flamingoes, Kingfishers and Herons. Mida is a wonderful venue for lazy lunches on a deserted beach or for watching the African sun settle in the sky, bringing to a close another day in paradise.

Gede Ruins

Gede was one of the ancient Arab Towns that dotted the East African coast. It dates from the late 13th or early 14th century and was finally abandoned in the early 17th century. At its peak of prosperity Gede had a population of over 2500 people. These ruins are eerie, and in the late afternoon are hauntingly beautiful.

Malindi Shopping

Enjoy a visit to the ancient town of Malindi, including a trip to the colourful local market where tropical fruits vie with wood and stone carvings and local jewelry. There is also the Indian/Arabic area, where all sorts of beautiful fabrics, beaded sandals etc. are sold. The Italian influence in the area ensures a few worthwhile ice-cream parlours/coffee shops and restaurants for those well earned shopping breaks!

Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

The Arabuko-Sokoke forest is one of the last remaining stands of virgin coastal rain-forest in Kenya. It contains a number of rare and unique species, including the Sokoke Scops owl and the Golden-rumped Elephant Shrew. There are trained guides available to take you on a nature and/or birding walks where you are bound to see the shrews, and many exotic and colourful butterflies. It is also possible to see Baboons, monkeys, Guinea-fowl and experience the thrill of spotting the tracks of the elusive Sokoke Elephants!

Mangrove Board Walk and Bird Hide

At the far and of Mida Creek is the wonderful Community Project of the Mangrove Board Walk. Here you can meet up with well trained Guides with vast knowledge on the Trees, creatures and birds of the Mangrove Mud flats. Enjoy a refreshing drink of Coconut Water straight from the Coconut and maybe take a trip in a local dugout Canoe.

More around Watamu

Snorkeling, sailing, wind surfing and kite surfing within the Marine Park.

Dolphin Watching Trips

Kipepeo Butterfly Farm is a small community based butterfly farm that exports pupae to Europe and the United States for use in live butterfly exhibits.

Watamu Turtle Watch and marine education centre, since 1997, has been working with the local community in an effort to ensure the survival of the marine turtles in Watamu. They have introduced several schemes including Nest Protection, Net releases (Ensuring Turtles are released unharmed when accidentally caught in fishing nets), School and Village Education and a Rehabilitation centre to care for sick or injured Turtles. It is possible to visit the Centre/ offices and maybe see a Turtle release which is a very rewarding experience!

Bio-Ken Laboratoy and Snake Farm is a small biological research station, owned and managed by James and Sanda Ashe and has been in existence for almost 20 years, during which time they have gained a first class international reputation. They have a live study collection of over 200 snakes of some 30 different species.

Deep Sea Fishing in Watamu and Malindi outside of the Reserves is famous for its big game fishing, and has a good tag and release programme.

For those energetic night owls there are casinos and night clubs in Malindi.

Tsavo National Park

2.5 hour drive from Watamu

The combined area of Tsavo East and West National parks is 21,283 square kilometers (8,217 sq. miles), which makes this one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. To the northwest is an unusually vivid green range of hills, the Chuyulus. It is here that the eruption of Mzima Springs comes bubbling to the surface with anything between 10-20 million liters of fresh water per hour. This makes for a natural jacuzzi for frolicking hippo and opportunistic crocodiles. Endless plains and the Galana river dominate Tsavo East. Tsavo East contains large herds of elephant, prides of lion and cheetah, as well as plenty of the regular plains’ game such as Zebra, Giraffe and Impala.