Diani Beach

Regularly riding high in polls to find Africa’s top beaches, Diani Beach stretches for a generous 11 miles. A short distance south of Kenya’s second largest city, Mombasa, it is a quintessential Indian Ocean beach. Verdant forest, which is home to all manner of native monkeys and birds, gives way to a phenomenal ribbon of near white sand that appears totally untouched by man. This in turn slopes gently into warm, glass-like waters whose clarity is protected by the presence of Diani Chale Marine National Reserve.

Diani Beach is so fine that those in the know fly in especially, making use of Ukunda Airstrip. But however you reach it, what awaits is a little piece of paradise. As well as its sands, Diani Beach also attracts snorkellers and divers to its coral reefs. It’s one of just a handful of sites where reef sharks can be encountered on a regular basis, while whale sharks visit the area from October to April each year.

Water sports enthusiasts won’t feel left out either, with jet skiing, kayaking and kite surfing all possible options for enjoying the sparkling waters. Other activities include camel rides, and tours of the sixteenth-century Kongo Mosque that lies at the northern end of the beach.

The road running parallel to Diani has an excellent range of hotels and resorts, alongside restaurants specialising in seafood, and multiple shopping centres.