Best Beaches in Kenya
From quiet stretches of white sand to lively resort strips, here are the best beaches in Kenya and what makes each one worth the trip.
Bamburi Beach
North Coast, about 10 km north of Mombasa
A lively, developed north-coast resort beach with a calm reef lagoon, family hotels, water sports, and easy access to Mombasa.
Diani Beach
South Coast, 30 km south of Mombasa
A long, palm-backed white-sand beach with a calm reef-protected lagoon, relaxed beach bars, and good diving.
Kilifi Beach
Kilifi, north coast, between Mombasa and Malindi
A quiet, casuarina-backed ocean beach beside Kilifi Creek, with a laid-back sailing and eco-lodge scene rather than a resort strip.
Nyali Beach
North Coast, just north of Mombasa island
An upmarket suburb beach backed by hotels and golf, with a calm reef-protected lagoon and Mombasa's old town and attractions on the doorstep.
Shela Beach
Shela village, Lamu Island, Lamu Archipelago
A wild, near-empty dune-backed beach on car-free Lamu Island, quiet and upmarket in a barefoot boho-chic way, built around Swahili culture and remoteness rather than resorts.
Tiwi Beach
South Coast, just north of Diani Beach
A quiet, low-key white-sand beach with reef-protected rock pools, cottages and self-catering rather than resorts, just north of Diani.
Watamu Beach
North Coast, 105 km north of Mombasa, near Malindi
A series of sheltered white-sand bays inside a protected marine park, quieter and more nature-focused than Diani.