Malindi Marine National Park

Located in Malindi, Malindi marine national park is quite a sight to behold. The white sandy beaches, the blue waters of the Indian Ocean, the coral reef are all a sight to behold. I visited this area in late November 2022 and I was pleased with my experience there. There are a lot of fun activities such as a full boat ride which costs sh3500 where one can be able to go snorkelling and see dolphins as well as swim in the clear blue waters. The price is inclusive of food, entertainment and is totally worth paying for. The people are very very friendly and the beach has so much to offer. Plastic bottles aren’t allowed past the gate entrance in a bid to save the turtles. Such a lovely place to visit.

Surrounded by the Clean and white sandy Watamu beach and nestled in the marine reserve it has a unique coral reef garden and is rich with turtles, and cute fishes making it perfect for snorkeling or glass-bottom boat rides. The Watamu National Marine Park is the pendant to Masai Mara, underwater. Anybody who wants to snorkel or scuba dive here needs to pay a park entrance fee at the KWS Office, at the beach, close to Turtle Bay Hotel. The staff at the entrance to the Marine park were friendly. Resident rates are affordable and I can recommend more Kenyan residents to pay a visit to the park. The park features coral reefs and its inhabitants, cristal clear water and at times you can see dolphins and even whales. Like all such ecosystems, it is also under threat, from over-fishing, plastic and other pollution and tourism and its impact. Therefore visitors are required to behave environmentally responsible and for instance, report any boat owner who damaged corals or uses an anchor at the corals. NO PLASTIC BOTTLES are allowed past the entrance gate. This unique ecosystem and it beauty, which is the main tourist attraction in Watamu, will only survive if handled with care. We had a great time at Watamu Marine Park. Mr. Mango was the boat in charge and we were quite a number of guests. The boat ride to the snorkeling section of the ocean was amazing and we ended up at Sudi Island. The boat was well equipped with snorkeling equipment as well as life vests. There are lots of Mangrove trees there and many types of crabs. The canoe ride is a must to view the quiet beautiful sceneries. We were given a good amount of time to snorkel around the area. After getting back on the boat, we were provided with a variety of fresh fruit including bananas, pineapple and Watamu-grown Mangoes. For lunch, we e had lobsters, kingfish, and shrimp with coconut rice for lunch on the island .We saw Zebra fish, and many other colored species and even swam alongside them. Life beneath the waters is so beautiful. If you go at around mid-day, the water is warm and the sun rays make the views mind-blowing. The trip was even better than we could’ve expected and after around 3 and a half hours we were dropped back to our departure spot. This was my first time at Marine National Park and I highly recommend it to both locals and tours!

This marine park is located 118km from Mombasa in a town called Malindi. The marine park in in the beautiful Indian ocean is one of the oldest in Kenya. We journeyed from watamu which is about 45 minutes to malindi. I have never experienced anything so beautiful. We were picked up by our tour guide at around 9am. We were there around 10 and our day at the ocean started. We were asked to change into our costumes for those who had not already in them. The washrooms were not clean. Once changed we were shown which boat was ours. We paid 1500/= for the boat. We took numerous pictures by the beach as we waited for our tour guide to finish up with the payment. Remember not to carry any plastic bottles into the ocean for conservation. I think the payment made was around 500KES per person for entrance. The ocean was just so beautiful, you get to see so many different fish through the glass floor of the boat. I absolutely loved the experience. The snorkeling was a bit scary at first but once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed it. I got to see a wide variety of fish. We got to eat plenty of sea food also. The day was so fulfilling. This place is a must go in coast.

The marine park is a renown tourist destination where tourist get to see a tonne of fish while snorkeling. It is Malindi which is a 2 hour drive from Mombasa. My friends and I were on holiday in Watamu. We had our tour guide who insisted that we should visit he marine park. We came to a consensus that the next day we would visit. Early the following day, we departed from our airbnb at 8am. It took us a few minutes from Watamu to the marine park. On arrival, we were asked to produce our identification cards and a fee of about 400/= per head. Please remember to wear your costumes at the hotel because changing rooms were not very clean there. We were then directed to a boat, given life jackets, goggles and some drinking water. It was a huge boat with a glass floor so that we could see the fish while still on the boat. The boat ride cost us 2000/= We rode for some distance into the ocean. At no point would you look through the glass and not see a different type of fish. I was so fascinated. As opposed to the norm where snorkeling was done near the shore, our guide decided to take us further insisting that ther view would be better. Guys were afraid to snorkel that far from the shore, so when the guide asked who would go first, I was more than willing to volunteer. I have never experienced such beauty in my life. I would put my face into the water, with goggles on of course, then the guide would dive deep and point at different fish. Our guide was quite helpful and very patient with group, giving everyone ample time to enjoy. He would also collect corrals and shells from meters deep. This was the most amazing experience I’ve had in my life. The ocean is truly beautiful. Also please remember not to carry plastic bottles during the boat ride to avoid littering the ocean.

We were a group of over 20 while in Mombasa and we had a chance of visiting the marine park in Malindi before the pandemic happened. Malindi is approximately 1 hour from Mombasa and the marine park is a short drive from Malindi town. The marine park is a distance from the shore of the Indian Ocean so we needed a boat ride and life jackets to get there. This cost us about 4000ksh in total so once divided it isn’t such a large sum. The boats are managed by the local community so you have to negotiate with the owners on the cost of the ride. But the more you are in number, the better for you in terms of cost though each boat takes a maximum of 15 people. The boat ride was smooth and the boat has a glass in the middle through which we would see some of the beautiful marine life. Make sure to carry a swimming costume/bikini. There is a changing area at the park but it was really not upto standard. We got to the “floating” island. Yeah that’s right! This island is covered by the ocean during the afternoon but in the morning and night it will be above the water. This was fascinating. The water was at the waist level when standing on it but the further we moved away from the boat it kept getting deeper so you can definitely snorkel with the cute fish that are present here. We were given slices to bread which we would pinch on feed some fish. We spent there about an hour or so snorkeling and were able to see fascinating and beautiful fish species then we returned to the shore. The marine park is a nice experience for also young children and adults who can’t swim as there are the glass boats on which they will still be able to see the magical marine life. It was a memorable experience and I will definitely visit again.

The Marine Park is located on the coastal shore of sunny Malindi. We took a forty minute drive from Malindi Town to the Park which is owned by the Kenya Wildlife Service. At the gate, they ask for identification and then you pay an entry fee for you to be let in. We drove in after paying 500KES per person and parked the car in the lot. The beach is a lovely site to take in, with lots of boats available to take you on drive and Marine life if you take a walk along the beach. I remember encountering beautiful starfish and marveling at their colours. There are strict instructions to not tamper with marine life and especially not to take any home, which we adhered to. When we came in we were not dressed for the beach but we quickly changed at the changing rooms available near the beach into our swimsuits. We had planned on going snorkeling and visiting the nearest island. I would advise you to carry your own swimming attire. However, life jackets, floaters and snorkeling material are available for hire at about 2$ each. There are many fishermen with boats ready to take you and your group for boat rides. The prices differ from individual to individual and having a local to haggle prices would be an advantage. The cost averages 300KES per person and we were a group of 10. This caters for your boat trip and back. It is easier to bargain prices if you are a large group though the maximum number of people per ride is about 15. The boats have glass floors that enable one to view the beautiful fish. I would advise one to leave majority of your stuff at the shore or in your car since the boat does get quite wet and the motorboat gets windy. I lost my hat to the ocean and one of my friend’s phone got soaked in the oceans salt water. The experience however, is exhilarating. The owner of our boat, who was also our guide, stopped the boat at shallow waters out at sea and we were able to go snorkeling and have fun with the waves. I remember being so happy and is was so bittersweet that we had to go back. Our guide was informative and patient while we took pictures and had fun at the island. I would go back with my friends to experience that thrill again. The charges are friendly and only different for tourists at the entrance. This is a budget-friendly fun thing to do while in Malindi.